anthony_brookes5 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I understand that Leica have spefically stated, 27th january 2007, that there are no plans to discontinue the DMR and that there will be further firmware. The DMR is still and will continue to be an available Leica product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene_e._mccluney Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Why do you all think that the word WAFER must refer to the digital imager? In reality it could refer to the image processor chip, which COULD be from another vendor than the one in the M8. It could be any CHIP within the camera electronics. McCluney Photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtodrick Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Anthony (and others(...for cryin' out loud...instead of spouting off about what you'think'...call Leica NJ. It's gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_spiers Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I wish I could find my post from about 3 years ago which said this product was a waste of time which would sell to about a dozen people (or words to that effect). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squareframe Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 > I wish I could find my post from about 3 years ago which said this product was a waste of time which would sell to about a dozen people (or words to that effect). John, you were right-on-the-mark, except you missed the sales-count. they never quite made it to a dozen. almost though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I think that's a misguided response John. They sold as many DMR's as they could make. At least several thousand were sold. I know this because my first DMR was numbered around 300, and the replacement just a few months later was numbered over 2000. Beyond that, it is a great camera that has superb image quality. Whether or not it fits your need is another story, but pretty much anyone who has used one will tell you that it produces great images and is very pleasant to work with. It was not meant to appeal to a universal market, just to R system owners who wanted a digital solution. In that market it did very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan flanders Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 "Some of those "armchair generals" are actually long time Leica owners and users who paid a great deal of money over a number of years in the belief that what Leica was saying had some sense of reality. I suppose that I qualify for the "armchair" part since I have bought, sold, donated, retained, and otherwise owned or acquired numerous Leicas and their appurtenances over the past sixty odd years. But I never rose above company grade and thus cannot aspire to the "general" designation. However, as on the Iraq situation, I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself regarding the "survival of Leica" issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_brookes5 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Bob - My answer came from Leica Canada. I have emailed a friend in Bonn who will find out the facts for certain on Monday. Leica are still selling the DMR over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_brookes5 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Bob - I have just had an email from a friend in Canada who says that on another forum it says that the Marketing Manager of Leics USA has also confirmed that the DMR is not to be discontinued. It seems that one department doesn't talk to the other Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon_dai Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Since when there was a Leica Canada ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Anthony -- I am sure that the conflicting information comes from the fact that they are still selling remaining stocks, but they don't have the intention to build any more. The situation was the same with many other products, like the Xpan and the hasselblad 200 series. They say they are selling them so they don't undercut the dealers, but in reality, they are just waiting for all of them to sell out. When they sell out, they say, "oh, by the way, the xpan is discontinued". I would trust Bob's word much more than what they would tell a customer, because they are always going to be more honest with a dealer than with a customer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_brookes5 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Stuart - You coud be right I'll see what my contact in Bonn says as I think he has adirect contact in Solms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert knapp md Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I just spoke to the people at Leica NJ. They confirmed that the DMR production line is finished and that o more will be made. They also confirmed that they are working on the update and that it should be available "soon". HOWEVER,WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE R10, they stated that they have no knowledge of one........... Draw your own inferences, friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_shively Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 ...and the Barnack cameras keep on working while the new stuff becomes expensive paperweights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay_patel Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 "Draw your own inferences, friends." I've given up on that Albert. Leica is the Keith Richards of camera manufacturers, despite 40 years of self-destructive behaviour it's still out there rockin' it for the cheering fans ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Lee, what makes you think that the DMR's have all magically turned into paperweights just because production has stopped? I have taken tens of thousands of photos with mine, and it is still running strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprouty Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Is there <I>anything</I> that Leica has done lately that could even remotely be described as "sane"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_shively Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 "Lee, what makes you think that the DMR's have all magically turned into paperweights just because production has stopped? I have taken tens of thousands of photos with mine, and it is still running strong." Ask me that in 40-50 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nels Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 <i>"Ask me that in 40-50 years."</i><p> No sane person is buying any digital camera today with the intent of keeping it for 40-50 years - be it Leica, Canon, or 'Blad.<p> The ROI on film camera (bodies) were measured mostly in terms of the longevity of the body alone. Not so for digital. With digital, the ROI is determined by a combination of body + sensor output that meets your individual needs. From that perspective, someone who has taken enough shots with their digital camera to have gotten an appropriate degree of personal and professional satisfaction can claim that they derived as much, if not more, value from owning them for a mere year or two than someone who owned film cameras did from their "investment" for a decade or five. The equations and the measures of success are different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 "The ROI on film camera (bodies) were measured mostly in terms of the longevity of the body alone." You are joking right? The value of any camera --the ROI -- film or digtial, is the photographs you make with it. If you want to use photography as an investment tool, buy photographs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nels Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Ellis, the basis for my statement has to do with longevity of the film camera bodies being used as an excuse to trash digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_brookes5 Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 I've received a reply from the contact at Leitz. The DMR will be sold until stocks last, a replacement is in the pipeline but no details as yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_shively Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 "... the basis for my statement has to do with longevity of the film camera bodies being used as an excuse to trash digital." With film bodies, you upgraded with better film. With digital bodies you upgrade with better bodies. The older film emulsions became obsolete as newer and better emulsions took their place. With digital, the camera itself becomes obsolete with each succeeding generation. Sure, you can still use an outdated digital body--just like you can still use obsolete Super-X film (if you have a supply frozen somewhere). But I seriously doubt anyone shooting a 2007 model digital camera today will still have the capability of using it at the middle of the 21st Century for anything other than a bit of nostalgia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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