Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/10/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Pricing a Leica is not cost driven. Given that they take out 99% of the parts, the cost will not go down to the consumer. Leicas are priced in Euros. Cost of Leicas is in Euros. A lot of the price of the M8 is based upon the simple fact that the dollar is lousy compared to the Euro. If the dollar becomes stronger, you will see grey market M8 cameras selling for a lot less than $5K. Not official imports, as they are still subject to Leica USA, that does pricing increases when the dollar goes bad, and nothing when the dollar gets strong, My take is to wait till someone wants to sell their almost new M8 used, or wait for the dollar to get strong ( I think a lot longer in time), or sell off what you have, to the extent you are comfortable, and pony up the $5k for a new one now. Don't expect a low priced digital M series camera, it ain't going to happen. The low priced line is the D series, made currently by Panasonic. The Digilux 3 is the current camera. Note that it does not take M lenses. Now mind you, a lens mount is a lens mount and it COULD have taken M series lenses, or an adapter made, but someone in management at Leica ( or Panasonic) thought this was a bad idea, so it was not done. As far as the look of the lenses goes, we have some very non- neutral reports ( Leica sourced) and some P+S quick look, not scientific reports from users that really tells you little to nothing as yet. Wait for the camera to be out there and them read what a lot of people say. Then you might have some idea of the picture look. OTOH, are the lenses up to the sensor? Sure they are. Is the sensor good enough for the lenses? That is the question to ponder. What does the sensor add to the picture to improve or detract from its native operation of optics. If you want a digital M, go get a M8 in the time frame that makes you happy. Otherwise, keep shooting film, or go get that Olympus camera, or a Canon or a Nikon, and pocket the cash difference.. Frank Filippone red735i@earthlink.net