RE: [Leica] Leica technology, creative control

[Larry Kopitnik <kopitnil@mra-inc.com>]

>>>>>>>>>>
>My dealer has a 20-35 f/2.8 Nikkor in stock now, at $1700. He also stocks
>Leica. And since Christmas he's sold more of this one Nikkor  -- at $1700
>each -- than all Leica lenses combined.

Larry
And what does that suggest.
<<<<<<<<<<

I purposely avoided drawing any conclusions when I made my post. Most
participants of this list seem pretty adept at drawing conclusions on their
own. :-)

But the post was made after reading a LUG Digest last night containing a
number of interesting comments on the cost of Leica lenses relative to
other lines and Leica's lack of meaningful advertising support of their
product, at least in the U.S.

What I stated in my post suggests to me that photographers will indeed pay
large sums for their equipment if the manufacturer participates in creating
demand for the product. $1700 is more than or very close to the price of
several Leica lenses. But here's a Nikkor figuratively flying off the shelf
while competitvely priced Leicas sit.

Maybe the 20-35 Nikkor is a more desireable focal range to more users than
the $1700 range Leicas. But I also believe that Nikon's (and Canon's) more
prominent support of their products in the U.S. through advertising and
promotion helps to create more demand for their products. I do think that
with more promotion of the virtures of their $1700 products -- smaller
size, lighter weight and better quality both optically and mechanically --
Leica could see their lenses figuratively fly as well. Not to the extent of
the Nikons and Canons, perhaps, but certainly more than they do now.

Disclaimer: I work for an ad agency, so my thoughts on the benefits of
well-researched and well-executed promotion are unabashedly biased.

Larry