Leica to discontinue reflex line?

[35mmdelux]

One way mature industries improve the bottomline is not through cutting predictable labor or materiel costs, but to invent new or improve old processes.

 

The cliche is "Continuous Improvement."

[dave_s]

<i>Their biggest costs isn't wages, its the high quality materials they buy. They make the best lenses using the best materials, FYI.</i>

<p>

Please tell me you're joking.

[john_shriver]

Leica does use some exotic and very expensive glasses in some of their lenses. But not all.

 

They do build to tight tolerances, with designs that require it. They focus on optical quality and lens size, and that causes optical designs with tighter mechanical tolerances than other manufacturers. Some of the Nikon and Canon lenses are every bit as good as a Leica lens, but not as small. There are no free lunches in optical design.

 

As for German labor costs, also remember that when you layoff employees, you have to pay their wages for something like 3 or 5 more years. Leica has had some past rounds of layoffs, and they may still be paying these ex-employees.

[nels]

<i>"I think of Jim Morrison singing "Strange Days" when I consider the lack of details in Lee's statements."</i><p>

A US public company CEO making such comments about magically turning the ship would face a barrage of questions from investment bankers, fund managers, coverage analysts, and key share-holders. I take it that German public company heads are treated quite differently in terms of questioning their plans, performance, and accountability.<p>

When it comes to the R line, even if Leica made the lenses in EOS mount, if they didn't have auto-focus and image-stabilization, I wish them good luck selling enough to make the endeavor profitable. Does anyone know how well are the Zeiss lenses for Nikon mount selling?

[oceanphysics]

<i>Their biggest costs isn't wages, its the high quality materials they buy.</i>

<p>

Well somebody should notify the German equivalent of the Securities Exchange Commission, because their annual report says it's wages.

[john_camp]

"When it comes to the R line, even if Leica made the lenses in EOS mount, if they didn't

have auto-focus and image-stabilization, I wish them good luck selling enough to make

the endeavor profitable."

 

Absolutely. Autofocus and image stabilization are routine now, and Leica would be crazy

to try to sell an R10 without them...which is why I think they'll probably offer them. Pentax

did it with the K10, which can use heritage lenses with in-body auto-focus, and is also set

up to take new lenses with in-lens auto-focus. Leica at least has to match that. If they do,

and go with a ~16mp sensor that is equivalent to the quality offered by the M8 (plus the

extra resolution) they may do okay.

 

JC

[kens]

Adding autofocus will require some reworking of the lens to make the focus action light

enough for motor drive. Of course focus assist doesn't affect the lens design. But changing

the focus design to handle autofocus...a whole new line of R-AF lenses...ugh. I'm not going

to hold my breath waiting.

[edsel_adams]

Discontinue the R line? And disappoint the 'dozens' of dedicated R users? Not likely.

[anthony_brookes5]

I have been trying to find out from a friend of a friend who has a contact in Solms and has given me good but not very early information. He says that he has heard nothing of the cessation of the R series and personally doubts it. He does say that they are working flat out on the M8 as it has sold well beyond expectations. They regard it as an enormous success with greater potential.

[michael_ginex1]

A sure test of the success of the M8.....Canon and Nikon copies. They have a proven track record for doing that. As far as continuing the R line, my gut tells me an R10 DSLR @ 16mp or greater with in-camera IS. Most don't need problematic AF anyway (unless you have failing eyesight and/or limited reflexes....or you just have to have an expensive point and shoot system in order to take a photograph).

[vinay_patel]

I have heard nothing of plans to discontinue the R line, in fact just the opposite, there is talk of an all-digital R10. As someone mentioned, discontinuing the DMR without a replacement is not a good strategy in terms of customer confidence. However first off, Leica had no choice because with no more DMRs in inventory and no capacity to build more of them, legally they have no choice but to call it discontinued. Second off, unlike Nikon or Canon, Leica enjoys enviable patience, tolerance, forgiveness and eternal optimism from its fan base.

 

As to the sales success of the M8, the numbers have been turning around but it's still far from a profitable venture at this point and major issues affecting reliability have yet to be identified let alone solved, and Leica can't estimate how much it will cost until they know what's involved. The company is nothing if not tenacious however, and may just surprise even the harshest skeptics. They convinced me to buy an M8 even after having to return two dead ones!

[stephen_w.]

"They convinced me to buy an M8 even after having to return two dead ones!"

 

Were the first two free?

[anthony_brookes5]

Vinay - It depends what you mean by a profit. They haven't reached breakeven yet including development costs but with an ex-factory cost of under $700 it won't take them too long.

[jerry_kirkwood]

I won't speculate as to where you got that "fact" from but I bet it hurt like hell getting it out <grin>.

[leica ron]

Vinay Patel, Apr 05, 2007; 12:55 p.m.

 

"They convinced me to buy an M8 even after having to return two dead ones!"

 

You mean, R8's, don't you Vinay ?

[james_elwing]

After the adventure with M8, they should be able to use the same technology to produce a full frame R digital camera

[dgfassett]

Paul A. There is a Socialist among us.

[paulmoore]

I think they should discontinue it..just like they did the screw mount lenses.

the r10 should have a new set of lenses.. and for the sake of business, make them AF.

would VW still be in business if we all drove around in a 58 beetle?

They of course should engineer in the use of the vintage r lenses for all of us who profess

tradition, nostalgia, or what ever you want to call it.. for me it will be economics.

I for one am looking forward to using my dmr as backup.

Does not one person out there have real sales numbers for the dmr or m8?