Leica exec speaks to Forbes.com about digital medium-format strategy

Stephan Schulz, the Head of Professional Photo at Leica Camera AG has given an interview to Forbes.com in which he explains the opportunities – and challenges – of moving into the professional digital medium-format marketplace. Traditionally identified with 35mm (film and latterly ‘full frame’ digital), Leica announced the creation of the S2 back in 2009, and followed it with the 37MP ‘S’ late last year. Both cameras feature sensors 60% larger than full-frame.

Among other observations, Schulz told Forbes that as photojournalists earn less and less, Leica ‘needed a product that could appeal to the kind of professional photographers who are able to afford a professional camera. Today, these photographers predominantly work in fashion and commercial photography. They need a different type of camera than photojournalists who use the Leica M.’

Stephan Schulz, the Head of Professional Photo at Leica Camera AG,  pictured at Photokina 2012 holding the Leica S, 37MP medium-format DSLR. We spoke to him at the show, and you can read our interview here.

Speaking about the challenge of breaking into a market dominated by brands like Hasselblad, Phase One and Mamiya, Schulz said that Leica’s goal with the S-system was ‘to make a medium format camera that could not only compete with them, but that would be ten years ahead of what they are able to deliver. From the outset, our aspiration with the Leica S-System was to reinvent medium format for the digital age.’

We recommend clicking through to the full interview at forbes.com – it’s an interesting read.

DPReview also spoke to Stephan Schulz at Photokina last year, in Cologne, Germany. You can read our interview here.

Comments

Leica S is a smart, beautiful, quality system. I wish them luck, especially in times when it seems people like to step up from a previous photography experience.
I’m also looking forward to see what kind of innovations and new experience Pentax 645D II will bring.

I expected a bit more meat on this article when I clicked on it. As it is this is hardly more than a link through to Forbes.

I’m sure the 37mp Leica “S” system is very fine, but so is Nikon’s 36mp D800 when coupled with the best available glass, and it is a lot less expensive. No mention of this in the article that I read anywhere. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with the release of Nikon, Canon and Sony cameras with full-frame 50+ MP sensors, and exotic glass from the likes of Zeiss to use on them.

Oh I asked him about that when we spoke last September.

“people who really like to work with medium format don’t ask me that.”

The full interview (the one we did) is also linked, above.

Yep. Medium Format buyers already know ALL about Nikon D800-whatever and Canon EOS-whatever.

“photojournalists who use the Leica M”

Such a creature exists?

What 2012 update model? I think I’ve heard about it but no info.

Found it, never mind. Was looking for S2s

The ‘S’.