[Leica] SLD ? R9.99 ? Link is OK now

[crbirchenhall at googlemail.com (Christopher Birchenhall)]

Gene

I working from UK retailers and cannot speak for the US.

R.G Lewis still has "Demo" lenses at half price:

http://www.rglewis.co.uk/leica/r/r_demo.htm

Wilkinson has had a shake out but has a 90mm f2 Apo left 40% below list:

http://www.wilkinson.co.uk/store/product.php?productid=16412&cat=443&page=1

Photo Design is advertising (in Black & White Photography) "Demo" R9
and a range of lenses at almost half price (no web page).

All of this is very tempting but without good guidance about the
future it is not clear they are good investments.

If prices are holding in the US it would explain Leica's wish to keep
mute on a R10.

I do hope Leica can give some guidance soon; uncertainty is bad for
all concerned.

Chris B

On 19/09/2007, grduprey@mchsi.com <grduprey@mchsi.com> wrote:
> Chris,
>
> What fall in prices?  They still sell for the same as they always have.  
> Every lens I have seen at a dealer has been at list price or just a tad 
> below, same as always.  If you are talking about used, they have never 
> been high priced on the used market.  That is how i have bought just about 
> all my R lenses.  I see no change in prices new or used.  The dealer in 
> Dallas seems to think the R10 will be out in the next year or not much 
> more than a year.  That and the fact that the R lenses can be used with 
> the 4/3 cameras and on Canon DSLRs there seems to be a steady movement in 
> R lenses.  Not as fast as M lenses, but still steady for some time now.  
> The DMR actually caused a rise in R lens sales, and there was a slight 
> rise in used prices.  Lets face it DSLRs are the major market these days, 
> and even with the popularity of the M8, Leica cannot survive on just M 
> sales, they need the R line to survive.  They need to put more effort in 
> this direction and do a better job at promoting!
>  them.
>  Optically the R lenses are excellent and every bit worthy of the name 
> Leica.
>
> Gene
>