Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/01/10

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

Subject: [Leica] Leica Yearbook
From: pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:03:18 -0800

This, or some variation on the theme, is *the* problem. Leica has 
effectively priced itself out of most of the photographer's market. They 
are really more in the jewelry, prestige and bling businesses than in 
the photography business. $7K for an M-240 or MM, plus another $1200 for 
even a common 50 Summicron, used, and God help you if you need f/1.4, 
just add another $1200, again used. Double that if you want aspherics. 
Most people would say, "Are you crazy?" To shell that kind of money out, 
you have to be very dedicated to a particular kind of photography, or 
have more cash than brains. And it sure helps to be a very "high net 
worth individual."

I was lucky enough to buy a few Leica lenses before the digital Ms came 
out, when they were merely a bit expensive, as opposed to crazy-stupid 
expensive. If I had to pay today's prices for everything, I'd probably 
not be in Leica at all.

I am concerned what I'm going to do when my M8 dies. The M9 didn't seem 
like enough of an upgrade to be worth it. The main reason why I still 
might some day would be to use my 50mm lenses as 50s again. I would have 
to sell most of my lenses to pay for an MM or M 240.

So at the moment, I'm shooting my M8 occasionally with a 35 as a normal 
lens. I still have an M6, and sometimes I think I might just start 
shooting B&W film again. But most of the time lately it's the Olympus 
E-M5 with the micro 4/3 primes.

And yet, I still consider myself a Leica photographer. I learned 
photography the RF way, I still prefer it, and I love the lenses. And I 
like hanging out with people who appreciate Leica.  I think that most of 
the LUG feels that way to some degree. Which is why we're still the LUG. 
We just have to embrace the paradox--we use other stuff, that other 
stuff can do some things as well or better than Leica.  But Leica is in 
our roots, whether we still use Leica, just remember it fondly, or 
cross-breed its lenses with other company's bodies.

--Peter


 > I do not deny the cost or achievability of the M/Monochrom etc, but 
all the
 > people saying this have a selection of Leica lenses - how many people 
have
 > an idea of the current market price for those lenses? Somebody buying 
into
 > Leica these days has to buy some lenses as well as the body, suddenly 
$7K
 > seems like a bargain ;-)
 >
 > john
 >
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > >
 > > Steve,  many of us who were long time Leica users and owners, I've 
owned
 > > and used Leicas for more than 50 years, can no longer afford Leica new
 > > digital
 > > cameras every two or three years and have opted for other makes. If 
Leica
 > > offered a versitile digital in the price range of the Olympus OM-D 
I'd be
 > > shooting with it.  As it is I still on occasion will mount an M 
lens on my
 > > Olympus.  I sold my M8 three years ago I'd love to get a new M 240 
but at 7
 > > grand I'll shoot the Olympus.
 > >


Replies: Reply from steve.barbour at gmail.com (Steve Barbour) ([Leica] Leica Yearbook)