Quelle surprise...

[davidc]

The astonishing revelation that the manufacturer of $6500 camera bodies is making a healthy profit.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/camera-make ... 1426295228

Though the article reads more than a little like an advert in places.

[Mike Farley]

So you don't think that it is an achievement to sell high priced cameras and turn a profit? Before Kaufmann appeared on the scene, Leica was struggling when its traditional film based products were uncompetitive compared to the new digital cameras which were beginning to appear from other manufacturers. Kaufmann has succeesfully turned things around, despite a significant (and regular) hike in prices since his arrival.

Nor do you have to spend really big sums to get your mitts on a camera with that red dot. You can buy a rebadged Panasonic compact at a premium, but that does include a better warranty and a copy of Lightroom if you need it. It's niche, but it works for some people.

[Mike Farley]

One famous brand which has not fared well during the film to digital transition is Rollei, another manufacturer based in Germany which is facing imminent oblivion. Without Andreas Kaufmann's intervention, this report from The Online Photographer could just as easily have been written about Leica.

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.co ... index.html