Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/04/20

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Let's Just Say That Leica Survives and....
From: scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin)
Date: Wed Apr 20 23:18:27 2005
References: <BE8C5D5D.13AD3%mark@rabinergroup.com> <42671ED2.5000304@planet.nl>

Yup, price matters. They've got to reenergize and grow their customer
base to support the R&D costs. The only way to do that is to price the
camera "reasonably." (for Leica gear, that is).

Scott

Nathan Wajsman wrote:

> I totally disagree, Mark. Price matters a great deal, even for 
> fondlers. If Leica comes out with a price point like the one mentioned 
> by Robert, then they might as well not bother.
>
> I traded Leica for digital when I saw with my own eyes that I could 
> get equivalent image quality with the Canon DSLRs. I certainly 
> considered the option of the R-D1 but after carefully looking at the 
> features and the price I decided that while this was an interesting 
> first stab at a digital rangefinder, it was nowhere near a digital M.
>
> If Leica comes out with a digital M in 2006, the price has to be under 
> 2500 Euro.
>
> Incidentally, even though I am a low-volume amateur compared to some 
> of the pros here, since switching to digital in August of last year, I 
> have saved more in film processing costs alone (not including the film 
> itself) than I paid for my Canon 20D.
>
> Nathan
>
> Mark Rabiner wrote:
>
>> On 4/20/05 6:33 PM, "Robert Clark" <rclark01@comcast.net> typed:
>>
>>
>>> does actually come out with a digital M.  What's the groups speculation
>>> on MSRP?  With the DMR increasing in price and the dollar debacle, I'm
>>> thinking that a digital M in 2006 (2007?)
>>> could easily come with a price tag of over $6,000.....maybe even 7.
>>> If Leica survives past this May or whenever they're going to publically
>>> state what they plan to do to turn the ship around....Just
>>> thinking......anyone else gotta guess?
>>>
>>> Robert Clark
>>> Lancaster, PA
>>>
>>
>> Leica could get into a digital body at any price point and and it 
>> wouldn't
>> matter all that much I think now.
>>
>> The issues as I see it is most Leica "customers" you'd really not 
>> want to
>> bring home to meet mom. Leicawise.
>>
>> Most Leica owners are/were Leica owners only.
>> I don't think they are/were Leica users so much.
>>
>> Most Leicas all these years have been "show toys."
>> Which don't develop much loyalty.
>> After awhile all they need is an excuse to trade it in for something 
>> else.
>> When digital hit. That was all the excuse many and most needed.
>>
>> The Epson R1D1 even hit way late.
>> Non auto exposure is fun. Non AF is fun. Non motor drives are fun.
>> But when digital hit the mentality shifted to "auto everything why not"
>> mode.
>> If they're not going to bother putting film in the camera why bother 
>> with
>> anything else.
>>
>> Would a crafted digital camera worth of the Leica Solms authentic red 
>> dot be
>> a critical thing?
>> I don't think so by then you'd have an Epson Cosina digital or Cosina 
>> Zeiss
>> Ikon choice to put your Leica m glass on if you really had any 
>> allegiance to
>> them at all. How many really do. How many Leica owners really ever have
>> anything blown up bigger than 5x7?
>>
>> Leica may as well have Panasonic or somebody like that make the red dot
>> digital lens enabler for them to cash in on SOME of the market share.
>>
>> Mark Rabiner
>> Photography
>> Portland Oregon
>> http://rabinergroup.com/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>



In reply to: Message from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Let's Just Say That Leica Survives and....)
Message from nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] Let's Just Say That Leica Survives and....)