Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]So what is the definition of over priced? Comparison with Canon? No! We do not know how much money Canon is willing to lose in the G market in order to maintain their position. It's clear that Leica is not willing to lose money. Canon is a HUGE company that dwarfs Leica. They can afford to price certain products at a positional price rather than a profitable price. And we, as consumers, don't have a clue as to which products and why. I suspect that the G Canon is one of these products. Once owned, they command little respect. Their used marketability sucks. K&S has a whole shelf full of used G stuff. I suspect that the market reflects the real worth of the equipment. No respect. And I suspect that Leica equipment is not truly overpriced for the type of manufacturing they do. The actual term "overpriced" is a completely nebulous word with respect to a product. The logistics of a large manufacturing company is so involved, we, out here, haven't the slightest clue. If a product is priced to reflect a modest markup, based upon costs cost and sales analysis, there is little room for R&D. R&D is an expensive function that doesn't pay off until many years down the line. Without R&D, we would not have the best ASPH lenses available in the world, or the 100mm APO Macro. The cost on ongoing R&D is factored into every piece of equipment sold. And I am willing to pay a little more for my Leica equipment knowing that the Leica R&D arm will continue to function properly. IMHO, Leica products are priced properly. I believe we get what we pay for. And the used market is alive and well and holding it's own. A sign of a healthy product. A respected product. Jim At 11:55 PM 10/6/98 +0100, you wrote: >> > Jim >> Allow me to wade in here....I think what is meant by less Leica is less >> price charged for the Red Dot. No one can challenge the fact that the M >> cameras are absolutely superb mechanical rangefinders, and that the optics >> are world class. On the other hand, from everything I have read and heard, >> the optics for the Contax G2 are also world class, and they are a fraction >> of the cost of the Leica lenses - which suggests that with the Leica one is >> paying for the name, for the fact that the product is made in a higher cost >> labor market - which is Leica's lookout, not ours, etc. >> >> As to the R cameras. Yes they are terrifically well made. Yes they are >> serviceable. Yes the optics are terrific. But are the optics enough MORE >> terrific than the top Canon and Nikon optics? If they were, I'd wager more >> working pros would use them than do, because there would be more of a demand >> for that quality. >> >> I think we on this list often lose sight of the fact that it is no longer >> 1954, and the photo equipment industry is no longer dominated by the >> Germans. Yes, Leicas are mythically wonderful cameras. >> >> But they are over-priced. :-) >> B. D. Colen http://www.photoaccess.com Jim Brick, ASMP, BIAA Photo Access (650) 470-1132 Visual Impressions Publishing Visual Impressions Photography (408) 296-1629