Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jim Brick wrote: Subject: [Leica] Re: Leica and Hasselblad I personally believe that Hasselblad enjoys the endorsement of professional photography. Leica does as well, but in a limited manner. Keeble and Shuchat photography, having the largest North western Leica sales, also has the largest North western Hasselblad sales. But Hasselblad sales are 1000:1 over Leica sales. - - - - snip - - - All of these sales are to professional photographers in the San Francisco / Northern CA area. Very few amateur sales. So what is the key to this success? Jim <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Hi Jim, To my way of thinking the answer is quite simple. Leica has chosen to go after the "high end amateur" and "collector" markets while Hasselblad has chosen to go after the Pro market. Hasselblad has products to sell...Leica doesn't. A quick check of the B&H ad in this month's ShutterBug Magazine shows Hasselblad with 10 products pictured on about 2/3rds of a page. Leica, on the other hand, has two products shown on 1/6th. Hasselblad has chosen to domonate the medium format market while Leica has relagated itself to a small nitch of the 35mm market. Hasselblad is in the business of selling cameras, Leica is in the business of selling history & tradition. Hasselblad lives in the present, Leica lives in the past. Leica has the potential to be a dominate force in the 35mm market if they just quite screwing around. Case in point, when you have the problems that Leica has, you don't spend time and money making a motor drive for a product that is 'dead in the water'...yes, I am talking about the R8. That may not be what you wanted to hear, but we both know it is a fact. Kind regards, Bill Erfurth m6rf@yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com