Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] In Search of a Rumor -- 50mm
From: Martin <howard.390@osu.edu>
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 14:37:08 -0500

"B. D. Colen" wrote:
> 
> If the new Japanese ASPH 50 1.5 LTM is as good as advertised - which is to
> say better than the present Summilux with a $750 price tag - would there
> really be enough of a market for a very slightly better new Leica ASPH
>  lens at three times the price?
> 

Of course.  There are always going to be people who will have to have
"Leica" on their lenses, regardless of what the price is.  Some are
collectors, who buy the lenses for their collection.  Some are users,
who are convinced that the extra price for the Leica lens is worth it
in terms of increased quality.

What Voigtländer will do is capture part of what would otherwise be the
s/h market.  A number of people (myself included) would serously consider
buying a new $750 Voigtländer 50/1.5 rather than a secondhand Leica 50/1.4
Summilux.  But I seriously doubt that it'll have much affect on the sales
of a new 50/1.4 ASPH Summilux. 

M.

- -- 
Martin Howard                     | 
Visiting Scholar, CSEL, OSU       |    What boots up must come down.
email: howard.390@osu.edu         | 
www: http://mvhoward.i.am/        +---------------------------------------