Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Is that why the are only making a limited number of new LTM lenses? I should think that the resurgence of this camera type- in all its permutations, from the Hexar to the Bessa, and maybe beyond, that they might want to jump on the 'bandwagon'. Just imagine, a thread mount M6, coming with an adapter that would let you use ALL the RF lenses Leica ever made! Oh, be still myheart! Dan (Still screwing, lenses that is, after all these years) Post - ----- Original Message ----- From: Larry Kopitnik <kopitnil@marketingcomm.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 6:53 AM Subject: RE: [Leica] 35-70/2.8 out of production ??? > >>>>>>>>>> > Leica designs and produces, to standards which only Leica can, a zoom in > what is probably the most useful popular focal length and f stop...a real > competitor for the similar Canon and Nikon lenses; am I right so far? And > they only plan from the beginning on manufacturing a total of 200 or is it > 2000 of these, and then discontinuing it? Right? And we wonder why this > company is but microsteps ahead of the Dodo in long-term survival? And we > actually discuss the business/marketing acumen of Hair Cohen? > <<<<<<<<<< > > Let's put this in perspective. > > When Leica announced the 35-70, and were planning production for it, > they were in financial trouble. Reports (unverified) on the LUG were > that they had as many as 5000 unsold R8s in inventory, and may have > been selling as few as 2000 a year. The financial reports from that > time are still on Leica's website, and they do contain references to > unsold inventory being one of Leica's problems. > > Leica knew how the R8 was selling. They knew how lenses in the R line > were selling. And they knew the last thing they needed was more > unsold inventory. With all of those considerations in mind, they > decided how many 35-70 lenses to produce (300 is the number I'm > remembering). > > Probably the best thing that could happen to Leica is to have > underestimated the demand and to need to go back and produce more. > But given that they apparently thought 300 of these lenses was all > there would be demand for in the world says something about how, at > least at that time, the R system was selling. > > Larry