Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/01
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- ----- Original Message -----
From: christian becker <8fps@gmx.de>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 11:38 AM
Subject: [Leica] Re:R3/R4 reliability - statistics
> Raimo wrote:
> >German magazine Color Foto did a survey among the readership 9/89 and
> >really found out that there were indeed problems with (early) R4 cameras
> >(not R4s). R4 is described as "Sorgenkind" - the child of sorrow - of the
>
> >Leica cameras. {...} And yes - the M6 itself "ist kein Musterknabe" or
> >model boy - but no details here, either.
> >BTW the best was Nikon with 15.6% defects (FM/FM2 only 6.7%), then
> Yashica >(yes, really) 16.6%, Ricoh (yes, really) 17.1%, Canon 19.6%,
Leica - as
> >stated - 24.3%, Pentax 25.9%, Minolta 26% and Contax 30.3%....
>
>
> Raimo,
>
> The survey IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE and just shows that the given percentage
> of R3/R4 owners who had trouble or were unsatisfied wrote to the magazine.
> That's all. Malfunctions/problems were not specified, noone had to prove
> anything.
> Prices on the used market reflect a lot of facts but they do not reflect
> reliability.
>
> Still there is only one reliable source of information on the issue -
> Wetzlar/Solms. But they won't tell you, won't they?
>
>
############
Yes, prices on the used market do not reflect a pure information on the
reliability because it is impossible to extract the signal from the noises.
But, by comparison, if we assume that noises are the same, prices of used
cameras are significant.
For instance, in 1980 , a Leica R3 mot and a Nikon F3 had the same price in
France : 6500 FRF. To day we have, respectively : 990 and 3000. How do you
explain the difference ?
In fact, all the R system since 1980 has bitten the sand because of the R4
which was a dog.See the production statistics : 50000 R cameras in 1980 and
deep under 10000 today. People voted with their feet. (My EOS camera is full
of beans, thanks Mr Canon and adios Mr Leica)
The new CEO has just sent a signal to the market by extending the warranty
to 5 years, only for the R8 (The signal was : yes, the R8 had problems but,
be confident, the sky is blue now). Is it enough to rescue the R8 ? The
market will judge.