Re: [Leica] Vario-Apo-Elmarit 70-180 "these foolish things"

[Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>]

On 23-03-1998 09:21 Dominique PELLISSIER wrote:

>Maybe my thought was not clear. Yes, your third interpretation is the exact
>one. I think Leica is sometimes "foolish"(in french I would say even
>"dingue")with its price policy. A negative commercial effect appears : the
>"foolish" price of items such as the vario 70-180 leads the consumers, who
>just stick around Leica and hesitate with Canon or Nikon, to run away. So
>the Leica importer in Belgium is right.
>For 5000 USD (in France : 38000 FRF), I prefer to buy a Nikon F5 with an
>autofocus zoom 2.8/80-200 and with the money saved, I'll buy Leica shares...
>
Dominique,

I see your point on the financial comparison of a comparable Leica vs. 
Nikon system, and you're certainly right that some of Leica's prices are 
outrageous and lack any price/performance based ratios. For example, the 
Vario-Apo-Elmarit 70-180 f/2.8 costs almost 4 times as much as an 
AF-Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 ED-D.
For the fun of it, I looked up test reports of both lenses in Chasseur 
d'Images. While the Nikkor zoom is a good lens on all accounts, it 
appears that the Leica is in another qualitative league as far as 
sharpness/contrast is concerned, and this at all zoom settings.
The question, however, is: is this quality difference really worth 4 
times the price? That is a question one could (and should) legitimately 
ask, and a question to which everybody should respond on a personal 
basis. For some people, the quality difference is already enough to opt 
for the Leica, others (the majority of SLR buyers) will be utterly 
appalled by the huge price difference.
So, your point is a valid one, but then, shouldn't we have taken this 
into consideration when opting for Leica R instead of Nikon AF? Of 
course, it's never too late to switch. 
On the other hand what I've said above has nothing to do with the Leica 
importer not having at least one of this Leica zoom. The importer does 
not sell to a Nikon or Canon convert; he sells to Leica converts and 
these people are used to the kind of prices one is expecting to pay to 
ascend into higher spheres on the planet Leicadom. So, the dealer cannot 
be excused for this lack of support. He has a duty to sell Leica items, 
not to make all kinds of financial considerations which have nothing to 
do with his primary task. If he's not willing to do that, he should 
renegate to selling Leica and simply notify Solms that he's quitting the 
business and going for another cheaper brand.

Pascal

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