There is a nice front-page article about Leica in today's (Sept 27) Wall Street Journal. It may not tell you much you don't already know, but it wraps it up in a nice package.
Interesting note in this WSJ article concerning the recent news Blackstone was considering selling its 45% share of the company to a Chinese investor "Deal talks have since ended" according to a person familiar with the matter.
"In April, Leica announced a deal with China’s Gpixel Microelectronics to develop its first proprietary sensor for its future lines of digital cameras...
The Chinese partnerships have caused unease among some hardcore fans that Leica may be diluting its German DNA. So did a report earlier this year that Blackstone, which holds a 45% share in the company, was considering selling to a Chinese investor. Deal talks have since ended, according to a person familiar with the matter. "
LBJ2 wrote:
Interesting note in this WSJ article concerning the recent news Blackstone was considering selling its 45% share of the company to a Chinese investor "Deal talks have since ended" according to a person familiar with the matter.
"In April, Leica announced a deal with China’s Gpixel Microelectronics to develop its first proprietary sensor for its future lines of digital cameras...
The Chinese partnerships have caused unease among some hardcore fans that Leica may be diluting its German DNA. So did a report earlier this year that Blackstone, which holds a 45% share in the company, was considering selling to a Chinese investor. Deal talks have since ended, according to a person familiar with the matter. " ...Show more →
Deal talks have ended states nothing if an agreement was made or not with the Chinese investor. I am pretty sure this won't be the only company Leica Camera has talks with for a partial buy-in. I wouldn't be surprised if Zeiss still sees this as an opportunity even they mostly deserted to make M-mount gear. But a Chinese company has likely the bigger pockets.
retrofocus wrote:
Deal talks have ended states nothing if an agreement was made or not with the Chinese investor. I am pretty sure this won't be the only company Leica Camera has talks with for a partial buy-in. I wouldn't be surprised if Zeiss still sees this as an opportunity even they mostly deserted to make M-mount gear. But a Chinese company has likely the bigger pockets.
If I remember correctly as it's been a while (2017?), last time Zeiss and Leica talked, Zeiss wanted controlling interest at the time and that ended further discussions. But I'm not sure this info is even accurate or not or where I read it.
OTOH, perhaps a closer formal relationship between the two companies might encourage Zeiss to add L-mount to their new Otus Mirrorless primes! I think Zeiss Otus ML primes could be a perfect match for Leica's SL system.
LBJ2 wrote:
If I remember correctly as it's been a while (2017?), last time Zeiss and Leica talked, Zeiss wanted controlling interest at the time and that ended further discussions. But I'm not sure this info is even accurate or not or where I read it.
OTOH, perhaps a closer formal relationship between the two companies might encourage Zeiss to add L-mount to their new Otus Mirrorless primes! I think Zeiss Otus ML primes could be a perfect match for Leica's SL system.
I don't recall what the root cause was at the time to stop the talks between Zeiss and Leica, but 2017 sounds right. Zeiss might see it as benefit to add the L-mount, agreed. Not sure if legally they can depending on how the L-alliance with Sigma and Panasonic is set up.
LBJ2 wrote:
Interesting note in this WSJ article concerning the recent news Blackstone was considering selling its 45% share of the company to a Chinese investor "Deal talks have since ended" according to a person familiar with the matter.
"In April, Leica announced a deal with China’s Gpixel Microelectronics to develop its first proprietary sensor for its future lines of digital cameras...
The Chinese partnerships have caused unease among some hardcore fans that Leica may be diluting its German DNA. So did a report earlier this year that Blackstone, which holds a 45% share in the company, was considering selling to a Chinese investor. Deal talks have since ended, according to a person familiar with the matter. " ...Show more →
So hardcore Leica fans have no problem with Leica using Japanese Sony sensors, but it becomes an issue if they use Chinese sensors? That is when the German DNA is diluted?
LBJ2 wrote:
Interesting note in this WSJ article concerning the recent news Blackstone was considering selling its 45% share of the company to a Chinese investor "Deal talks have since ended" according to a person familiar with the matter.
"In April, Leica announced a deal with China’s Gpixel Microelectronics to develop its first proprietary sensor for its future lines of digital cameras...
The Chinese partnerships have caused unease among some hardcore fans that Leica may be diluting its German DNA. So did a report earlier this year that Blackstone, which holds a 45% share in the company, was considering selling to a Chinese investor. Deal talks have since ended, according to a person familiar with the matter. " ...Show more →
Last thing anyone would want is the dilution of German DNA Do writers these days even think about what it sounds like to say something like that?
highdesertmesa wrote:
Last thing anyone would want is the dilution of German DNA Do writers these days even think about what it sounds like to say something like that?
retrofocus wrote:
I don't recall what the root cause was at the time to stop the talks between Zeiss and Leica, but 2017 sounds right. Zeiss might see it as benefit to add the L-mount, agreed. Not sure if legally they can depending on how the L-alliance with Sigma and Panasonic is set up.
"Will Zeiss acquire a 45% stake in Leica Camera AG? That’s one of the rumours buzzing around since Reuters reported that the Blackstone stake, acquired in 2011, might be up for grabs. Leica, which could have a potential value of up to €700m, is majority owned by ACM, the investment vehicle of the Kaufmann family, and any investor would have to seek synergy with the company’s chairman, Dr. Andreas Kaufmann. According to Reuters, Kaufmann has clear views on the future of Leica which extend into the next century.
Zeiss is said to be interested, but only if it could gain a majority stake — which seems highly unlikely given Dr. Kaufmann’s published views on retaining independence. A close connection with Zeiss would of course be attractive to Leica enthusiasts and consumers who would focus on the bringing together of these two iconic brands."
Zeiss is huge. A global cine/photo industry without Zeiss is virtually unimaginable - 'their brand weight and cultural footprint in filmmaking are immense'. Zeiss states that it has produced cinematography lenses across twelve different lens families.
The overall Carl Zeiss Group is a massive global technology enterprise generating nearly €12 billion in annual revenue across semiconductor tech, medical systems, and industrial research - backed by over 46,000 employees globally.
Leica Camera AG is valued at approximately €1 billion (about $1.2 billion USD) based on recent buyout and stakeholder discussions.
Leica closed their in-house glass works in 1989.
The Schott Transition: In 1989, Leica closed its internal glass-melting facility and *sold its proprietary glass patents and formulations to Schott*. Since then, Schott has been a primary partner (to Leica), producing small, specialized batches of "exclusive recipe" glass explicitly to Leica's ultra-tight tolerances.
Parent Company (SCHOTT AG): 100% owned by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, ensuring a stable, non-traded, long-term ownership model. SCHOTT AG holds a dominant, near-monopolistic position in the European premium optics supply chain.
Zeiss's first true series of dedicated high-speed cinema prime lenses was the Carl Zeiss High Speed series (commonly known as Super Speeds or B-Speed Primes), introduced in the mid-1970s (around 1975). Same DNA (glass, designs and coatings) as CY lenses. Six lens sets of Super Speeds now go for $100,000 if rehoused professionally - demand is huge and growing, even today.
Leitz/Leica's first modern, purpose-built dedicated cinema lenses were the Summilux-C T1.4 prime series, introduced around 2010 by CW Sonderoptic (now Leitz Cine Wetzlar).
RoamingScott wrote:
Leica is still a relevant name and Zeiss is...decidedly not.
In the still photography area, Zeiss is - by choice probably - small, but as a company it’s large, much larger than Leica. And the name stands for top quality products.
The optics division of CZG is only 13% of yearly revenue and that umbrella includes more than camera lenses. While it’s true they are still a player in the cinema world, their cultural relevance amongst casual to professional still photographers has dwindled to nearly nothing.
Leica makes many things that most are unaware of for instance they have been one of the go to for ultramicrotomes for electron microscopy to cut thin sections of cells only a few thousand atoms thick with diamond knives, I acquired one in 1987- it functioned until obsolete, and retired like me, now just sitting in my home office both of us out of the electron microscopy game. But new and better ones are still made- for younger current investigators complete will sorts of digital stuff I could never imagine-
EMH2025 wrote:
Leica makes many things that most are unaware of for instance they have been one of the go to for ultramicrotomes for electron microscopy to cut thin sections of cells only a few thousand atoms thick with diamond knives...
Technically, that's not the same Leica camera company we're talking about.
1990s: Leica Microsystems GmbH (including Leica Biosystems), Leica Geosystems AG, and Leica Camera AG is now three completely independent companies without any remaining legal, operative or financial linkage.
Leica Camera AG is today listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange, with ACM Projektentwicklung GmbH (Salzburg, Austria) holding more than 96% shares. Leica Geosystems AG is a Swiss company and part of the Swedish Hexagon Group. Leica Microsystems GmbH is a German company owned by the US concern Danaher Corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The use of the Leica brand is the only remaining connection between the three companies, on account of the long history and heritage of these now independent companies. Leica Microsystems is the owner of the Leica trade name and trademark and has granted licenses for their use by the other companies.
Do writers these days even think about what it sounds like to say something like that?