Re: [Leica] Info on Current SM Lenses

[John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>]

The discounting is normal practice for the "collectable" Leicas. They 
are announced with great fanfare and the "I got to have it now at a 
high price so I can complain later when the price is lowered" crowd all 
line up in droves to be the first on their block with the new Leica 
plaything. The item moves very briskly at first and people are able to 
resell them at a premium to the "IGTHINAAHPSICCLWTPIL" who feel they 
are too far back on the waiting list.

Suddenly demand is satiated and sales fall off dramatically. Leica 
lowers the prices, sells off their "demos" and adds rebates. This is 
when the above start howling. At the end prices are VERY low and the 
last few trickle out the door reluctantly. The whinging and sour grapes 
of the "IGTHINAAHPSICCLWTPIL" is pretty much unbearable now and you 
just want to reach out and smack 'em one.

As soon as the very last one is sold, the enquires about doesn't Leica 
make such and such and where is it available start. Soon people are 
desperately looking for something they could have bought for half the 
price a week ago. This is closely followed by the by gosh why doesn't 
Leica make this or that completely ridiculous thing which is even less 
likely to sell than the crushed velvet thingy that was just offered.

Leica sits back and sighs contentedly. They made a ton of money on most 
of them – crushed velvet is not very expensive you know – and sold the 
last ones at a small profit as well. Now they head down to see what the 
latest fashion is with their local pimps and see what they can do about 
making a camera to suit. And it all starts over again...

Fortunately this silliness allows them to have the resources to make 
the best line of 35mm lenses in the world. That makes me happy and able 
to bear, and even be thankful for, the "IGTHINAAHPSICCLWTPIL" twits.

John Collier

On Monday, November 18, 2002, at 09:29 AM, leirex@access4less.net wrote:

> Is the heavy discounting due to sudden lack of interest in other market
> than Japan?  I don't understand why as interest was generated 
> elsewhere too
> according to John.  I wonder if it is more like the same reason as for 
> the
> new "O".
>
>
> From: Nathan Wajsman wajsman@webshuttle.ch
>
> You are certainly right about the heavy discounting at the end; I 
> bought
> a new 50 Summilux in January 2001 from Oehling Foto in Germany for 
> quite
> a bit less than a normal M version would have cost (including adapter).
>
> John Collier wrote:
>> I do not know much about the numbers produced but it was not that 
>> many.
>> There was a high demand in the Japanese market where they were first
>> introduced. A special order by a Japanese dealer I think. News of 
>> their
>> availability in Japan created interest elsewhere so Leica did a run of
>> the 35/2A, 50/2 and 50/1.4 in silver chrome. They initially sold at a
>> premium over the M mount lenses but were heavily discounted at the 
>> end.
>> Mid to late production came with a bayonet adapter but I do think the
>> first ones did. Leica has said that they will make any of the current 
>> M
>> lenses in LTM if someone orders 100 and is willing to wait until they
>> can fit them into the production schedule.
>>
>> Perhaps Joseph or others cannot correct any mistakes I have made.
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