[Leica] Epson R-D1 price revealed

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

Fer Gds sake, Frank - We are not talking about a crappy desktop printer
here, we're talking about a $3K digital camera. Keep in mind that
Epson's high end printers stay in production for years. There is no
reason to expect this item to be dumped in a year like some component
for the electronics industry, or any reason to assume that repairs won't
be available.

As to PJs buying it to use once and throw away - I can't conceive of
anyone doing that. This isn't that kind of specialty item. I can see
someone buying, like an underwater housing for a camera because they
have a once-in-a-career assignment, and there's no rental unit
available. And in that case a photographer well might sell the unit and
try to recoup as much as he or she could. Similarly, if one needs a
special piece of equipment of some sort, the first thing to do is try to
rent it.

Assuming this camera is any good - and based on the images we've seen
that may be assuming too much ;-) - it's an item that rangefinder
photographers who have gone, or want to go digital will want as part of
their regular kit.

Now, is it being officially imported into the US? I have no idea. Will
it be worth buying? At the $2900, with the image quality we've seen up
till now? Hell no. :-) But it may be that the problems have all been
firmware based, and will have been eliminated by the time it's released.
If this camera can produce images on a par with those produced by the
better Canon/Nikon/Olympus DSLRs, then maybe it's worth the price for
someone who wants a rangefinder body for their Leica mount lenses.

But I sure don't see this, at $2900, as something starving students are
going to buy. The market, I would think, is pro and well-healed "am."

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Frank Filippone
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 9:58 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: RE: [Leica] Epson R-D1 price revealed


Is this going to be officially US Imported?  Fuji makes lots of LF
lenses, but has no US importer, by their own choosing.  Epson USA
likewise has many products that they do not import.  (This is based upon
my experience with Epson USA as a  commercial company selling components
to the US electronics industry.  Their retail products  organization was
more extreme in this
regard.)  The camera may be for Japan consumption only.  Or did I miss
some statement by Epson?

It WILL be (deeply ?)  discounted, regardless of market acceptance.  It
is the way things are done in retail electronics marketing.  When the
product has reached its predetermined end of marketing life, which is
usually a few months to a year, and if there is still some inventory
left, it gets discounted to move it from inventory.

For those that wish to find a taste of Epson's actual behaviors..... go
to....    www.epson.com then select the US as the country of interest,
then
select "clearance center".

BD's comment on what you want or do not want is based upon your personal
reason to own the item.  In the case of a PJ, it may be more than
reasonable to expect a camera to last only a year or 2.  Maybe even a
single assignment to pay back.  In almost any circumstance I can
imagine, parts will be available over a period of 1 year.  In the case
of a starving student, it may be years of useful life to be practical,
and for those years, there had better be repair facilities and parts
available.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net


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