Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/09/23

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Teds comments
From: george.imagist at icloud.com (George Lottermoser)
Date: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 08:29:13 -0500
References: <7446757B-A905-4A2F-B0CD-EFDFCCDF665C@mac.com> <007101cfd624$8b1687b0$a1439710$@ca> <C114914A-177D-406C-9BA5-49A2E3F920E3@icloud.com> <CA+yJO1D+aMV-CUb+ig4Wkico7EBm9_7PA=yta6XBYK+PAJSCTg@mail.gmail.com> <F95573A0-A66A-45C9-810A-19CEC054A3F5@verizon.net> <CAH1UNJ1HAod2gLgE=-4zrV+0fw+-saVaQenyxk8G_Y3+HNw8+Q@mail.gmail.com> <8F55E913-21FB-48E6-9CAE-E63D246A3156@verizon.net> <CAH1UNJ39sh_b0mtUnsFH73gzeSFxadBB_O0Hxwq0oOngp2yg1g@mail.gmail.com> <208FD6DF-8B96-4283-937C-064EC489F930@btinternet.com>

Yup.
Simple reality.
Each camera is what it is and costs what it costs for very good reasons.

Alpa has always been the prime example of these basic economics.
Why would a simple metal plate with a few holes cost $700?
Because its hand milled and finished to precise tolerances.
One at a time.
A few hundred a year.
And works precisely within a hand made system.

a note off the iPad, George

On Sep 23, 2014, at 3:48 AM, Frank Dernie <Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com> 
wrote:

> I agree with George.
> Leica kit holds its value well, because it is almost always better 
> performing than the other makes, but also sufficiently better made that it 
> lasts much much longer, mechanically.
> Top Canon and Nikon models are equally pricy and are apparently sold at a 
> loss, subsidised by the vast sales of the cheaper models and justified in 
> marketing terms by the kudos given to these cheaper models by the 
> existence and pro use of these dearer ones.
> 
> One thing few of the internet pundits appreciate, or are aware of, is the 
> huge influence on costs of production volume. The design costs, which are 
> vast, the tooling costs, which may be vast and will be pretty big 
> whatever, have to be paid for out of a much smaller volume. Typical mass 
> produced consumer products, such as hifi and cars sell for about 10x the 
> BOM + assembly cost. So if you buy a car for 30k it has typically cost 3k 
> to make, the rest is recovery of design, tooling and marketing costs plus 
> profit.
> Leica make such tiny quantities that they, and any supplier they select, 
> have to make their costs back on a far smaller volume than this. Add into 
> it that Leica parts use premium materials, tolerances and manufacturing 
> and it surprises me not one whit that they are so much more expensive than 
> the mass produced, almost always inferior, alternatives.
> 
> I am much more an amateur camera enthusiast than expert photographer, but 
> my Leica is a joy to use, does not need frustrating searches through menus 
> to do what I want and produces better results than any other camera I have 
> used.
> 
> I assume this goes for most on the group.
> 
> Yes Leicas are expensive. Yes they would go bust if they did not make a 
> profit. Yes they make very few cameras and lenses. Yes, we, the customers 
> have to pay for all this.
> Many have gone over to other cameras, and I admit that if I was only 
> allowed to have 1 camera it may well not have been a Leica until the new 
> M, but now I can put my zoom or long lenses on a M body if I wish. I am a 
> very happy bunny.
> My M Leica is much better value for money than my Nikon D3x, in terms of 
> keepers per month, mainly since I hardly ever use the Nikon any more.
> 
> Frank D.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


In reply to: Message from scottgregory at mac.com (Scott Gregory) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from george.imagist at icloud.com (George Lottermoser) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from tmanley at gmail.com (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from red735i at verizon.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from red735i at verizon.net (Frank Filippone) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] Teds comments)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] Teds comments)