Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/11/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I don't know. I suspect that Leica and/or some dealers overestimated the demand and got stuck with too many--that is usually what leads to heavy discounting. The "O" seems to be following a similar track here in Switzerland at least--all the Leica dealers in Zurich have one in their display window, and the other day I noticed that the price had fallen by almost 1000 Swiss Francs compared to when they first came out. I can understand it, though, since the "O" is nothing but an expensive toy (I have a difficult time taking it seriously as a camera) and expensive toys do not sell well in recessionary times. Nathan leirex@access4less.net wrote: > Hello, > > Is the heavy discounting due to sudden lack of interest in other market > than Japan? I don't understand why as interest was generated elsewhere too > according to John. I wonder if it is more like the same reason as for the > new "O". > > Regards, > David > > Original Message: > ----------------- > From: Nathan Wajsman wajsman@webshuttle.ch > Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 09:01:53 +0100 > To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > Subject: Re: [Leica] Info on Current SM Lenses > > > John, > > You are certainly right about the heavy discounting at the end; I bought > a new 50 Summilux in January 2001 from Oehling Foto in Germany for quite > a bit less than a normal M version would have cost (including adapter). > > Nathan > > John Collier wrote: > >>I do not know much about the numbers produced but it was not that many. >>There was a high demand in the Japanese market where they were first >>introduced. A special order by a Japanese dealer I think. News of their >>availability in Japan created interest elsewhere so Leica did a run of >>the 35/2A, 50/2 and 50/1.4 in silver chrome. They initially sold at a >>premium over the M mount lenses but were heavily discounted at the end. >>Mid to late production came with a bayonet adapter but I do think the >>first ones did. Leica has said that they will make any of the current M >>lenses in LTM if someone orders 100 and is willing to wait until they >>can fit them into the production schedule. >> >>Perhaps Joseph or others cannot correct any mistakes I have made. >> >>John Collier >> > > > - -- Nathan Wajsman Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch mobile: +41 78 732 1430 Photo-A-Week: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2002.htm General photo site: http://www.wajsman.com/index.htm - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html