Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Thanks!! OT Contax G2: Cost
From: "Takeshi Hashimoto" <hashimoto.takeshi@mailcity.com>
Date: Tue, 23 May 2000 05:04:27 -1100

 Nonesense. Do you know what the cost of doing busines in Germany is? In 1971, an M4 cost $500. An SL2 went for $1200 in 1974. The 50mm Summilux-R went for $441 in 1971. They're actually cheaper now, factoring in inflation. Leica prices today are VERY reasonable.
- --

On Tue, 23 May 2000 09:37:31   AWSteg wrote:
>Bud:  I am not sure your analogy works! First, we are talking about a
>Japanese camera with a 3 year warrantee not an American camera with a 6
>month warrantee.  Second, when you factor in the cost of insurance and
>maintenance / repairs owning a Mercedes it's quite expensive! Third,
>Mercedes has actually made technology improvements over the years. . .cruse
>control, power windows, air bags. . .Leica has done very little. Let's face
>it- Leica has obviously amortized the design/tooling cost of the camera by
>now and makes a simple marketing choice to keep the price high.  So be it. .
>.it's a great camera. . .but it is priced higher not because it cost more to
>produce but because they want the price high to keep the appearance of
>greatness, which is also fine. The release of all the collector edition is
>just an extension of this philosophy. The sad part is that it does limit the
>ability of the average college student interested in photography or just the
>average Joe with a family from having the ability to utilize and enjoy an M6
>and 3-4 lenses.  Although to their credit, Leica does offer a buy program of
>their loaner camera's at around $1,000 at some colleges.  The price is
>artificially kept high as a direct result of Leica's marketing program which
>is focused at people with money or who are paid very well .  Your average
>photographer (AP) or whatever is not is this financial group .  But this is
>the marketing choice of the Leica Company.  Understand that they could
>charge much less and still make a good profit but they choose not to.
>
>Al Stegmeyer
>
>Al Stegmeyer
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bud Cook" <budcook@attglobal.net>
>To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
>Sent: Monday, May 22, 2000 10:12 PM
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Thanks!! OT Contax G2: Cost
>
>
>> Most people make the mistake of looking at what something costs to buy
>> rather than what something costs to own.   That's why people buy new
>> American cars every few years rather than buying a Mercedes which gives
>you
>> an option about deciding just how many decades you want to drive it.
>>
>> The same thing applies to Leicas (at least those that I've bought).   I've
>> wasted very little money on Leicas but I've spent a bundle on Nikon gear
>and
>> it's all gone.
>>
>> Bud
>>
>>
>>
>
>


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