Re: [Leica] Big R Bucks are in the small lenses, not the APO Telyts

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

From: Robert G. Stevens <robsteve@hfx.andara.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 1999 01:22
Subject: [Leica] Big R Bucks are in the small lenses, not the APO Telyts


> I think what both Paul and Bernard must realize is
> that the Leica Modular system is not much more expensive
> than the equivalent lenses in the Nikon or Canon stable
> if you need more than one.

I thought the Summicron 1:2/35 ASPH that the dealer sold me with my M6 was very
reasonably priced--almost suspiciously so, in fact.  But it turned out that it
was a very excellent lens, just not an expensive one (relatively speaking).  It
cost about 25% less than the AF-S 28-70/2.8 zoom that I normally use on my F5.

The bodies themselves (F5 and M6) were essentially the same price.

> I guess the point I am trying to make is that this big
> glass costs relatively the same no matter which system
> you uses.

You get what you pay for.  There are no shortcuts to producing fine optics, so
they are costly no matter where you buy them.

> What I would be complaining about is the big bucks
> for the small glass.

I suspect it may be that Leica does not make any "consumer grade" lenses.  They
are all either the best lenses Leica can make, or nothing at all.  As a result,
every lens you buy from Leica is effectively a top-of-the-line professional
lens.

In contrast, Canon and Nikon make some lenses better than others, and price them
accordingly.  If you don't need the very best, you can buy one of their lesser
lenses.  Of course, you often ending deciding to get better lenses, so you may
end up spending more than you would have spent on Leica glass, in the end.

> I am a committed Leica user and must say for the extra price,
> Leica does provide slightly higher performance.  I will not
> argue on that point, but it would be nice if the premium for
> the more every day lenses was not so high.

But is it really a premium?  The market for Leica lenses is smaller, so the
advantages of volume sales aren't there.  Additionally, the last 10% increase in
the performance of any precision instrument may account for 90% of its
additional cost, so as you move up in lens quality, the price increases much
faster than the actual increase in optical quality.  This is true in just about
every domain, and it's inevitable.  Getting rid of almost all of that last
little bit of spherical or chromatic aberration costs a bundle.

  -- Anthony