RE: [Leica] Amateur Photographer and R8

[Leopold Green <ldg@dmu.ac.uk>]

I agree with the point that Britain has declined in relative affluence,
however, as in all societies this isn't equally divided, there remains a
sufficient proportion of UK society capable of affording Leica, or Aston
Martin, or various 'up market' HiFi's [KEF and the like]. Leica UK seem to
sell reasonably well. I also agree that it is fine for other SLR's to beat
the R8, BUT if it is done fairly. This test wasn't fair! Neither was their
test last year when they placed the M6 last against the G2 and XPAN. The
point I really wanted to make is that AP completely ignores Leica's lens
selection, and after all a camera body is, no matter how good it is,
something you mount a piece of glass on. When people are thinking of buying
a camera system, even a 'high end one' they may well look at magazines like
AP and what AP said this week, like what it said last year in the
rangefinder test, is hardly likely to encourage someone to take the plunge
and spend several grand. It would be fairer to if they could say that Leica
is very expensive, isn't, in the Minolta/Canon scheme of things, good value
for money BUT does offer unrivalled quality within the 35mm sector. 
 
I think AP is out of step with its English audience anyway, last year they
did a readers poll of the greatest camera ever and the M6 came joint top
with the F2M.
 
Leopold

- -----Original Message-----
From: Stuart Phillips [mailto:stuart.phillips@umb.edu]
Sent: 22 July 1999 00:08
To: leica-users-digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
<mailto:leica-users-digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> 
Subject: [Leica] Amateur Photographer and R8


It seems that there is a definite cultural difference operating here.  As
usual, what is the "best"? I am English by birth but have more than 20
years' distance to improve my perspective.  
 
Since World War II, Britain has until recently been significantly less
affluent.  Magazines and other media reflect this, in part by considering
value for money, or if you like, the possibly of any of their readers ever
owning the product. In the US, cereal ads take place in $50,000 kitchens. In
Britain, a cleaning product is demonstrated in a kitchen like mine (only
cleaner). In SLR's Leica doesn't get the free ride that the M system does
through lack of competition.  (BTW, I love M's) It doesn't seem so
surprising that another SLR would beat out the R8.
 
stuart phillips