Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/03/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It is true that for a short period of time, the Dollar was half the value of the Euro at its bottom. That is a comparison of peak to trough. But over the same 10 years time, time, the current ratio is more like 50%...... Which components, and services, and equipment are purchased in the US or other countries that make that "simple" 1:1 comparison of old" lens prices compared to todays price be untrue? ( A fact: Glass blanks from Japan are up roughly 30%) As much as we would like to use off-the-cuff and simplified math ratios for the explanation, it simply is too simplistic and in total fact, untrue. A simple truth is that they can get it..... from some segment of their total/desirable/perceived market....and that at that price point, they are sold out. I have said this before.... the best time to buy a Leica Lens, new, is when it first becomes available for sale... after that, the price goes up.... never down. So Mark, if you really want that 24 F1.4 lens, best spend your money today... tomorrow the price will go up, yet again...... Frank Filippone red735i at earthlink.net This is mostly because your currency value has almost halved over the same period. > My 35mm Summicron ASPH in February of the year 2000 cost me $1495. > A nikon lens at the time cost what 300 dollars? It cost $319.95 now so > maybe it was 200 usd. So you could get five to eight of them. > Now a new Summicron ASPH cost 3 grand; the price has doubled.