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Leica Acquires Sinar

ptomsu

Workshop Member
If they play it right, they might become a really big player in photography - exciting times :D
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Very interesting purchase and well out of character for Leica, which has a history of spinning off their divisions--Leica GeoSystems and Leica MicroSystems are not part of Leica or either each other. Leica and Sinar have a very different set of customers as well.
 

Double Negative

Not Available
I am not sure there will be rebranding nor cross-branding strategies. They may have Sinar simply run their business.
True, it isn't clear from the press release. It seems there will remain two entities:

...Marketing, product management, support, development and production will remain in the hands of Sinar in Switzerland. Sales and distribution of the product portfolio will be handled by Leica Camera AG and the worldwide dealer network of Sinar Photography AG...

But Leica give up an opportunity for branding? Hmmm... :D
 

atanabe

Member
Hope they got a good price on the deal, the tech camera, high end digital back market is not a growth proposition.
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Low volume ,high margin specialty products . Manufacturing was spun off into an employee owned business(not part of Sinar Photography) . Get ready for Leica s line of large format lenses. Probably sold thru existing Sinar channels with pull thru of the Leica S line .
 

atanabe

Member
Roger,
Leica can't even produce enough lenses for the S at present, how can they take on more capacity with a new line?

I think they are buying the patents and not interested in the products.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Sigh...all the money they are spending on Sinar could have gone into development, production and marketing of a digital R10. :deadhorse:

Although, as the owner of two Sinar view cameras.....I'm happy for Sinar.

Gary
 
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Double Negative

Not Available
From the sound of it, they're keeping Sinar's production, etc. So this wouldn't affect (core) Leica production. The move to Wetzlar's Leitz Park should come early next year, so at least the end is (hopefully) in sight...
 

glenerrolrd

Workshop Member
Roger,
Leica can't even produce enough lenses for the S at present, how can they take on more capacity with a new line?

I think they are buying the patents and not interested in the products.
Next year when the new factory opens . They are one of the few remaining businesses that can produce very high spec lenses in low quantities . So similar to the Cinema sets and these would play right to their strengths ..optics and precision manufacturing ...no electronics required .

They have wanted Sinar since 2009 ..so they have something in mind . They will have a new uber factory to load by this time next year ...it has to be low volume high priced custom products . And they didn t get the Sinar production facility thats in another company owned by former employees. They also didn t get the digital electronic business which went into Jenoptik.

The question they will be asking is ..."what can we make they fits our core strengths .....and can generate large margins " . Cinema sets are a good example .

But you could be correct in that they wanted the R&D /patents etc ..I m just guessing .
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Sigh...all the money they are spending on Sinar could have gone into development, production and marketing of a digital R10. :deadhorse:

Although, as the owner of two Sinar view cameras.....I'm happy for Sinar.

Gary
Leica seems to be allergic to two-digit numbers ;)

This is very good news indeed, particularly for those of us aiming to buy Sinar gear (I currently have neither Sinar nor Leica). I'm sure there will be synergies that will strengthen both parties and that there will be interesting new products as a result. Now, where did I hide that pallet of banknotes.... :rolleyes:
 
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