Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/06/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Yes I have been resisting replying to this thread not always with success. The fact is that we don't know the demand level at all. One thing is for sure to tool and hire for a higher volume than the demand is a guaranteed (very) expensive failure ( I happen to think the DeLorean example is fairly apt). OTOH producing slightly less than demand keeps you in business long term, even if it brings out the C3 P0 in people. Frank D ----- Original Message ---- From: Richard Man <richard at imagecraft.com> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Wednesday, 15 June, 2011 12:19:17 Subject: Re: [Leica] Another R option (now M9) Well Frank, I wasn't going to engage in this thread anymore but since you called me out :-) First of all, re: last point, I was the originator of the thread that says may be Leica pricing are not artificially high, so I agree with you there. As for lower priced product killing the company, we are just two armchair Leica CEO here. I think we are agree that the current strategy is doing them very well. The question is 5 years from now or 10 years from now. IIRC, Leica sold a lot of M6, very successful - but then they almost got killed because they don't have another killer product. And just as you think that a "cheaper model would be dumb in the extreme," I think that using other companies as examples, i.e. DeLorean is also a non-starter. The companies are very different. Enough from me. I really don't care - I have the Leica I want, and what I say would have zero influence on Leica. On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 3:50 AM, Frank Dernie <Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com>wrote: > Yes Richard, but with what production capacity would they manufacture this > cheaper product? > There have been certain people predicting the doom of Leica as long as I > have been on it and it is still there. There have been dire warnings to > change direction and so forth. Most of which made no sense to me, and, > presumably Leica since they haven't followed the advice and are currently > profitable. > > The fact is the M9 is very much more successful than expected, so to > produce a cheaper model would be dumb in the extreme IMO. > > I don't thing the price is bad, given the production volume, and all the > posts about boutique products priced high only apply to the special > editions > and so forth. If people want to buy -those- why not but the M9 is an > appropriately priced low volume production camera. Thats all IMO. > > cheers, > Frank D > > > On 14 Jun, 2011, at 23:36, Richard Man wrote: > > > Geoff, while I agree with your assessment that this is a good short term > > strategy, I still think Leica can do well by introducing a current M8.3 > with > > the magenta problem fixed (and leave the MP at 10, or may be 12, and crop > > sensor) and emphasize the Summarits line for that camera. Sell a package > > with a camera and a lens bundled for $4000 and that could ensure Leica's > > long term success. > > > > On Tue, Jun 14, 2011 at 2:51 PM, Geoff Hopkinson <hopsternew at gmail.com > >wrote: > > > >> Because Leica Camera's customers have bought more than twice as many > >> Summiluxes as Summarits when given the choice. > >> Because, even if it could be designed and produced for less, a lower > cost > >> body might cannabilise sales of the M9 which has sold at least twice as > >> well > >> as expected and taxed production capacity since it was introduced > anyway. > >> Why would they want to divert some of that capacity? The mount is freely > >> usable for any manufacturer if they thought that they could or should > >> compete in the niche as well. > >> > >> A used M8 is the suggested alternate entry . > >> , > >> Cheers > >> Geoff > >> > >> *Life's not black and white, except at both ends* > >> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>> On Tue, Jun 14, 2011 at 7:03 PM, Frank Filippone < > red735i at earthlink.net > >>>> wrote: > >>> > >>>> It's not about offering an M9 for $1, it's about offering an > >> ALTERNATIVE > >>> to > >>>> the M9 at a lower price point. Leica offers the Summarit lenses at an > >>>> intro > >>>> point, why not a body? > >>>> > >>>> Frank Filippone > >>>> Red735i at earthlink.net > >>>> > >>>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> 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 > >> > > > > > > > > -- > > // richard <http://www.imagecraft.com/> > > // icc blog: <http://imagecraft.com/blog/> > > // richard's personal photo blog: <http://www.5pmlight.com> > > [ For technical support on ImageCraft products, please include all > previous > > replies in your msgs. ] > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 > -- // richard <http://www.imagecraft.com/> // icc blog: <http://imagecraft.com/blog/> // richard's personal photo blog: <http://www.5pmlight.com> [ For technical support on ImageCraft products, please include all previous replies in your msgs. ] _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. 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