p.1 #1 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
WETZLAR, Germany—Booming smartphone sales are eating into the digital camera market, but the inventor of the 35mm film camera isn’t blinking.
High-end camera producer Leica Camera AG celebrated its first camera’s 100th anniversary last year with a limited-edition model emblematic of its effort to bridge old and new: a digital camera with no display—just an old-style viewfinder. The retro-chic design, which sold for €15,000 ($16,545), was a hit.
Eastman Kodak Co., another pioneer of mass-market photography, no longer produces cameras but still manufactures camera and motion-picture film since going through bankruptcy reorganization. Polaroid Corp., which once seemed to hold great promise, today no longer produces cameras.
...
For Leica, that means products like two high-quality cameras that are larger than the M series—and priced between $16,900 and $25,400 without a lens—that will soon hit the market.
p.1 #6 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
Desmolicious wrote:
What Leica camera costs $25k?
maybe those impossible to get 100 yr models of which there few made and snapped up by those who have the connection, I seem to recall a discussion here, there must be thread someplace, I didnt get that memo or invite as well
p.1 #7 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
EMH2025 wrote:
maybe those impossible to get 100 yr models of which there few made and snapped up by those who have the connection, I seem to recall a discussion here, there must be thread someplace, I didnt get that memo or invite as well
I think the 100 year limited cameras were closer to $10,000 on release.
p.1 #10 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
WBYonder wrote:
That article is from 10 years ago, March 2015.
Indeed that is the date on the linked article. I was wondering because Leica celebrated 100 years in 2025 but the Ur-Leica dates from a little before 1915... I'm not a WSJ subscriber so can't access the full article.
But yeah, it sounds like they're talking about the S system at ~$25k from 10 years ago, unless they have some massive inside scoop about a Leica mirrorless MF system and just spilled the beans about it.
p.1 #11 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
rscheffler wrote:
Indeed that is the date on the linked article. I was wondering because Leica celebrated 100 years in 2025 but the Ur-Leica dates from a little before 1915... I'm not a WSJ subscriber so can't access the full article.
But yeah, it sounds like they're talking about the S system at ~$25k from 10 years ago, unless they have some massive inside scoop about a Leica mirrorless MF system and just spilled the beans about it.
Did Leica celebrate 100 yrs twice?
Because my M240 was a 100 Years limited edition, and had that stylized 100 engraved on the top plate.
Then they celebrated again in 2025?
p.1 #12 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
Desmolicious wrote:
Did Leica celebrate 100 yrs twice?
Because my M240 was a 100 Years limited edition, and had that stylized 100 engraved on the top plate.
Then they celebrated again in 2025?
p.1 #13 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
Desmolicious wrote:
Did Leica celebrate 100 yrs twice?
Because my M240 was a 100 Years limited edition, and had that stylized 100 engraved on the top plate.
Then they celebrated again in 2025?
"A century ago, the Leica I opened up a new way of seeing and changed photography forever. In 2025, we celebrated this anniversary worldwide."
Regarding your M240 100th anniversary camera:
.... a manual focus full-frame M-mount digital rangefinder camera introduced by Leica in 2014. This special edition was made to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Leica Photography...
Maybe Leica thought 10 years was long enough for most people to forget the first 100th?
p.1 #14 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
Leica as a company celebrated 100 years last year and 2014 it was 100 years ago since Oskar Barnack built the first small camera and this camera was seen as the predecessor to the Leica M cameras. All according to Wikipedia
p.1 #18 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
Desmolicious wrote:
D@mmit, already used up my once a week Leica film scratching dig and it is only Tuesday.
Some people are bitten by a dog once and develop a fear for life.
Your story is like it but with a M6 and a film scratch instead
p.1 #19 · WSJ article: "Leica Survives the Digital Shift"
The article is indeed from 2015, and it's interesting that the two *really* expensive "larger" models were probably an S system update. In 2026, we can say the S system had maybe a 13 or 14 year run? By S system I mean the D-SLRs, not that scanning thing from the '90s.
The T system also came and went. The M just keeps going and going, in part because it's in a class of one.
