Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>>>>>>>>>> I don't know how R8 sales compare with R7 or previous bodies (be interested to know), but perhaps the (reputed) slow sales result from its being a niche product for a niche sector of the pro/serious amateur 35mm market. If someone in Solms thought the R8 was going to compete with Nikon and Canon for sales volume, then they need to get their DNA checked! <<<<<<<<<< Leica's financial statements have reported that R system sales have dropped below where they were before the R8 and newer lenses, such as the 70-180, were introduced. They have taken a particularly hard hit in Germany (which is why Leica has done some TV advertising in that country). The latest quarter's report shows R system sales stabilizing, but at a lower level than they were at pre-R8. I'm sure nobody in Solms thought the R8 would compete with Nikon and Canon in sales volume. But I'm also reasonably certain that any financial projections made in Solms when deciding whether it made economic sense to develop the R8 did not include sales declining. Larry