Re: [Leica] LUG: R8 and soft R prices = buy now!

[Patrick Markham <markham30@home.com>]

 As to the lenses, the ROMs
>> seem to be holding their value, but have devalued the non-ROMs to the point
>> that, yes, good glass is cheap.

Yes indeed. Incredibly great glass is now quite cheap in the Leica R series.
This means, at least for me, that it's time to buy! I'm picking up great
mint- R lenses as fast as I can afford to buy the next one. While a lot of
the public is out buying point and shoot digital cameras it's time to snag
great glass at prices that I, for one, can afford. Soon I'll have my dream
camera system. Market ups and downs can indeed be ridden to an advantage.
;-)

I'm preparing for the day when Leica comes out with their newly updated,
fast and accurate S1 digital camera (that will, of course, take Leica R and
M lenses). We Leica Users will be positioned to take advantage of the best
of both worlds - we'll have the world's highest quality lenses for the very
best 35mm and digital cameras in the world.

  
> I agree that the high-end manual focus SLR market is a niche one after
> you subtract Nikon and Canon from the equation, so I hope Leica doesn't
> have unrealistic expectations for the R8. It seems to me to be a good
> professional tool, but I'd bet that the M cameras outsell it
> significantly over both the short and long term.


According to a recent Leica publication, M cameras are currently outselling
R cameras in Australia 10 to 1. That's probably a fairly close ratio
worldwide. Higher demand for M cameras and lenses = higher prices for M
gear. Lower demand for R cameras and lenses = lower prices for R gear. Given
that the quality of the glass is roughly equal for both M and R lenses - the
value for your money is far greater for R gear. Now when the new Leica
digital S series cameras hit the market in 12 to 18 months (taking both M
and R lenses) the value of R lenses will almost assuredly go way up. Buy now
folks. These are "the good old days" people will be talking about years from
now. "Remember when you could buy a Leica 35mm Summicron R lens for only ___
$ ?"

Patrick Markham