[LRflex] Re: Leica to abandon 4/3rds - how good will a Leica R AF system be??

Hello, Alex,
Looks like I'll probably be missing this year's Photokina too - I'll be working hard to make up for the 3 weeks holiday in the UK that ends the week before.
Leica has no chance of working along the lines of the bigger companies, so they'll have to come up with something really innovative that maintains their image in terms of perceived value and longevity, but still allows fast and regular upgrades. Nobody in their right mind is going to lay out several thousands every couple of years (at least prosumers or non-professionals won't), and the thought of a 'throw-away' Leica just doesn't fit with either their heritage or their corporate philosophy. 

This is where I believe Leica's problems are to be found:
The BIG difference between digital and the LSM, M, SL and R film cameras we are - still - using is that our film cameras all cater for a mature technology that requires no technological innovations to keep it up to date. The most we need is a supply of good repair men (women), spare parts and film manufacturers, all of which are gradually fading away.
Leica is well established as THE premium brand in this segment when it comes to the desirability of what they produce.
Translating this to digital technology, after having ignored that it exists for so long, is a pretty big problem to tackle.
It either leads to the loss of the historical Leica image and puts them down on the same 'planned obsolescence' level as their competitors, or they have to come up with something that guarantees the historical continuity of the Leica brand image while fulfilling everything demanded by contemporary technology.
So, IMO, what we should be looking for is something that makes good sense in technical, marketing and cost (still expensive - still Leica) terms, because they won't be able to corner a lucrative professional market from one day to the next unless they come up with something that truly has a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that has never been seen before - which I doubt very much will be the case.
Therefore, a multi price level, 'pick and mix/plug 'n play' DSLR with choices of what it has on board is, for me, the only logical solution. 


Cheers
Douglas


Alex Hurst wrote:

Douglas wrote:


Alex,
the way I see it is that the only solution to the Leica Quality/Fast Digital Obsolence dilemma is a high quality body with exchangable digital hardware - think along the lines of different sensors, processors etc. If you can change focusing screens, why can't you have plug and play sensors and other chips? 

Absolutely - they seem to be doing it with lens adaptors already.
OTOH the camera makers don't want to sell you new bits, but new bodies..... :-(
Pity it wasn't Rollei taking this path, their 3003, if developed further, would have made an ideal platform for digital photography.
Weren't there interchangeable sensor backs for the latest Hassies at the last Photokina (which, sadly, you didn't make)?
The other piece of kit that never came anywhere near making it to the market was substitute 'virtual film' - drop in the sensor. processor and card in place of a film cassette and the protruding tongue of film. As I remember there was some vapourware knocking around, but nothing ever came of it. Wonder if it could be resurrected as technology has moved on a bit? 

Best

Alex



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