Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/04/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I wonder how much Nikon spent on their 200X SP and S3 reissue projects. >From the web documents, it must have cost a small fortune. Labor of love indeed. I wonder if they could have developed a digital SP for similar amount of investment. p.s. the RD-1 and RD-1s are the same, as you said. However, they did come out with RD-1x which actually has cosmetic differences (i.e. a non-flippable LCD) so it's not quite the same camera. On Sun, Apr 1, 2012 at 1:05 AM, Frank Dernie <Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com>wrote: > I could be wrong but the 2 versions of the RD-1 ie the RD-1 and RD-1s > looked like Epson re-announcing the same camera to sell existing unsold in > stock parts. My RD-1 is the same as a RD-1s which simply has the latest > software and an extra "s" engraved on the top plate. > My point is that it is extremely unlikely that anybody could possibly > manufacture a lower price digital rangefinder at the volume of sales likely > for a non-autofocus camera with expensive lenses. Lets not forget that the > CV and ZM lenses, whilst less expensive than Leica lenses are still very > expensive compared to mass produced autofocus equivalents from the big > makers. > Production volume has a m-a-s-s-i-v-e influence on production cost. The > R8/9 lost Leica a fortune. It would not surprise me to learn that the > development and tooling costs for the S2 were similar to those for the R8, > and since it is MF and AF it can sell at a higher price, and may even > eventually sell in bigger numbers. > If Nikon and Canon can not sell the 100,000s of premium models at a profit > there is no chance at all that a FF manual focus rangefinder selling > probably less than 1% as many can be made cheaper. > IMHO. > As an engineering consultant I have costed quite a few ambitious projects > from enthusiasts, all have worked out spectacularly too expensive because > of amortising tooling and development cost over tiny volume. > > FD > > On 1 Apr, 2012, at 06:08, Tim Gray wrote: > > > I'd have to disagree. How many versions of the RD-1 did they put out? > Three? I know they were all very similar, but there was clearly some > incentive to keep offering it. > > > > Regardless, I bet if there was a reasonably price (> $4000) digital > rangefinder, they'd have good sales. Assuming of course they could turn a > profit at that price point. I'd buy one for sure. I bet most people who > had an M9 would buy one too as a backup. > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > -- // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>