Kamerahersteller: Wie sich Leica immer wieder neu erfindet
Leica hat eine treue Fangemeinde und stand trotzdem einmal vor der Pleite. Wie Mehrheitseigner Andreas Kaufmann die Marke immer wieder neu erfindet – und was er von Leica-Parfüm hält.
The German camera manufacturer Leica Camera AG, founded in 1869, has a long history of crafting lenses by grinding glass. This tradition, from the first telescopes of the 17th century to modern camera objectives, remains unchanged. However, the company is now innovating with a new production method at its Wetzlar facility. Here, molten glass is pressed into forms made of tungsten carbide metal under high heat and pressure to create aspherical lenses calculated by engineers.
The first product utilizing this technology is the Noctilux M-35, a high-performance lens launched in late January for approximately €9,000. Leica Wetzlar's Director of Tool Manufacturing, Jan-Helge Staasmeyer, explains that they leverage their physical mastery to create a product lighter and more compact than its predecessor without sacrificing light capacity.
The brand's reputation for compact, leather and metal cameras with a distinctive aesthetic resonates with photography enthusiasts. However, this nostalgia alone is not enough. In an era where smartphones have become the primary camera for many, Leica must continuously renew its technology. Andreas Kaufmann, who invested in Leica with his firm ACM in 2004 to prevent insolvency, stresses the need for "technological jumps" to maintain the brand's appeal.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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