Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]As usual, Gene, you fly off the handle. I only meant it with the M8 with its limited lifespan - I have made the point time and again that the mechanical Leicas are well worth the money considering the life of the product. Also understand that I study companies for a living, and that includes marketing strategies, and I have been doing this sort of thing one way or another for 30+ years. I still cannot understand how Leica will make money on the M8 unless they make it a trendy item to own, like, say, the Ipod. I do not think that many photographers will spend US$5000 on the M8 when a D200 or a 5D are available at the price they are. I think Leica realise it too and hence their choice of media in which to advertise. By the way, how many Leica items have you bought new, to directly help the company? Cheers Jayanand On 1/12/07, grduprey@mchsi.com <grduprey@mchsi.com> wrote: > > Jayanand, > > You are the only one here who has equated buying Leias and other items of > similar value being extravagant, so I guess you should try to answer your > own question. My guess is that the other 90%+ of us buy and use Leicas > because they serve our purpose for photography better than other solutions. > > Sorry for the rant Brian, > > Gene > > -------------- Original message from "Jayanand Govindaraj" < > jayanand@gmail.com>: -------------- > > > > I do not understand why people equate a Leica with extravagance and try > and > > defend their right to buy it - no one denies that you have that right. A > M6 > > will last you as long as film is available - it is probably a value pick > > over the long term. I use pens and mechanical watches which are > expensive, > > but will last a lifetime. > > > > I was talking about the M8 - I would guess that with the life of digital > at > > around 3 years, Leica would have to make it trendy to make money with > it, as > > I do not think too many photographers will shell out US$5000 for it > (though > > for the good of the company I sincerely hope so). Anyway the jury's out > on > > this one. Lets wait and see. > > > > Cheers > > Jayanand > > > > On 1/11/07, Sanjay Nasta wrote: > > > > > > I just struggled with the decision (whether to buy a car such as the > > > Honda Accord or a Porsche). You're right. A Honda is practical, > > > comfortable, safe, and reliable and will get you from point A to point > B > > > perfectly and frankly a Honda Element will do it heck of a lot more > > > practically than a Porsche--I had a Honda S2000 for 7 years (still > have > > > it but will probably sell it). Although there was a small bit of > > > wanting a car that not everyone else had, it just came down to which > car > > > made my heart beat faster; which car made me happier. > > > > > > I'd promised myself a new car 3 years ago when I was in the hospital > and > > > the heart surgeon told me that my right artery was blocked and my > > > prognosis was not good (talk about ruining lunch)--fortunately he was > > > wrong (that artery was not blocked). After 18 years of running a > > > business I decided to treat myself. > > > > > > Similarly, I bought a Leica M6 because I liked how it felt in my hands > > > and how it felt when I put it up to my eye (yep felt, no concrete > > > measure). > > > > > > I think each of us has different reasons for buying the toys we do. > > > Heck I'm even willing to concede that there are cameras and cars that > > > might perform better (by some measure) than the ones I choose. > > > > > > I truly haven't figured out what "arrived" means I always feel I have > > > more to do and learn and frankly feeling that one has "arrived" > > > somewhere seems to indicate that one is done). > > > > > > Oh this is the car that I ended up buying (wife picked the color, > ain't > > > she cool) > > > > > > http://tinyurl.com/yn6v6h > > > > > > (picture's from the Porsche site, I haven't had time to get a decent > > > picture of the thing yet). > > > > > > > > > > > > Message: 3 > > > Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2007 09:56:44 +0530 > > > From: "Jayanand Govindaraj" > > > Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 Article in LFI > > > To: "Leica Users Group" > > > Message-ID: > > > <3cad89990701102026l4eca6978v35be2e405048790b@mail.gmail.com> > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > > > > > Mehrdad, > > > People buy a Rolex/Porsche etc to announce to the world that they have > > > arrived. Otherwise they use Timex/Toyota (or whatever). I notice that > > > Leica > > > has stepped up advertising for the M8 considerably in magazines like > > > GQ/Esquire/Mens Vogue, rather than photography magazines, with slick > > > arty > > > ads. Which market do you think they are after? > > > Cheers > > > Jayanand > > > > > > On 1/11/07, mehrdad wrote: > > > > > > > > B.D. i think you are more stuck in the name and in particular this > > > > "leica name " every time there is a praise of a leica something you > > > > go off thinking that everybody is under some sort spell and the > magic > > > > red dot makes people say good things. > > > > > > > > i shoot with more camera brands and lenses than anybody i know ( i > > > > love gadgets), and so far i have been very pleased with the images > > > > from the M8. i have also been shooting with the pentax k10d and some > > > > the pentax prime lenses; oh boy this might be one the best. i have > > > > recently bought couple of sigma lenses for in the 4/3 mount and the > > > > results have been stunning also. > > > > > > > > Price is very deceiving these days, both a $20 times and $20k rolex > > > > tell the time and both very accurate, why do some people buy a > rolex? > > > > the same is true about honda element (my favorite car) and a Porsche > > > > turbo, both take you place one costs 9 times more. i think price > these > > > > days is more of a differentiator of class and not quality any more. > by > > > > the way canon g7 is just awesome and in this list i talk about > mostly > > > > about leica. > > > > > > > > > > > > On 1/10/07, B. D. Colen wrote: > > > > > > > > > > MicroAssist, Inc. > > > 3420 Executive Center Drive, Suite G100 Austin, TX 78731 > > > http://www.microassist.net > > > Phone: (512) 794-8440 > > > Fax: (512) 794-8742 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Leica Users Group. > > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Leica Users Group. > > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >