4 ms·

They made a mirrorless K-mount camera, the K-01, 10-11 years ago. Got some moderately well-known designer to make a moderately trendy looking thing. It bombed.

They made a mirrorless K-mount camera, the K-01, 10-11 years ago. Got some moderately well-known designer to make a moderately trendy looking thing. It bombed. They also attempted a new mirrorless series ("Q") but I think it only got a little bit of traction even in Japan. Some bad decisions and wrong compromises there, though I did meet a woman who loved her pink one.

dale_glass 3y ago
I remember the K-01, I didn't care for it. For me, a camera is a tool, not a fashion accessory. I couldn't care less that some famous guy designed it. Reviews said it was uncomfortable and for me that was that. The Q didn't interest me because of its small sensor.
- sanitycheck 3y ago
  Agree 100%. All I'm saying is that they've dabbled with these things before, albeit without any real success. It is of course possible to make a fashion accessory that is also a tool, but then you have a Leica and I can't afford one!
  - jacquesm 3y ago
    Leica is pretty much done as a professional camera company, it's a luxury brand along the lines of Rolex. Professionals overwhelmingly use Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fuji in that order, Leica has dropped to sub 1% of the pro market. And compared to say Hasselblad they don't have any USPs that would make someone choose their brand other than the brand itself. Interestingly: amateurs use Leica 2x as much as professionals do, because the myth of the expensive camera making better pictures is still alive and well.
    - dale_glass 3y ago
      I remember back when Leica made their own monochrome digital camera (this idea isn't new, Leica did this in 2012). Half their ad was showing off how they make the bag for the thing.
      - jacquesm 3y ago
        With prominently displayed branding, because after all, you don't want any thieves to think that they might have a $7K device that can easily be carted off sitting around. Oh, wait...
        jsmith99 3y ago
        You're meant to put a piece of black tape over it so you can LARP as a 1960s combat photojournalist.
        lispm 3y ago
        Minor: The Leica M11 Monochrome does not have a red Leica logo.
        _ph_ 3y ago
        Besides the branding not being that obvious, it should be quite difficult to sell a stolen Leica. At least for anything more than a pittance. It doesn't matter what it costs, what matters for a thief is what they can sell it for.
        hef19898 3y ago
        Why would it be difficult to sell a stolen Leica? Do they have some sort of cloud backed locating thing installed?
        _ph_ 3y ago
        Leica cameras are very specialized equipment. The market is small. It is not that a random person would pick up a Leica camera. They are likely to be serviced at some point in time, as the range finder might need adjustment. A stolen serial number would be detected instantly.
        therealcamino 3y ago
    - ninjin 3y ago
      That last comment is a bit unfair, no? Yes, there are plenty of "fools" that throw money on Leica gear and wearing it as a fashion statement. However, Leicas are also darn fun to shoot, even if they make zero sense for a professional that most likely want reliability and are optimising for nailing each shot. I, however, very much enjoy the "flawed" process of using a rangefinder. It makes me obsess less about each shot for some reason. Likewise, it is great to be able to share lenses between my non-Leica film camera and digital Leica. Plus, having access to lenses going all the way back to the 30s is also fun, despite them having serious flaws at times. So, yes, I agree that Leica is "done", but has that not in many ways been the case since the professionals got proper SLRs into their hands in the 60/70s? I for one appreciate the "fools" that throw money at Leica so that I can pick up a second hand digital one ever half a decade or so to keep my fun going.
      - Ancapistani 3y ago
        All of the above applied pretty much equally to Fujifilm at this point, though. I’ve heard it said that Fujifilm is the Leica of the 1970s, today. I think I agree with that. I love my X-Pro3. It’s 100% a choice I made for the joy of photography, not practicality. I considered Leica. I could afford it, but they just didn’t offer anything Fujifilm didn’t outside the brand itself.
        lispm 3y ago
        I usually hear that something like a Leica Q (Q, Q2, Q3) would be a step up in lens and sensor quality. They have full frame sensors, the newer models have a higher resolution and a matching lens. It's also a step up in price... Used Leica Q models are not out of reach price wise. M cameras often are. I bought a Q2 just be for the Covid pandemic and I kind of expected to be disappointed, given the ratio of capabilities and price. But I wasn't. I actually like the output of the camera.
        ninjin 3y ago
        I mostly agree and love what Fujifilm is bringing to the table (the viewfinder in particular). Sadly their sensor size breaks backwards compatibility though with relation to old lenses. Other than that, I wholeheartedly agree and readily recommend Fujifilm cameras to others looking to get into photography and are not looking to use old lenses and swap lenses between film and digital gear.
pomian 3y ago
We had a couple. Irregardless of their design, they were great cameras. They still work. It's amazing when you can put on your 40 year old telephoto lens, and everything just works. (Manually of course.)

dale_glass 3y ago

I remember the K-01, I didn't care for it. For me, a camera is a tool, not a fashion accessory. I couldn't care less that some famous guy designed it. Reviews said it was uncomfortable and for me that was that. The Q didn't interest me because of its small sensor.

sanitycheck 3y ago
Agree 100%. All I'm saying is that they've dabbled with these things before, albeit without any real success. It is of course possible to make a fashion accessory that is also a tool, but then you have a Leica and I can't afford one!
- jacquesm 3y ago
  Leica is pretty much done as a professional camera company, it's a luxury brand along the lines of Rolex. Professionals overwhelmingly use Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fuji in that order, Leica has dropped to sub 1% of the pro market. And compared to say Hasselblad they don't have any USPs that would make someone choose their brand other than the brand itself. Interestingly: amateurs use Leica 2x as much as professionals do, because the myth of the expensive camera making better pictures is still alive and well.
  - dale_glass 3y ago
    I remember back when Leica made their own monochrome digital camera (this idea isn't new, Leica did this in 2012). Half their ad was showing off how they make the bag for the thing.
    - jacquesm 3y ago
      With prominently displayed branding, because after all, you don't want any thieves to think that they might have a $7K device that can easily be carted off sitting around. Oh, wait...
      - jsmith99 3y ago
        You're meant to put a piece of black tape over it so you can LARP as a 1960s combat photojournalist.
        lispm 3y ago
        Minor: The Leica M11 Monochrome does not have a red Leica logo.
      - _ph_ 3y ago
        Besides the branding not being that obvious, it should be quite difficult to sell a stolen Leica. At least for anything more than a pittance. It doesn't matter what it costs, what matters for a thief is what they can sell it for.
        hef19898 3y ago
        Why would it be difficult to sell a stolen Leica? Do they have some sort of cloud backed locating thing installed?
        _ph_ 3y ago
        Leica cameras are very specialized equipment. The market is small. It is not that a random person would pick up a Leica camera. They are likely to be serviced at some point in time, as the range finder might need adjustment. A stolen serial number would be detected instantly.
        therealcamino 3y ago
  - ninjin 3y ago
    That last comment is a bit unfair, no? Yes, there are plenty of "fools" that throw money on Leica gear and wearing it as a fashion statement. However, Leicas are also darn fun to shoot, even if they make zero sense for a professional that most likely want reliability and are optimising for nailing each shot. I, however, very much enjoy the "flawed" process of using a rangefinder. It makes me obsess less about each shot for some reason. Likewise, it is great to be able to share lenses between my non-Leica film camera and digital Leica. Plus, having access to lenses going all the way back to the 30s is also fun, despite them having serious flaws at times. So, yes, I agree that Leica is "done", but has that not in many ways been the case since the professionals got proper SLRs into their hands in the 60/70s? I for one appreciate the "fools" that throw money at Leica so that I can pick up a second hand digital one ever half a decade or so to keep my fun going.
    - Ancapistani 3y ago
      All of the above applied pretty much equally to Fujifilm at this point, though. I’ve heard it said that Fujifilm is the Leica of the 1970s, today. I think I agree with that. I love my X-Pro3. It’s 100% a choice I made for the joy of photography, not practicality. I considered Leica. I could afford it, but they just didn’t offer anything Fujifilm didn’t outside the brand itself.
      - lispm 3y ago
        I usually hear that something like a Leica Q (Q, Q2, Q3) would be a step up in lens and sensor quality. They have full frame sensors, the newer models have a higher resolution and a matching lens. It's also a step up in price... Used Leica Q models are not out of reach price wise. M cameras often are. I bought a Q2 just be for the Covid pandemic and I kind of expected to be disappointed, given the ratio of capabilities and price. But I wasn't. I actually like the output of the camera.
      - ninjin 3y ago
        I mostly agree and love what Fujifilm is bringing to the table (the viewfinder in particular). Sadly their sensor size breaks backwards compatibility though with relation to old lenses. Other than that, I wholeheartedly agree and readily recommend Fujifilm cameras to others looking to get into photography and are not looking to use old lenses and swap lenses between film and digital gear.

pomian 3y ago

We had a couple. Irregardless of their design, they were great cameras. They still work. It's amazing when you can put on your 40 year old telephoto lens, and everything just works. (Manually of course.)