Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Dear Leica...
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Thu, 04 Feb 1999 02:32:06 -0800

JeffS wrote:
> 
> Mark, IMO, no one in their right mind pays such a hefty premium for their
> gear unless they feel that there's some extra value to be had! It's Leica
> Camera's job to give us a compelling reason for buying brand-new gear once
> in awhile, and personally, I find items such as Tri-Elmars and
> semi-affordable APO lenses far more exciting than rebranded Fuji and Kodak
> products--creations of Leica marketing, not engineering. Not to slam
> marketing, though--rebate programs, cheap financing deals (1.9% financing on
> Leica gear would be very dangerous for a lot of us) and freebies can be very
> powerful enticements, too :-)
> 
> Jeff
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
> 
> >JeffS wrote:
> >snip
> >> My own question might read like this:
> >>
> >> How do you retain the Leica's beloved qualities, while making it relevant
> >> for tomorrow's photographers, and how are these decisions reflected in
> >> Leica's newest products?
> >>
> >snip
> >
> >A slightly presumptuous premise. My opinion is that just as long as they
> >keep making film most Leica M's Have as much relevance for tomorrow's
> >photographers as today's.

I am agreeing with you, your words: 
"I find items such as Tri-Elmars and semi-affordable APO lenses far more
exciting than rebranded Fuji and Kodak  products--creations of Leica
marketing, not engineering." 
Leica is coming out with El Exquisito unbeatable quality lenses at much
more affordable prices than a half decade back, I got the 35 Summicron
ASPH this year; the Hefty premium perhaps being it cost thrice what a
nikon would the extra value to be had being It is a lens whose image
quality is unbettered and could with arguments be said to be thrice
better than the nikon. And half the size with no mirror bounce and so
on. Is there another compelling reason for getting the lens that I
didn't know that I should have been aware of?
If its the rebranded marketing products that are paying the bills then I
have no problem with that. I felt though the way you were talking you
were saying they needed to go Autofocus or some such baloney with the
M's or junk like Auto ISO (DMX?) or databacks etc.  IF you're saying the
rebranded marketing stuff has to get niftier than I'm not worried about
that stuff anyway and it sounds like either are you.
I don't feel Leica has to compete directly with price and features with
the Contax G2 to be a worthy investment on the stock market or for me to
feel more comfortable with the company. If I was into the Contax
mentality I would be on the Contax list not the LUG. (Although I'm
checking out their new autofocus suckomatic 645 at some camera store
thing this Saturday. (I think autofocus has more relevance in the
Brownie Format.))
But thats another ballgame.
Mark :-) Rabiner