[LRflex] Re: OT:Ricoh GXR M Module on dpReview
- From: Douglas Sharp <douglas.sharp@xxxxxx>
- To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2011 14:56:50 +0200
Richard,
if Leica do eventually make something with an R-mount,
the mount will only be an extra, adapter or module made
to fit.
The problem is that R-lenses are a legacy, not a
product in the eyes of a company dedicated to making
profits with an active portfolio.
Anything constructed to take R-lenses is therefore not
a bread-and-butter, money-spinning option, but rather a
favour to owners of R-lenses and exclusively a way of
cementing customer-loyalty (insofar as it still exists)
and increasing awareness for other Leica products. I
doubt very much whether they see it as a complement to
either the M or S systems in any way.
The number of R lenses out there is
1) finite - no profit for Leica
2) already owned - no profit for Leica
3) second-hand market - no profit for Leica**
4) in the hands of a target group that is almost
completely made up of the retired, 50 and overs and
others who will not necessarily be able to invest in a
new platform for old lenses - i.e. no sustainable
profit for Leica
5) an "adäquat" solution purely for R lenses would be
be a dead-end development for Leica - the very limited
demand would not make good business sense.
Nothing of the above is particularly interesting for
Leica in business terms. Their objectives are to make
money on their key product lines, i.e. the S-system,
the M-system, Compacts and Sport Optics.
Of course there are many here on Leica lists and forums
and elsewhere who would love to see an "adäquat"
solution (me included), but, as a potential target
group, there are simply not enough of us to swing a
decision in Solms.
**If Leica were to offer a second-hand service with
CLA'd, used R lenses with, say, a 12-month warranty and
a modification to make them "operable" with a new, as
yet unannounced, "solution", they could make a slight,
short-term profit on the dwindling R market and
possibly recoup enough to cover the development of an
"adäquat" R lens solution. But, once again, I doubt
very much that it would be a full-frame option.
Let's hope they make enough money in the future to
allow them to do things for their customers and not
just to keep their shareholders happy.
Cheers
Douglas
On 07.08.2011 14:22, Richard Ward wrote:
> Sorry Doug... I should have used a much more general 'hello' because my
> response was more towards the post you had responded on.
>
> Would I Buy One? Yes
> Can I Buy One? Nope
>
> Do I think Leica will profitably succeed with their coming mirrorless
> offering? Yep
>
> And Yep irregardless of whether the R Adapter for it is any good. The M
> community is their bread and butter market. The R folks are a legacy and are
> incremental sales to getting the M part right. Getting the R part right is a
> should kind of thing and could be a profit center if they can extend the
> engineering of it to making N, C, P, or K, adapters.
>
> Richard Ward
>
> _____________________________________
>
> "I think Congressmen should wear uniforms,
> you know, like NASCAR drivers, so we could
> identify their corporate sponsors."
> _____________________________________
>
> On Aug 7, 2011, at 12:26 AM, Doug Herr<wildlightphoto@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> FORGET THE WHY, FORGET WHO MAKES IT, IF YOU CAN USE YOUR R LENSES AND YOUR
>> OTHER-BRAND LENSES, IS IT SOMETHING YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN?
>>
>> sheesh.
> ------
> Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
> http://www.lrflex.furnfeather.net/
> Archives are at:
> //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
>
------
Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
http://www.lrflex.furnfeather.net/
Archives are at:
//www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
Other related posts:
