Home Cameras/Lenses Leica Leica to establish computational imaging centre in California

Leica to establish computational imaging centre in California

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Leica is a global company employing 1,800. As a premium brand it succeeded in bucking he industry's downward trend and seeks to stay top of its game with an emphasis on computational imaging

Leica will establish a centre of competence in computational imaging in California, according to a report in the Wetzlarer Neue Zeitung last Friday. Matthias Harsch, CEO of Leica Camera AG said that 19 years after the transition from analogue to digital photography at the turn of the century, the company is now facing the second digital revolution in the camera and optics industry:

“Themes such as ‘computational imaging’ — when images are generated indirectly from measurements using algorithms — will significantly influence photography. He went on to say that in order to help secure its future, Leica would establish a centre in Silicon Valley.”

Leica is a global company employing 1,800. As a premium brand it succeeded in bucking he industry's downward trend and seeks to stay top of its game with an emphasis on computational imaging
Leica is a global company employing 1,800 people. As a premium brand it succeeded in bucking the industry’s downward trend and seeks to stay top of its game with an emphasis on computational imaging (Photo Mike Evans)

As a result of this realignment of skills, changes are also being made to the headquarters in Wetzlar, with around 80 jobs being affected. Back in June it was reported locally that up to 100 jobs would be lost but the final figure has been reduced to 80.

“Together with the Executive Board, we negotiated a socially responsible overall package designed to avoid redundancies,” said Edgar Zimmermann, Chairman of the Works Council, and Sibylle Burzel, Deputy Works Council Chairwoman of Leica Camera AG. “We see the need for change, but have always emphasised the social acceptability of the measures.”

Growth contrasts with market fall

Harsch went on to say that, by expanding sales through its own Leica stores and as a premium brand, Leica contrasts with the negative overall market trend by achieving a slight increase in growth of seven per cent compared with the previous year. “However, the photo industry generally shows a decline of over 20 percent and the reason for this is the increasing power of smartphone photography.”

Leica Camera AG is a global camera, sports optics and software manufacturer, employing 1,800 people. In the last fiscal year. it generated sales of 400 million euros.

We are grateful to reader Peter Ostlaender for the link

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6 COMMENTS

  1. At least they call it “computational imaging” even if they do then go on to talk about “photography”. Try as people might to bend the meaning, photography is direct recording of a scene onto a light sensitive physical medium. The rest is imaging of some sort.

  2. Seven percent growth at this point is unusually successful for a camera manufacturer. Like Mr. Fagan I would be lost if they forgot about the M series Leica in their quest for success.

  3. This is great news. It shows that Leica, as a company, realises where photography is going and is taking steps to be part of the ‘new wave’. Leica got left behind in the late 1950s and in the 1960s and nearly got taken down in the 1970s because of failure to keep up with the SLR developments. If Leica has benefited by its Huawei alliance, it is by being introduced to where the vast bulk of photography is taking place today. All that being said, my interest in Leica’s past is probably even greater than my interest in Leica’s present, but I am probably unusual in that respect.

    William

  4. “Silicone Valley.” That’s a region of a lady’s anatomy, I believe. Strange to be putting “a centre of competence in computational imaging” there ..or is it..?

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