Just now getting the memo...

[phule]

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008220143.html

Apparently the MP and the M7 have not been made since 2009.

[shadowfox]

For us mere mortals, it's not a big deal.  There's plenty of fully working Leica cameras out there in the used market.  More than enough to sustain the downsized film market.

I secretly am waiting for Mr. Kauffman to be replaced by someone more sentimental though

[wlewisiii]

More like - Leica is a small firm with one production line. It's currently cranking out M8/M9 cameras and can't do the others at the same time. Meanwhile there is a huge pile of parts over there. You can still, for example, order an Ala Cart Leica M7 or MP. And if they decide to, they can shift production back to the others as easily.

This is not the same as "they ripped out the machines and scrapped the jigs and can never make a film camera ever ever ever again." 

William

[Dean Williams]

From the article:

...those that continue to supply film such as Fujifilm and Eastman Kodak Co., will inevitably feel the brunt of the effective end of Leica film cameras.

Fffttt.  Goofy bunch of nonsense.  Leica hasn't driven a significant portion of the film market for 50+ years anyway.  About the only company more inconsequential to film purchases is Alpa.

By the time I have enough money to waste on a used M8, I still won't want one, much less the newer ones.

Long live the IIf!

Dean

[Julio1fer]

With all due respect, I have to disagree with the writer. If film markets depended on Leica they would have died many decades ago.

These statements by Leica management give me a lot of confidence that film is going to be around for a long, long time.

I wonder how this will impact the used Leica market. Maybe I can get my M3 while I can still use it.

[Raid Amin]

Leica is like an exotic sports car. There will always be people who enjoy fast cars.

[sandeha]

Leica is like an exotic sports car. There will always be people who enjoy fast cars.

Can't say I'd agree with that.  I want one (M2-M7, don't care which) simply because the rangefinder/viewfinder window is one of the best out there.

[shadowfox]

By the time I have enough money to waste on a used M8, I still won't want one, much less the newer ones.

Long live the IIf!

Dean

I agree with you on the M8, Dean.  The M9 is quite special because being full-frame, it is a more faithful representation of a Leica M body with digital innards.

Can't say I'd agree with that.  I want one (M2-M7, don't care which) simply because the rangefinder/viewfinder window is one of the best out there.

I second that.  For me the bottom line is, a Leica M body is a reliable manual camera with the best implementation of RF mechanism.  That's why I keep using my M4-P.  And it's one of those things where one is really enough.