Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/09/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Exactly. Well said George. Regards Eric Calderwood (Liverpool UK) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lottermoser George" <imagist3@mac.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] a serious question > Reality check > > On Sep 25, 2008, at 1:45 AM, Philip Forrest wrote: >> Because there is no logical reason that a manual focus 50mm lens >> should >> cost $5000. > > I suspect that if you saw the balance sheets for: amortizing R&D, > materials and labor in production, reasonable profit, marketing > costs, dealer markups et al - the logical reality would become clear > to you. > >> Most other Leica lenses cost upwards of $3k as well for >> modern optics. > > False: 90 Macro Elmar, 50 Summicron, 24 Elmarit R all $2,000; 28 > Elmarit, asph $1,800; Summarit line $1,300 - $1500 > >> This is why they continue to be able to play on the >> world market with companies like Canon and Nikon. > > So something's working - your point? > >> Leica's M8 may be >> nice but it's only 1/3 the camera that an EOS 5D is, > > As an owner of both; in my subjective opinion - the M8 "is" 3 times > better than the 5D - because it delivers more fine detail, dynamic > range and useable shadow detail. > >> and for the price >> of the M8, you can get the EOS with a lens. > > or 4 Canon Rebels; or 250 Holgas; or a used car; or a fine watch; or > a hundred good watches; or a terrific bicycle; or 4 really nice > bicycles; or or or > >> I can go on & on. I love >> the film bodies, love the old lenses, will never afford the new ones >> and probably have no reason to anyways. > > Leica, new in sealed box, has always cost the most, because they've > always been a small company making terrific, high quality products in > small quantities (with some exceptions). Nothing new about that. Why > diss them for what they have always been and continue to be? > >> As long as Leica continues to cater to its core constituency with >> making innovations for the next generation, they will always be on the >> rocks. > > On the rocks? This week they seem to be afloat, cruising beautifully > around a very large harbor; welcoming stunned guests aboard. > > Fond regards, > George > > george@imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com/blog > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information