[Leica] Leica is now selling pre-brassed cameras so every couch potato can look like a badass journalist

[Mark Rabiner]

$24,500
Its like of like whoring. There are times to put meat on the table and get
the mortgage paid you just have to get out there and turn a few tricks.
The good news might be we'll never see one outside of a museum.
There will be only 125 of them made. Few of them will ever go outside and
take a picture. They will be locked in a glass cube with "laser" beams
beaming in all directions complimented by the latest moment detection beams.
Guys standing outside with Uzis.
Even double agent Sydney Bristow hanging on long thin wires could not
retrieve one... whatever color her wig.

I remember how bad the malls looked in the late 80's when all the girls
showed up in pre stressed acid washed jeans and Farah Fawcit flipped out
hair. After a few years that all went away and remained only a embarrassing
reminder in peoples family picture albums. Then they came back and they seem
here to stay and guys wear them too.
Not me!

I've learned to be philosophical about Leica 's special editions they do it
to make money so they can make more user Leica gear we would hope to be the
point.   The kind that you'd take a picture with not just put in a safety
deposit box. 
But I wonder if here are reasons beyond the bottom line that they come out
with these glitzy abominations and it has to do with branding. And I'd
disagree with the idea that these kinds of things make Leica a stronger
brand in any way. I'd say weaker.
If it was me I'd abolish all limited edition gear unless someone showed me
what the bottom line is and why we needed the money.

The LHSA camera group came out with a special edition every year under the
guidance of Bill Rosaur the editor of the Viewfinder. They were not jokes
they were not astronomically priced  so it was not stupid to not just look
at them as some kind of investment but to go out and shoot with them.
One of the first ideas was a back lacquer finish. A thing which had a Leica
history behind it and worked out quite well. Then Leica starting doing it
themselves and it was in the catalog.  There were a string of other tasteful
ideas a few more of which influenced Leica as to what came out in their
catalog.


On 2/24/15 11:06 AM, "Kyle Cassidy" <leicaslacker at gmail.com> wrote:

> Even though it¹s just out of the box "it appears as if it had been in constant
> use for decades and would have countless stories to tell."


I¹m not sure
> which is a bigger blight on humanity, this, or the great Pacific garbage gyre
> killing all sea life between California and Japan.

Everybody, join me in a
> chorus of ³It¹s the end of the world as we know
> it².


http://en.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/LEICA-M-P-CORRESPONDENT

> 


_______________________________________________
Leica Users Group.
See
> http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information




-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/