Re: Leica M: object of desire?

["Roger Beamon" <beamon@primenet.com>]

With alacrity, Erwin Puts wrote:
 
> Reason for writing this email is the latest piece of text in
> Viewfinder.  <snip>

Some comments, Erwin, on your recent post.

Certainly you wouldn't argue with the right of LHSA to publish 
suggestions on M improvements, regardless of their origin, correct? 
LHSA is exactly what its name says, no more, no less. LHSA 
certainly doesn't propose to speak for all of Leicadom [sic]. There 
are analogs of LHSA in other countries who may and do express 
opinions on same. 

Are you sure that there aren't binocular collectors out there? I'll 
bet you a dinner in September 1998 (when I hope to make Photokina) 
that there are. Perhaps not as visible and numerous as Leica 
collectors, but existing, nonetheless.

I really am puzzled by the obvious negative feelings that are held by 
so many shooters of Leica toward Leica collectors. (This feeling, 
btw, is not reciprocal) The only reason that is even remotely 
plausible is that the "collector is responsible for the high prices". 
Rubbish! The high prices are attached to the collectable models. If 
you argue that the M3 would be in the hands of many more shooters if 
it were not for the price, I'd grant that, in only a numerically few 
cases. The market for the shooters is much better satisfied by the 
ubiquitous M6. Prices of current production M & R equipment are quite 
close to those of "top of the line" equipment from Nikon and Canon. 
The differences that do exist are easily understood when production 
quantities are taken into account.

Lastly, please don't blame us for what you interpret as too much 
attention paid to the U.S. marketplace and their opinions. The U.S. 
has, for decades, been the dominant economic force in the world. As 
this changes, or, at least, as economic parity is approached 
thoughout much of the world (happening rapidly, I might add),  the 
world *will* and *is* becoming less North America centric. Given 
time, I suspect that the world may be using Chinese as the 
international default language instead of English.

I, personally, am happy to be a user of a photographic line of 
products that is prized enough by non users to be collected by them. 
It maintains and furthers the Leica mystique. That mystique is what 
enables and encourages a niche player in the 35mm market,such as  
Leica. Of course, Leica's new "public ownership" may change the 
market dynamics driving them in the near future. I believe that it 
already has.

- --
Roger Beamon  
       Naturalist & Photographer
       Docent: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
       Leica Historical Society Of America
       mailto:beamon@primenet.com