Leica MP and M7: production stabilized

Hi,

some members of the German Leica forum visited the Leica factory and there the MP and M7 production. Here is the video:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/neuigkeiten/85226-006-l-camera-tv-1-baut.html

The production manager said, that the demand for MP and M7 has stabilized. 100 - 150 cameras are built every months. The strongest demand comes from Japan, where the film M rangefinder cameras are "cult".

That's a really interesting video, thanks! I didn't know that so much hand work is still involved in Solms. It looks like quality control will not be a problem when you buy an M7.

The big question that this video leaves me with is: how long will Leica live? I understand that they probably sell more lenses and digital bodies than they do M7's, but still, how can any company survive the reduction of its prime product to 150 pieces a month? How many M6's would Leica have sold monthly in say the 1980's?

I don't even own a Leica M-camera, but I feel nostalgia (almost) and a bit of sadness when I see this video. It's almost like a frozen piece of time. It will be a pity when/if Leica stops making analogue cameras altogether. Will they?

I completely understood his first sentance, I never new German could be so like English!