[Leica] re: leica M lens ownership figures and calculations

[Robert Monaghan <rmonagha@post.cis.smu.edu>]

Does anyone have any statistics or figures on Leica M series lens 
production numbers and sales figures? I have been doing some research and 
would like to check the following calculations and assumptions:

2000/1 leica M camera/lens sales = 49.8 million euros = $44 million US$
http://www.leica-camera.com/imperia/md/content/pdf/investorre/annualrepo/19.pdf

12,000 sales M bodies (6,000 R) in 1999 per Erwin Puts
http://people.smu.edu/rmonagha/brondeath.html#1999

16% growth to 2000/1, so 1/6th, so add 2,000 M bodies for growth to 2000/1
12,000+2,000 = 14,000 M bodies  [growth stats in above pdf annual report]

price M6TTL.58 = $1,995 (B&H Price) [www.bhphotovideo.com]
price M6TTL.72 = $2,695 (B&H Price)
price 50mm f/2 = $995 (B&H price)

14,000 M body/lens kits * $3,000/kit = $42 million M sales versus $44 
million total M related sales. Typical markups for mail-order sales like 
B&H are generally 5-10%. However, a recent hong kong poster noted that new
Leica M can be had there for $1,400 US$. Whatever this markup might be, 
it seems to provide the $$ for buying additional Leica lenses per the 
above calculations, but at approx. $3,000 US per leica M body sold, that 
doesn't seem to provide much $$ for buying many Leica lenses (1 to 2 only?)

So there doesn't seem to be many Leica M lenses sold per Leica M body
sold, if these statistics and calculations are correct. The implication is
that the average M body has circa 2 Leica made M series lenses or less
produced for it. This is roughly the same as for Hasselblad lenses (half 
the lenses were normal 80mm lenses, and many users had only the one lens) 
and 35mm SLRs (only about 2.2 lenses per SLR body mfg'd, but most of 
these are zoom lenses). 

Can anyone provide M series lens sales or production figures by types of 
lenses or totals? Is there an error in the above calculations about Leica 
M lens sales, or is the average number of Leica lenses sold per body only 
circa 2 or less? 

Thanks in advance for your help in providing info and URLs and leads to 
statistics and information! regards bobm




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