[Leica] Bargain Leicas

["Doug Richardson" <doug@meditor.demon.co.uk>]

Lee, Jonathan <Jonathan.Lee@hrcc.on.ca> wrote:

> So, let's make and an M6 "lite" to sell side by
> side with the regualr M6: Take and M6, keep soemthings
> the same: shutter, rangefinder. Remake everything else
> in aluminum and plastic with the idea of cutting the
> weight of the body in half.


And "Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com> replied:

Who would buy it?  One great selling point of the M6 is quality
construction and
durability.  Take that away, and what's left?  Being able to mount M
lenses is
not a selling point, because anyone who can afford M lenses can afford
an M6
body, too.

I really don't like the idea of making any "bargain" Leicas.  There
are plenty
of bargain brands already; we don't need one more.



Anthony - are you overlooking the fact that Jonathan started by
saying:

I like the CL/CLE concept as a low cost/low weight concept.


I'm a journalist who needs to take photos on assignment, and use the
CL as my main "working" camera - although it's small and light, and
less rugged than a classic M, I've never thought of it as a "bargain"
Leica, or something which is inferior to my IIIg, M2 or SL2. Willi
Stein its designer was one of the 'old school' Wetzlar guys who'd
joined the company as an apprentice (in 1925 I think), so this wasn't
a creation of a cost-cutting "bean counter" but from someone who was
raised in the Leitz tradition and who wanted to create a "people's
Leica".

Regards,

Doug Richardson