Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/09/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>I'm not talking discounts here, Karen- What I was suggesting is that >they offer a body and lens at honest-to-God cost. In other words, it >wouldn't cost Leica one cent to do this, because they'd be offering this >to 'starving' young artists who aren't about to buy a new Leica M or M >lenses. And it would not only be offering the students the cameras for >far less money than any discount, but it would also be accomplishing two >very important things: If Leica isn't making money (and I have no reason to believe they are), the "cost" of a Leica M7 is $2500.... I don't know why people think that the "cost" of an item is its pure manufacturing cost. If Leica was giving away things at their manufacturing cost, I would be very worried about the company. Besides.... except for the super-rich (and professionals like Ted), who do you know who has *bought* two *new* M bodies to use? 99% of those students* are not going to buy another Leica intheir lifetime, even if the first one hooks them. And they're going to buy their lenses used. * I can speak from experience at teaching photography classes at college, that my average student budget for camera equipment is about $200. It might be $500 if they have a loving aunt/uncle. Otherwise, they'd rather spend the money on an iPod or new laptop. And if they did have $2000 to spend on camera equipment, I guarantee they'd spend it on a Canon EOS 20D. They'd be idiots to do otherwise. Most of the jobs out there that require photo skills now require PhotoShop and digital editing skills, not silver halides. Karen -- Karen Nakamura http://www.photoethnography.com/ClassicCameras/