'Leica Announces Record Sales For 2011'

[Panther]

http://www.petapixel.com/2011/06/02/leica-announces-record-sales-for-2011/

 

[camerapapi]

Finally! Just a few years back they were at the blink of bankruptcy.
I wish they would bring those ridiculous prices down though, even when I am not a Leica fan.

William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.

 

[Patrick]

Finally! Just a few years back they were at the blink of bankruptcy.
I wish they would bring those ridiculous prices down though, even when I am not a Leica fan.

William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.

Glas prices I understand but the body prices are really high indeed! Considering the overall specs... It's about the name, controls and feel I guess.

 

[RDW1]

Leicas have always been expensive, but a lot of their products have about doubled in price over the last few years in the UK, though I suppose some of this is down to the strength of the Euro. Their cheapest 'entry level' lens, a 50/2.5, is listed at over £1000 right now, a crazy price for a standard design that's been given a modest maximum aperture just so it doesn't compete too strongly with their faster 50s. As a luxury niche manufacturer, there's probably little incentive to lower prices as they'll never have a mass market, and this strategy seems to be working well for their bottom line.

In the film era, the Leica M system was 'good value', since there was a strong secondhand market that allowed you to pick up a body relatively cheaply, the current models were never that much more advanced than the original M3, and the cameras were in any case built well enough to last a lifetime. Now they're making digital M9s to the same (expensive) standards, but wedded to digital technology with a pretty short shelf life - in a few years you'll want to buy another one, and it's not clear how long the electronics will be supported (they've already discontinued the batteries for the DMR). This makes the 'Leica club' a lot more exclusive, with the M8 the only reasonable secondhand option, a flawed design for the price of a new D700. A new M9 costs about the same as a D3x, an eye-watering price for most of us.

 

[Mad Hatter]

I think it's great news. I just sincerely hope that someone sees these strong sales and decides to to make an M mount mirrorless full frame camera.

Rockwell may be a nut be he's right, a full frame M mount X100 would be an absolute sensation. I'd love something like that for my walkaround camera. 10, or even better 8 MP with clean iso 1600. There are enough third party and used glass out there to make it so a working stiff like me could afford the glass.

I think recently we've seen the dumbing down of photography that it's nice to know that leica is doing better than ever. Even if I can't afford to buy any of it (at least new).

 

[Lurker]

I think recently we've seen the dumbing down of photography that it's nice to know that leica is doing better than ever. Even if I can't afford to buy any of it (at least new).

That's not a recent development. Over a hundred years ago Kodak was already advertising with the slogan you press the button, we do the rest. Ever since Niepcé made his first photos the recurring theme in the industry has been to make it easier (or "dumber"). Nothing recent about it.

 

[Mad Hatter]

That's not a recent development. Over a hundred years ago Kodak was already advertising with the slogan you press the button, we do the rest. Ever since Niepcé made his first photos the recurring theme in the industry has been to make it easier (or "dumber"). Nothing recent about it.

It may not be recent, you are absolutely correct about that. But today with cameras in everyone's cell phone and with people automatically uploading content to flickr seconds afterwards the perception has been that the demand for more slower, and thoughtful photography/art has been replaced by today's instant gratification culture. It's nice to see that leica is alive and well and partially dispelling that notion.

Hopefully camera makers see this and cater to those of use who want absolute control over iso, aperture and shutter speed rather than just satisfying those who want to just hold a camera up and press one button. I suppose we are seeing that already with the X100.