Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/07

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Subject: [Leica] RE: [Leica] Canon really has AF figured o ut...BLASHPEMY? Or it i s?
From: Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>
Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1999 18:52:16 +0200

Peter,

Those car analogies have never made any sense to me. People, (boomers, 
their parents and their kids) still queue and wait three years for a 
Morgan. The fact that big US cars have lost their soul, size and shining 
exuberance somewhere in the Seventies did not translate that well in market 
shares. Many people I know are ready to pay a high premium for an exc 
Fifties US convertible, nobody I know is ready to pay a premium for an old 
Toyota. So what ? So nothing ! Or, let us say that it would be a huge 
mistake for Leica to loose its soul. I know you refute the idea of soul in 
machinery. You'll therefore probably never understand why anyone would pay 
a 15 year old Citroen 2CV more than what it was worth new. Not comparing 
the Leica to the 2CV though: those analogies make no sense ;-)

Alan


On lundi 7 juin 1999 18:27, Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter) 
[SMTP:peterk@lucent.com] wrote:
> Nathan,
>
> Perhaps you are right, but the relative age is also indicative of the age 
of
> the equipment and how long it has been around/collected.  I am sure we 
will
> find some twenty somethings who use Leica Ms as well, but it was just a
> general statement.  Most twenty somethings (and some thirty somethings 
and
> older) getting into photography will probably look elsewhere was my 
point.
> This large market of Generation X plus is being missed by Leica.
> This is kind of analogous to what happened in the car industry if you 
think
> about it.  Honda, Toyota and others became the Boomers car of choice when
> they had little money.  The loyalty they developed with a reliability car
> was seen in future sales of Lexus, Acura and others as the boomers got 
older
> and look for a more luxurious car.  In the meantime, GM and their Olds 
and
> Cadillac division suffered as the older folks that comprised their market
> was gradually dwindling.  How many people would take a Cadillac over a 
Lexus
> today? Few, I would think. For me I would opt for Lexus or Acura first.
> Cadillac is much further down the line. (BTW, I currently own an American
> car - Plymouth, so its not like I prefer an import).  Now I am sure 
someone
> will rebutt with a BMW or Mercedes, but my point is not to compare cars,
> just a simple analogy.
>
> Peter K
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nathan Wajsman [mailto:nathan.wajsman@euronet.be]
> Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 9:03 AM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Canon really has AF figured out...BLASHPEMY? Or it
> is?
>
>
> Peter,
>
> I got into Leica M at age 37 (last year) and just bought my first screw
> mount Leica at age 38. I think that the relatively high average age of 
Leica
> owners simply reflects the fact that this IS expensive equipment, even
> second-hand, and most people in white-collar type careers do not reach 
their
> peak earning years until their 40s.
>
> Nathan
>
> "Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" wrote:
>
> > There are always anomalies Martin......
>
> --
> Nathan Wajsman
> Overijse, Belgium
>
> General photo site: http://members.tripod.com/belgiangator/
> Belgium photo site: http://members.xoom.com/wajsman/
> Motorcycle site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1704/
>