Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Why is it cynical to introduce a good competitive product aimed at taking a chunk of the market that Leica, or any other manufacturer for that matter, has ignored? Clever? Yes. Immaginative? Yes. Good business sense? Yes. Marketing 101? Yes. But cynical? I don't think so. ;-) B. D. - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Dante Stella Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2002 8:09 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] Bessa R2 New Features Cynical of them. > Thanks to John Collier for the pointer to the Bessa R2 intro > information. A quick scan of the info & specs shows the following > changes over the R & T: > > 1. M-mount body, with the body "throat" enlarged so there are fewer > M-mount lens restrictions. M-mount lenses which cannot be mounted > are: Hologon 15/8.0, Super Angulon 21/4.0 and 21/3.4, first generation > Elmarit 28/2.8 and Summicon-DR 50/2.0. In addition to these, the T > specs show that standard (non-ASPH) Summilux 35/1.4 won't mount, and > the R2 specs imply that the T has problems with some 35/2.0 Summicrons > (7-element, pre-Asph). > > 2. Top cover, bottom cover and rear door are molded magnesium alloy to > increase strength with minimum weight penalty. Body itself uses a > die-cast aluminum shell (as does R and T) Body weight over R > increases 30g to 425g; length and width specs are the same but height > is listed as 3mm higher. > > 3. Film advance crank is ratcheted (R is not, T is). > > 4. Film rewind crank is smoother; implied smoother than R & T. > > 5. Body fits trigger winder (as does T). > > 6. Body covering is more "rubberized" for better grip. > > All finder- and meter-related specs appear to be the same as for the > R. The T meter specs show upper ISO limit as 1600; R & R2 go to 3200. > > It looks to me like a handy blend of the R & T. List price for black > R2 body is 78,000yen (US$586) and 85,000yen (US$639) for the olive > body. R list price is 68,000yen (US$511), so the R2 lists for 15% > more than the R. At B&W prices, currently $440 for the R, once > initial demand spikes smooth out the R2 might sell for just over $500. > > I've always liked the idea of lower-priced entryways into Leica Land. > I'll be interested to hear what Tom A. and others say once the info > embargo is lifted..... > > Cheers, > > PB > > > Paul C. Brodek > Hillsdale, N.J. U.S.A. > E-mail: pcb@skyweb.net > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - ------------ Dante Stella http://www.dantestella.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html