Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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 >> >> >> > > Get your FREE Email at http://mailcity.lycos.com Get your PERSONALIZED START PAGE at http://my.lycos.com