Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/12/18

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Is the M8 the Edsel of cameras?
From: walt at waltjohnson.com (Walt Johnson)
Date: Mon Dec 18 09:03:27 2006
References: <200612180922.kBI9LnUW015996@server1.waverley.reid.org> <9E7234FD-60AE-460A-85E5-D4A0E714B82F@optonline.net>


Lawrence Zeitlin wrote:

> Walt,
>
> So your opinion is that the the Leica M8 is the Edsel of cameras?


No, more like a Fiat...And as far as trying to be a bit more accurate 
with my point of view than Leica is with their view of real world colors

1. The Edsel was introduced in 1958. The American automotive industry 
continued to build gas-sucking junk for many years, and they sold quite 
well. I started driving that year, a funny little foreign job (VW) which 
was economical. No one chased me down the street to offer cash for my 
VW. They did do that in 1974 when our Arab friends started feeling their 
oats. By then, I was driving a funny looking Subaru.

2. The M8 design features seems based on stop-gap economical anxiety 
with little regard for Leica's past reputation.Rather than a tool for 
recording life in the raw, so to speak, they're expensive toys and 
status symbols.

3. As far as Leica owners getting what they asked for? I believe 
self-flagellation was mentioned in my earlier post? To paraphrase old 
Winnie, "never before, have so many, been screwed for so much, and come 
away so sheepishly."

Walt






>
> For those too young to remember, the Edsel was actually a pretty good  
> car, albeit one with an obscene grill. It was just a big, powerful,  
> expensive car introduced when the market demand had switched to  
> smaller and more economical cars. The Edsel's design and features  
> were based on market research studies done several years earlier. By  
> the time the car hit the dealerships, car buyers had changed their  
> minds.
>
> Leica owners, be careful what you wish for. You may get it.
>
> Larry Z
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>

In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at optonline.net (Lawrence Zeitlin) ([Leica] Re: Is the M8 the Edsel of cameras?)