Re: [Leica] A way of photographing and autofocus.

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Larry Kopitnik wrote:
snip
> I disagree. My F100 was purchased less than two months after their first US
> availability. Its serial number, assuming I'm interpreting it correctly,
> suggests that Nikon had already manufactured over 18,000 of these bodies. A
> recent post, from a visitor to Solms, indicated that Leica sold around 2000
> R8 bodies in a year. One could reasonably argue I'm comparing apples to
> oranges here. But, if these figures are indeed correct, I would argue that
> these numbers indicate a much larger potential market for an AF Leica SLR
> than for Leica's current SLR offering.
> 
> Larry
Just one point:
When I started out in photography 20 years ago I was looking at various
camera systems (Leica was going under I was informed) and I had my eye
on a few of them.
But I was told that not getting a Nikon would exclude me from serious
consideration from Art Directors.
Canon has that going for it now perhaps moreso but then and now to most
people a camera is a Nikon
or Canon.
Getting into Leica is viewed as an effete act. 
(Marked by self-indulgence, triviality, or decadence: an effete group of
self-professed intellectuals) 
It's just not viewed upon as a camera for the masses. The fact that for
every Leica is 6000 Nikons is why many people like Leica, but why most
don't. Only a small percentage of people view themselves as needing to
own an item only owned by only a small percentage of the people.
People want what everyone else has got. They want to fit in. They don't
want to be "special."
Mark Rabiner
OK that's two points.