[Leica] Say Hello to Hermes Leica -- THE Photog's Fashion Statement

[leicanikon at earthlink.net (Stephen Gandy)]

In my opinion the departure of Mr. Cohn as Leica's CEO signals not just
a change at the top,  but a fundamental change of Leica company
strategy.   I believe the move is on to remake Leica in the image of
Leica's largest stock holder, the elite incredibly high priced fashion
seller Hermes.   Good-bye to Leica for photographers, hello to Leica as
an elitist even higher priced fashion statement.  Yes folks, I fear yet
more Leica price hikes are on the way very soon.

IF you are close to buying a Leica body or lens, buy it now if you can.
And buy the much less expensive grey market now if you can, because a
major aim of Leica's new Hermes inspired marketing seems to be
eliminating  the grey market entirely and pushing  up prices.

Where will this lead Leica?  My guess is to 30 to 40% higher prices
within two years, an even smaller work force and smaller sales volume,
until Hermes finally realizes it picked the wrong vehicle to Hermes-ize,
and sells their investment.  IF Leica is eventually picked up by a
quality photography company, perhaps the Leica glow will once again be
the photographer's eyes, instead of in the photographer's wallet.

The timing could not be much worse for Leica to go after an even higher
priced elitist market,  with the R system long dead sales wise,  and the
M rangefinders besieged with the most  M competition Leica has ever
had:  from Cosina Voigtlander, the Cosina made Epson RD-1 digital, and
the Cosina made Zeiss Ikon.   Other companies are also rumored to be
entering the M market.  With Voigtlander bodies selling for about 1/5 of
the Leica price, the Epson RD-1 the only digital M game in town for now,
and the target price of the new Zeiss Ikon camera at 60% of Leica price,
photogs now have many choices in choosing M cameras and lenses at
substantially lower than Leica prices.  Sure, some people are so well
off it does not matter how much Leica raises prices.  But for most
people, it will be a very tough pill to justify $6,000 or more for a
single Leica M body with a 50/1.4.  Come to think of it, if Hermes can
get $10,000 or more for a lady's handbag, maybe a $6000 M body and 50
lens is really underpriced.....   On the other hand, think of the
immense satisfaction waiting for you as you swap Leica and Hermes
stories at your local boutique.

Stephen Gandy