Lightroom 3.2 released with Leica S2 support

By LR admin | Published: August 31, 2010

Lightroom 3.2 is now available with improved color and noise profiles for the Leica S2.

Posted in Leica S | Leave a Comment

Leica has not stopped making film cameras (rerun)

By LR admin | Published: August 27, 2010

I am not sure why, but several websites are covering again the article from the Japanese magazine Asahi Camera (June 20th issue) which states that Leica has stopped producing film cameras. As I mentioned two months ago, this statement probably got lost in translation. Here is again the official answer I got from Christian Erhardt (Vice President of Marketing Photographic Division,  Leica Camera USA) two months ago:

“Your questions comes timely, in fact just earlier this week I was in our factory where I saw the production of Leica’s M product lines. While we do not have a constant production of certain lenses and cameras, we have the ability to produce batches of those products. For example: Certain exotic lenses & cameras are produced in batches to be able to produce an economically feasible number of products.

In this case the M analog production line is just next to Leica’s M9 production line to which we have shifted our focus to better manage the backlog and reduce the wait for our customers.

As you might be well aware from the past, we have always stated that as long as it makes sense for Leica Camera AG to produce M analog cameras we will do so. At this time we are reaching our targeted numbers for M analog cameras and do well with the offering of Leica M a la Carte cameras. Just recently Leica Camera AG offered a special Leica M7 Hermes Camera. This camera was quickly sold out and is a sought after collectors camera.

At this time I have no indication that the Leica M analog cameras will be taken out of Leica’s product offering.”

Posted in Other Leica Stuff | 3 Comments

iPhone 4 turns into a Leica M9

By LR admin | Published: August 25, 2010

First, there was that comment from Steve Jobs that the iPhone 4 looked like “a beautiful old Leica camera”. It did not take long to see the first iPhone-Leica modification and now flickr member joey_joey_joey has an even better implementation, this time the iPhone 4 turns into a Leica M9 (probably also by using a Griffin Reveal case update: actually, those are stickers):

a nice touch is the Leica M9 wallpaper on the iPhone screen:

Read More »

Posted in Other Leica Stuff | 2 Comments

Leica Camera AG has a new CEO

By LR admin | Published: August 20, 2010

Financial Times Deutschland (in German | in English) reports that Leica has changed their CEO again (seventh change in ten years). The new CEO is Adolf Alfred Schopf, 53 (update: here is the official press release with the correct name of the new CEO).

The article has also some other interesting information:

  • Patrick Thomas, the head of the French luxury goods group Hermès is on the Board of Directors of Leica Camera.
  • Hermès has a 49% stake in the Japanese subsidiary of Leica.
Posted in Other Leica Stuff | 14 Comments

New Voigtlander 75mm 1.8 lens with M mount

By LR admin | Published: August 20, 2010

This new Voigtlander 75mm 1.8 lens has a true Heliar design with a cemented doublet in the middle instead of a single element (6 elements in 3 groups), and the lens hood reverses for storage. The size of the lens is between the Leica 75mm Summicron and 75mm Summilux. Here are the details:

  • Lens construction: 3 groups of 6 elements
  • Aperture range: 1.8-16
  • Aperture Blades: 10
  • Close focus: 0.9m
  • Weight: 427 gms
  • Length and diameter: 73.8mm x 57.9mm
  • Hood: Optional vented type
  • Filter size: 52mm
  • Available mid Sept 2010
  • Expected price of $795.00 AUD

Via Mainlinephoto and Cosina Japan

Posted in Leica Lenses | Tagged | 4 Comments

Leica’s 1st quarter financial results (fiscal year 2010/2011)

By LR admin | Published: August 19, 2010

Leica’s financial results for the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2010/2011 are out:

“Leica Camera Group has closed the first quarter with sales amounting to € 56,176,000 (previous year: € 29,096,000). The net result of the Group for the reporting period has improved by € 16,249,000 to a net income of € 9,426,000 (previous year: net loss of € 6,823,000), due, inter alia, to higher contribution margins.”

R&D expenses and head count is also up:

“Expenditure for research and development in the first quarter of the fiscal year came to € 3,526,000 (previous year: € 2,515,000); the number of employees in the Leica Camera Group rose from 1,068 in the prior year to 1,083.”

And the future looks even better:

“For fiscal 2010/2011 the Company’s Board of Management expects further sales increases and, in conjunction with these, an EBIT result in the double-digit Euro million range.”

Source

Posted in Other Leica Stuff | 5 Comments

Rumor: Leica M9 Titan by the end of the year

By LR admin | Published: August 18, 2010

The rumor is that a new Leica M9 Titan will be released by the end of the year, most probably as a limited edition. It is possible that this would be the M9 related announcement at Photokina. The Leica M9 Titan will be sold as a kit with a lens (not sure which one) for the price of €18,000 (vat tax incl). I am told that the body will be made of real Titanium (which could explain the price tag) and not just “Ti plated” like this M6 Titan I found on eBay:

Another small p&s camera from Leica is also expected for Photokina, probably the Leica D-Lux 5.

Posted in Leica Compacts, Leica M9 | Tagged , | 7 Comments

New: ReallyRightStuff L-Plate for Leica S2

By LR admin | Published: August 17, 2010

ReallyRightStuff are now shipping their new L-Plate for Leica S2 (model BS2-L):

Dimensions:

  • Height 2.8″/77mm
  • Weight 4.2oz/115g
Posted in Leica Accessories, Leica S | 3 Comments