Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/10/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Matt and Steve. I'd like to add a comment. I think that Matt is correct in that the M8 may not change Leica's market position. I think that it will largely appeal to the same (minority) group that might previously have bought the M7. I have no idea how much of Leica's bottom line actually comes from M gear. I suspect that other areas may very well be larger and more profitable. That's not to belittle the importance of this flagship range for Leica, and us! Regarding the comparative cost of purchasing an M6 and lenses at that time compared to Canon (for example) equipment; I think the comparison in retained value now might be worth considering too. That would hold even more so all the way back to earlier equipment as well. Anyone want to trade some seventies SLR lenses for Wetzlar stuff? Cheers Hoppy -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Matt Powell Sent: Thursday, 26 October 2006 07:47 To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: Re: [Leica] M8 and the Future On 10/25/06, Steve Unsworth <lug@steveunsworth.co.uk> wrote: > When I bought my M6 I could have bought a Canon SLR with lens for > about a third of the price - probably less. The Canon usd exactly the > same film as the Leica. So why did I spend all that money on a > rangefinder rather than an SLR. Well, the main reason was because it > was a rangefinder rather than an SLR. That was the case in film days > and it's the same in the digital age. > > Steve I'm not saying that the M8 will flop, that no one will buy it, or that it's even a camera I wouldn't like to own. I'm saying that it won't change Leica's stars. Even in the M6 days, you were party of a tiny minority, right? 1 Leica sold for every 100 good Canon bodies. That's no different today - a Leica M8 is simply too expensive to ignite any kind of renaissance for the company. There just aren't that many people who can afford to pay $4800+tax for a single body. Those few with the disposable income and need or desire to buy one will, and everyone else will buy a Canon/Nikon dSLR or wait for the next Cosina digital rangefinder at a price competitive with dSLRs. -- MP wooderson@gmail.com _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information