UK Sunday Times on Leica

This weekend's Sunday Times featured an interview with Steve Lee, formerly of

bestbuy.com, who's joined the board of Leica overseeing strategy and marketing, in a

story covering the launch of the M8. <p>No earth-shattering insights, plus the usual guff

about how Capa used a Leica on Omaha, but there are a few revealing comments (or

allegations) about their financial problems and the previous management's digital-

phobia. On line version <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-

2382461.html">here</a>

another lie: capa used a contax

Lee's correct about needing new customers.

 

Not certain how many American "soccer mums" (translated from "moms" to "mums" for UK readers ? -- that's cute) will be spotted with new M8's, but the consumer-level digital cameras might be a different story.

Interesting. Thks. I'm not certain soccer moms would drop this kind of cash on a camera. How often do you see them w/ Nikon D2s or Canon MK whatnots?

 

Leica needs to start working high end communications outlets - both pro and non-pro.

I'm doubting even rich soccer "mums" will buy M8s however the cheap sub 1k cameras especially the DLUX3 can do well with such people. Only die hard photogs will buy M8s or even the new digilux.

Soccer moms will go for the Canon SD630. It has a 3 inch screen, and no viewfinder, which is how soccer moms shoot anyway. In addition, it is very slim and will fit into a handbag or shirt pocket. The M8 is for soccer dads, a growing sub-specie.

I think soccer moms will go for the Leica P&S such as the C-lux1 or the D-lux3.

My love affair with Leica started with my father's Leica IIIa, with all the macro/micro extendable legs, gifted to me when I was 15, after a couple of years of patient but intense tuition. His M3 followed, willed to me a few years later. An R4 was purchased by me new, in 1986, and Leica's compact shortly after (for the childrens'sports-watching wife/mother). Then the disillusion:

The purchase of their first Digital. What a disappointment to find that some marketing genius in Leica had thought that slapping a bit of leather and a Leica icon on a Fuji Digital, would allow them to con Leica owners into thinking that Leitz had joined the digital age.

 

I have never recovered confidence in my first camera romance, although I would never dispose of any of the "original" Leicas I have. The Digital Fuji masquerading as a Leica, was given away, and replaced earlier this year with a Canon 8MP, which is superbly fit for purpose.

 

Good luck to Mr. ex_Best Buy in his attempts to popularize Leicas. It sounds like attempting to popularize Bentleys to me.... Quality and technical brilliance will have to be surrendered to bring prices within reach of the soccer-watching mums, or is he contemplating the Swatch/Omega marriage as a path to follow?

I can see those soccer MUMS with a viso III and 560 tellyt on their M8's, HaHa! I shot sports with my M's and viso during college in the 60's and did it and even shot track events with RF focus. It can be done but it's a hard way to make a living. Glad those days are over.

But soccer mums are exactly the sort of customers Kodak has been going for. Also, soccer mom = autofocus + single-button print function - MLU -spot metering - metal (too heavy for handbag)