Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/12/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Well, simply because the product has a short life-span doesn't mean that it's cheaply made, or substandard in production, does it? And yes, it is built on someone else's chassis. I'd bet that Leica had a significant hand in designing that chassis, too, don't you bet? I still go back to the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne analogy. Maybe no one likes that analogy! The Leica customer tends to be a little different from the main. He or she will gladly spend more money for less, for simplicity, for elegance in design, for something that has fewer bells and whistles. Even the digitals attempt to conform in some way to the classic Leica idea that simplicity and durability are important. Face it, Leica has a very narrow niche in the market, but what it does for that niche is pretty darn neat. That's just my totally unbiased opinion as one who loves to use the cameras (and binocs, too!) and who happens to have a kool-aid stand selling them as well. ;-) Kit - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of John Collier Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2003 8:19 AM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica users complaining of high prices? They have no choice. The only thing they have to offer is their name. Remember we are talking about digital cameras here not film cameras. Digital cameras have a product life span that makes the average house fly look ancient. There is NO way Leica could spend its usual lens design time on a high end P&S digital lens. Heck only few companies are breaking even in digital right now let alone making money. If Leica wants to offer digital cameras then it has to market someone else's with minor changes. Remember Leica's S-1? Well neither does anyone else. They certainly didn't make any money on it. Why they had to team up with a university to design the electronics for the M6!! I love my Leicas but I harbor no illusions about Leica's electronic capabilities. John Collier On Dec 4, 2003, at 7:22 AM, Daniel Ridings wrote: > Do you really think they would be that carefree with their trademark? > It > has taken decades to build it up, but it can be destroyed overnight. > > I know I was sceptical about the Tessar on my Yashica T4 ... until I > used > it. It sure isn't working against the reputation of Zeiss. > > Do you remember which lens that both the Leica and Zeiss names have > appeared on? > > I'm not saying you're wrong ... I haven't the foggiest idea. I do know > you > usually have pretty good tabs on things like this and if it is true, > that's disappointing. > > > On Thu, 4 Dec 2003, John Collier wrote: > >> The best that can be said is that Leica may have assisted in the >> design. Leica and Zeiss names have appeared on the same digital lens >> design in the past so I suspect it is mostly marketing. They send >> around a Leica/Zeiss chap(ette) who walks through the factory and, >> bingo, the production of the lens is carefully supervised by... >> >> John Collier >> >> On Dec 3, 2003, at 11:15 PM, Kit McChesney wrote: >> >>> Who says that big fat 28-90mm f/2-2.4 sassy glass on that Digilux-2 >>> ain't >>> pure Leica? The lens itself is worth quite a bit, all by its little >>> lonesome, no? >>> > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html