Leica Experience Days 2019: Analogue Photography

Henning Serger · Sep 11, 2019

Hello,
the film revival is gaining strength . And the first camera manufacturers are reacting to this process.
Leica has produced film cameras without interruption. Their film camera production has survived the "digital storm".
The demand for their M rangefinder film cameras is increasing. And their most successful camera with the highest demand of all their cameras is their Leica Sofort instax instant film camera.

And now Leica is adding film again to their event and education programme: Leica is focussing on film on this two-day event:

Leica Experience Days 2019: Analoge Fotografie / Analogue Photography
Friday, 27th September, and Saturday, 28th September.
Leitz Park, Wetzlar.

Further information:
https://www.facebook.com/events/230234461231630/

Detailed programme and registration:
https://www.eventbrite.de/o/leica-s...V8alH0j4l-YgfYCvlqE0N-hVBQtLNXbf_3aI5cVixShHw

I am looking forward to offering lectures at this event which I have prepared especially for it.
And I am especially looking forward to the unique slide audiovision show of one of the best nature and wildlife photographers: Norbert Rosing.

I hope to see some of you there. Germany is always worth a visit .

Best regards,
Henning

fdonadio · Sep 12, 2019

Henning Serger said:
Germany is always worth a visit .

Been there last month and I have to say Mr. Serger is right.

mshchem · Sep 13, 2019

Come for Oktoberfest, hit up Leica sounds like fun. Maybe next year.

NB23 · Sep 13, 2019

I’m interested to know if Kodachrome is coming back.

miha · Sep 13, 2019

And their most successful camera with the highest demand of all their cameras is their Leica Sofort instax instant film camera.

More than 225K? I don't quite believe it.

Ko.Fe. · Sep 13, 2019

You would have to wait for sometime if you want fresh batch film M. They are produced in small quantities for sometime. This is about film Leicas.

summicron1 · Sep 13, 2019

NB23 said:
I’m interested to know if Kodachrome is coming back.

Never. The infrastructure to make and support it is too complex and different from anything else.

NB23 · Sep 13, 2019

summicron1 said:
Never. The infrastructure to make and support it is too complex and different from anything else.

Yes, this is the internet story. But we shall never really know, just like we all “knew” that TMZ would absolutely never come back.

But my comment was more of a tongue in cheek a propos a film comeback. I’m much more interested in film news rather than Leica infomercials (as was the case with the original post).

Finny · Sep 13, 2019

miha said:
More than 225K? I don't quite believe it.

don’t understand... it’s 272.-€

Colin Corneau · Sep 13, 2019

NB23 said:
Yes, this is the internet story. But we shall never really know, just like we all “knew” that TMZ would absolutely never come back.

But my comment was more of a tongue in cheek a propos a film comeback. I’m much more interested in film news rather than Leica infomercials (as was the case with the original post).

Then don't read it, much less go on about it with 2 posts and counting. I found it informative and appreciate knowing about film related events, and thank the person taking the time to let us know.

Kinda figured a major company organizing a film photography event would be something to celebrate on this forum.

miha · Sep 13, 2019

Finny said:
don’t understand... it’s 272.-€

225.000 is the total number of Leica's most successful model produced. And I don't believe it's the "Sofort".

miha · Sep 13, 2019

Colin Corneau said:
Then don't read it, much less go on about it with 2 posts and counting. I found it informative and appreciate knowing about film related events, and thank the person taking the time to let us know.

Kinda figured a major company organizing a film photography event would be something to celebrate on this forum.

Well of course he took the time to letting us know; he is a lecturer there after all.
BTW there is another German camera manufacturer offering workshops at least twice a year: http://linhof.com/en/linhof-workshops-und-seminare/

NB23 · Sep 13, 2019

Colin Corneau said:
Then don't read it, much less go on about it with 2 posts and counting. I found it informative and appreciate knowing about film related events, and thank the person taking the time to let us know.

Kinda figured a major company organizing a film photography event would be something to celebrate on this forum.

It’s going to be 3 posts now, and maybe even a fourth if I feel like it.
And if it rubs you the wrong way, then you “don’t read it”.

foc · Sep 13, 2019

I am not a Leica owner but anything that throws a positive light on film photography and film use is welcome.

I have follower many of Henning Serger's posts, and he is very knowledgeable.

Any wealth of film photography knowledge is worth listening to. I wish them the best.

Kodachromeguy · Sep 13, 2019

The workshops are great news. If the film revival continues, maybe Cosina can restart production of film cameras. As I recall, they were the last manufacturer of mid-price film cameras. There is likely a good size market for new product at a price below the Leica M. Even a used M, when you add in the cost of cleaning and overhaul, is a big investment for someone who may not be sure about his or her interest in film.

Colin Corneau · Sep 13, 2019

Workshops are great news.

Trolls and dicks, not so much.

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
You would have to wait for sometime if you want fresh batch film M. They are produced in small quantities for sometime. This is about film Leicas.

Leica is producing more than 1,000 film based M Leicas each year.
And the demand is increasing for quite some time now.
This is official by Leica, from Photokina last year.

Best regards,
Henning

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

miha said:
225.000 is the total number of Leica's most successful model produced. And I don't believe it's the "Sofort".

No one has said that.
I have written that the Leica Sofort is currently much better selling than any of their other current models.
Better than all their digital cameras, and better than their standard film M cameras.

Best regards,
Henning

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

NB23 said:
I’m much more interested in film news rather than Leica infomercials (as was the case with the original post).

You should have read the links to the event.
This is all about film news, because the lectures, workshops, and slide shows are
- general about film
- free for all participants
- almost all topics are not Leica specific, but general film photography topics
- the event is open to all photographers, all are welcome, it absolutely does not matter at all whether you are interested in Leica or not.

Best regards,
Henning

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

Colin Corneau said:
Kinda figured a major company organizing a film photography event would be something to celebrate on this forum.

Exactly Colin.
That is why I have informed you here about that.

Best regards,
Henning

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

foc said:
I am not a Leica owner but anything that throws a positive light on film photography and film use is welcome.

I have follower many of Henning Serger's posts, and he is very knowledgeable.

Any wealth of film photography knowledge is worth listening to. I wish them the best.

Thank you very much, Felim.
I try to do my very best to give 100% exact and solid information. I am only writing if I am absolutely sure enough about the facts (one reason for my limited number of posts here over all the years).
Facts I know because of
- my scientific work in my independent photography test lab
- my scientific work as a technology and market analyst
- all my regular visits at the film industry factories, and the talks there to the chemists, engineers and economists.

Best regards,
Henning

Ko.Fe. · Sep 17, 2019

Henning Serger said:
Leica is producing more than 1,000 film based M Leicas each year.
And the demand is increasing for quite some time now.
This is official by Leica, from Photokina last year.

Best regards,
Henning

Yep, something like this for sometime now.
1000 per year is better than nothing. But it is not sustainable, profitable for size of the Leica as company. Just a goodwill. Cosina cut it then it went to low numbers. They used to make film cameras even more than Leica.

Henning Serger · Sep 17, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
Yep, something like this for sometime now.
1000 per year is better than nothing. But it is not sustainable, profitable for size of the Leica as company. Just a goodwill.

That is wrong. It is "not for sometime now". Leica told me that their film M models will have a long term future because of the increasing demand.
The camera market is significantly changing:
The market for digital ILC cameras is collapsing for years, and that process will continue. We have not hit the bottom yet.
On the other hand the demand for film - and as a result also film cameras - is significantly increasing.
We will see new film cameras in the market in the future. The question is not whether there will be new film cameras. The question is
- when will the first cameras be introduced
- which manufacturers will be the first
and
- which models / camera types will be introduced.
There is a good chance that Leica will belong to the first. Being nitpicking, we can already count them belonging to the first with their M-A and Sofort.

In ten years from now the relation/percentage of film cameras compared to digital cameras at Leica will be quite different from the current situation, in favour of film cameras (higher percentage compared to today's situation).
Part of my daily work are scientific analysis of the photo markets. And the incoming numbers are very clear: The film revival is getting stronger year by year.

Ko.Fe. said:
Cosina cut it then it went to low numbers. They used to make film cameras even more than Leica.

And since then the market has changed significantly. Look at the increasing prices for Voigtländer (Cosina made) cameras, including the Zeiss Ikons.
It was the wrong decision to quit the market.
Leica made the right decision to stay in the market. And they are benefiting from the increasing demand. In 2014 Leica introduced the new M-A model at Photokina. I talked to Leica about it at that time and they explained that the increasing demand was a major reason for this decision.

Best regards,
Henning

BradS · Sep 17, 2019

Colin Corneau said:
....Kinda figured a major company organizing a film photography event would be something to celebrate on this forum.

Aye! it is indeed.

NB23 · Sep 17, 2019

Ko.Fe. said:
Yep, something like this for sometime now.
1000 per year is better than nothing. But it is not sustainable, profitable for size of the Leica as company. Just a goodwill. Cosina cut it then it went to low numbers. They used to make film cameras even more than Leica.

I Leica nets 3000$ per sold body, that’s $3Million of profit per year.

What’s not sustainable in that kind of profit?

Leica Experience Days 2019: Analogue Photography

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