Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/08/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]The Summarits are not competing Summicrons and Summiluxes, I believe, but likely the 90/2.8 Elmarit. Think of the Summarits as the Porsche Boxster to compete the Mazda MX-5 and others. Porsche is, IMO, a good example how a company with the tradition of german design and craftmanship could keep up with the time. After difficult times, they could strongly increase their sales and profits dued also to that model (even if many Porsche habitu?s sniffed at it first). Now they added another model between this and the 911, the Cayman, which also sells excellently. I don't think they have sold a 911 less because of that, but won a lot of new customers, who would have bought models of other brands. With the Summarit line, Leica is going in the right direction, created a new entry level for the Leica universe. Next step should be a fixed lens, or M-mount, or 4/3-mount, digital compact rangefinder body (aka digital CL) for not more than 2k EUR. Didier >Yes and no as to competing with itself. Zeiss and Cosina make some very >nice lenses that lure M shooters away from Leica purchases. As well, there >are untold thousands of used Summicrons out there many times in very nice >condition. By offering an inexpensive new alternative Leica will end up >with more profit overall with increased sales of a different product mix.