Leica ... closer to bancruptcy now ... waiting for May 31

This is certainly bad news to many photography fans ... even those that can not really afford Leica's products

I just read an article in the last week's print version of the German weekly 'Der Spiegel'.... with the notion that Leica might be close to bankruptcy.

After the announcement of the large loss (half the paid-in capital) in February, many banks cancelled their credit lines and the board now has to find new sources of capital until the extraordinary board meeting on May 31.

If you know German (or know the link to Babelfish), you might read more here: http://www.golem.de/05​03/37100.html

And yes, as one of the major reasons for the imminent bankruptcy, Der Spiegel cited the former CEO with the words 'Digital is just a fad, like e-mails. People will always love to take real photographs'.

Best regards, Andy

Sad......

Ro1

Der Spiegel is right to point out the CEO's words; Leica's half-hearted jump into the digital world and their stubborn insistence on film cameras became their doom. We've been discussing this on the Leica Forum for over a year now.

Yeah, sad to see such a name go. Never owned anything leica, but they are a part of the photographic pantheon. I'm sure someone will snap up their IP.

Leica going would be kind of like discovering market pressures had turned the world renowned name Levi from a solid symbol of America into a pale, made on the cheap, 100% south American copy.

Oh wait, that already happened didn't it.

Yeah..real bummer...I sold all my Leica's a year ago and have used them for 40 years.....sad times but digital is here to stay...Leica just never got it........don

Didn't I hear Contax having the same fate recently? That's too bad.I really liked my M6 and had considered getting another one some day.

Contax is definately being discontinued. I believe that Kyocera owns Contax, and has decided that there is no profit in high-end camera gear.

I hope that Leica doesn't suffer the same fate. Perhaps they should start reverse-engineering AF lenses in Canon and Nikon mount like Sigma and Tamron.

My money would be on Tamron, Sigma or somebody buying them to get the name association.

I'll bet that the Vitec Group,Parent Company of Bogen Imaging, will swallow Leica up. But then again Tamron has Bronica. Sigma could also be a player too since they need a name to sell their Forveon powered DSLR. What better name to use then Leica. Think about this all those people who must have a Prada or Hermes or Gucci or LV or what ever expensive brand out there can't be caught dead carrying anything less the most expensive and well respected camera name. Key word is name.

And Panasonic has been producing digital cameras with 'Leica' lenses (and even the Leica compact digicam) for quite some time now.

Don't know about their financial whereabouts and plans, but they also might be interested - now we're talking takeover fantasies.

Best regards,
Andy

RIP

I am really sorry to hear this. I still have some faithful Leicas. I think I will stop use them and keep as a memory of when Leica WAS Leica (its an old IIIc with a couple of lenses and an R3 with some lenses as well).

my plan to save Leica in 7 easy steps.

ok here it is.
1. Drop the MF SLR line completely. thats right get rid of the Rs. and while we are at it dump the preasent digis and the modul-r.
2. Suck up your pride and go to canon and/or nikon and colaborate on a series of "super Ls" I bet that pro photogs would pay the extra $$ for Leica glass on a 1DS MKII. It MUST BE AF however.
3. Suck up pride again and get the rights to produce and develope with the Ferveon sensor into the briliant idea that it is and produce the Digi body all the pros have been waiting for.
a)make a new body the xR, make it compatable with the old glass but give it AF as well.
b)make it sensor interchangeable as well and produce SEVERAL differant sensors. A 5 mp an 8 mp and a 12 mp in APS-c and Full Frame, a 16 mp or 22 mp in full frame only that has scan capabilities with an upgrade interface that you sell for $500 or $1000, a dedicated B&W sensor that is full frame and able to model differant films (ilford pan-x, tri-x, tech-pan, etc.) instead of ISOs, a dedicated IR sensor that has the IR filter built in, a ultra violet with the same, you get the general idea.
c) AF AF AF AF AF AF
d) be able to shoot at 3 FPS until the card is full.
e) have multiple bodies. one that is titanium and Carbon Fiber that is sealed and able to withstand a saharian dust storm, a walkabout body like the 20d, etc.
f) for gods sake hire some one to make the camera ergonomic.
g) take this knowledge and make a digi RF that come to market before the epson DR-2 and is cheaper.
h) the dSLR shell should be less than $1200 and the most expensive sensor, the scanning 16 mp or 22 mp, should be no more than $4000. the idea is that a PJ could have a body with a lens for less than 4 grand.
4) a student discount program that sells at or near cost. catch em young and keep em for life.
5) lower all current prices by about 20-25%
6) FIRE ALL bean counters in upper management and on board and replace with photographers who love leica.
7)make the parts for the cameras in asia then assemble in europe.

ok there it is now will someone loan me about $75,000,000 to do this.
this would work better is everyone wised up and made me king,
Riaz

Maybe the upcoming Leica Module R (10 mpx digital back) will be thier saving grace............hopef​ully.............

However, http://www.leica-camera.com …ontent/pdf/rsys​tem/31.pdf.



Still...........it would be interesting. It's really thier first intro in the digital interchangeable lens market.

Ro1

The Leica-Panasonic relationship mentioned By Andy is allready in existance.. it doesn't seem like a natural fit though.. but on the other hand Panasonic has made some forays into some diverse markets you may not be aware of. (most failed however )

I just can't quite see why Leica can't pull themselves out of this spiral.
If there previous existing market is dwindling.. then it isn't being lost to other film cameras... it's being lost to Digital...

So why on Earth can't a line of Digital Cameras pull them back into business?

Leica could work with Panasonic to cut there own expenses re: investment into Digital technlogy research.. and still have bodies out there to make there lenses for.

Also Leica has allways been an optics company.. forget camera bodies.. all kinds of Optics. Are they losing that marketshare too? Maybe no one knows who Leica is anymore.

they actually had a very good line of Professional PA sound reinforcement gear back in the mid '80s through early '90s.. "Ramsa" unfortunately went under. Too bad too,. there Amps and Cabinets were incredible for there price range.

Well,

all of these propositions might be good ... but they use a lot of money ... and they don't have any at the moment

Too little, too late.

Best regards,
Andy