Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> So would someone kindly explain to me why there is such limited call for the Leica version of a lens that is a true standard for both the Nikon and Canon autofocus cameras?...Or am I asking a stupid question, because the reality is that there is limited call for as expensive a manual focus SLR as the R8...? <<<<<<<<<< Stupid question, no, but I do think you've answered your own question. There was a post a year or so ago (I'm too lazy to look it up in the archives at the moment) from someone who had spoken to, as I recall, an executive at Leica and said fewer than 500 180 f/2.8 APO lenses had sold worldwide since its introduction. I'd bet the Nikon and Canon equivalents have sold in the tens of thousands, maybe more. An unverified report on the LUG awhile back said that one recent year only 2000 R8s sold. For the year. By comparison, a check of serial numbers suggests Nikon is selling over 10,000 F100s a month. Recent incentives in Europe have probably improved R sales since those reports were posted. But the reality is, despite its quality and its virtues championed by users on this list, there appears to have been little demand in recent years for the R system, especially when compared to other SLR systems. Larry