Leica Hermes special edition $14K WOW

Surely Leica as a company are in business to make a profit and if selling these things helps them to achieve that end, so be it. If you like it and can afford it, buy it. If you don't or can't, don't buy it. Other than that, what's the problem?
 
Keith said:
Hi Roger,

I'm definitely no Leica purist ... I guess I just have a personal aversion to this type of marketing.

Perhaps something happened in my childhood that I'm unaware of that has scarred me for life ... a Catholic priest in a Hermes scarf possibly! :p

:)
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Dear Keith,

Elegantly put!

I find 'em pretty tacky too, but they do have the advantage of reminding people that Leica still exists. An awful lot of (even tackier) newspaper articles will appear about this camera, and quite a few of them will trot out HCB etc, all but disregarding the Hermès connection.

It's effectively self-funding advertising, at which point, it looks like a very good idea and the only question is how often you dare pull this sort of trick. Once every few years, I'd say, because Hermès will hit the news in a way that a dealer- or club-ordered 'special' or 'commemorative' camera won't (Year of the Rooster, LHSA, etc.)

My guess is that most of the relatively small number of people who are shocked and horrified are unlikely to buy new Leicas anyway, and that the number of new people it brings in is likely to be vastly greater. Not particularly Hermès buyers (though their money is welcome) but people who are made aware that Leicas are still made. The more I think about it, the cleverer this looks.

Cheers,

R.
 
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I'd say that these special editions are mainly for the rich collectors who would use it as a tremendously expensive fashion accessory around their neck, but I might be wrong :p
 
elshaneo said:
I'd say that these special editions are mainly for the rich collectors who would use it as a tremendously expensive fashion accessory around their neck, but I might be wrong :p
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My suspicion is that you probably are wrong. Collectors (even unbelievably rich collectors) are not, in my experience (and I've met a few), the same as people who wear/use their cameras as fashion accessories. In other words, Leica might sell 100 to collectors and 100 to users, but I doubt there'll be much overlap between the two groups.

And as a reply to Walt G, buying (or better still using) a Leica does not mean you are contaminated by associating with 'garden party types' (whatever those may be). Reverse snobbery ('Me grandfather wor a miner') always puzzles me. Its only advantage over ordinary snobbery is that it's cheaper.

Cheers,

R.
 
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Keith said:
Proof that money and good taste don't necessarily go together! :D
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I thought that was Paris Hilton?

But if that's what people with the money like, then good for them. It's like the Porsche Cayenne - toe-curlingly hideous but it brings in the cash that allows them to keep developing and building real cars.
 
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I pick up on Roger's point - I have a Leica M8 , and am immediately thrust into a certain category / expectation .

That it is a once in a lifetime dream camera ex-inheritance to use vintage / USSR lenses , is not perceived as valid . [ not in the least with the literature sent by Leica LOL ] If it is , it's maybe wasted on me as a snapshooter etc .
This is probably true , but it's great for me .

I like special cameras - olive green M 9 anyone ? Just not this one !
As a cheapskate , I shall create my own Contax III-styled Metallic Blue paint camera and matching lens - with my own customised box !

Each to his own , just not into orange !
 
My irrational hate of the bright orange thing is not snobbery.

It's my allergic reaction to anything flurorescent orange. I would say the same of any camera, Leica or not. It's horrible.

It's the same reason as me not liking bananas. Some people love them, and can't figure out why I don't like them and hate the taste of them; but that's fine. It's just one of those things.

And yes it did make me flinch too.

Bright orange belongs in two places: Space Hoppers and the 1970s.

Actually they're connected :)

And maybe my post didn't convey the humour too well; I can be a bit dry at times on that regard as I was chuckling when writing my reply -- as I have said before on a matter regarding should people fill their cabinets with Leicas as jewellery or antiques; yes if they want to, it's none of my business; just like it's none of my business if someone likes a bright orange Leica or Pentax DSLR. Unfortunately my joke about destroying the bright orange critters doesn't appear to have come across as a joke :)

Still doesn't mean I like it though. :)

Vicky
 
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Is this legit?

Is this legit?

I don't get it. Not that I would ever be able to afford Hermes clothing, but doesn't it usually look good (in a contemporary art sort of way)?

This looks awful, especially compared to the stuff on cameraleather.com.
 
nay

nay

Steve Karr said:
I know some folks collect, but when times are tough ... a 14k camera that is really a 3k camera in a silly outfit seems like a sin.

How many people can eat with $11,ooo.oo?

Sorry, I'm feeling poor today.
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not worth the money in my opinion. (would have liked to see some actual functional changes as well).
 
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I love bright orange - perfect on 70s Porsches, along with lime green - VW camper vans, spherical TVs, Penguin paperbacks, wrist-band radios. I also like Hermes' aesthetic, their print scarves, and I like Jane Birkin. I'd be very happy to see this camera slung on the shoulder of some elfin brunette who was given one by the company.

But sadly, anyone who buys one of these will have doubtless syphoned their money from Russian workers, or my pathetic pension pot.
 
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Reverse snobbery ('Me grandfather wor a miner')alwas puzzles me. Its only advantage over ordinary snobbery is that it's cheaper.
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This made my day.

Edit - I like the orange, a lot actually.

martin
 
Looks like it's aimed at suckers: it's not an M7. It looks like an MP a la carte. Ordered when Leica was owned by Hermes.

Some people know how to exploit the "who cares!" grammarians.
 
Lilserenity said:
My irrational hate of the bright orange thing is not snobbery.

It's my allergic reaction to anything flurorescent orange. I would say the same of any camera, Leica or not. It's horrible.

It's the same reason as me not liking bananas. Some people love them, and can't figure out why I don't like them and hate the taste of them; but that's fine. It's just one of those things.

And yes it did make me flinch too.

Bright orange belongs in two places: Space Hoppers and the 1970s.

Actually they're connected :)

And maybe my post didn't convey the humour too well; I can be a bit dry at times on that regard as I was chuckling when writing my reply -- as I have said before on a matter regarding should people fill their cabinets with Leicas as jewellery or antiques; yes if they want to, it's none of my business; just like it's none of my business if someone likes a bright orange Leica or Pentax DSLR. Unfortunately my joke about destroying the bright orange critters doesn't appear to have come across as a joke :)

Still doesn't mean I like it though. :)

Vicky
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Dear Vicky,

Useful stuff, NATO orange, when you want to find something, or to be found, though I rather agree about the aesthetics in most cases. Actually I quite like this one but I'd rather shoot with something less, well, NATO orange. I'm surprised that more cable releases, light meters and other things that hide or get left behind at photo shoots (or worse still, are left in shot) aren't NATO orange.

Sorry for missing the humour, but no, really, it didn't come across al that well, at least to me.

Cheers,

Roger
 
My guess is that such tchotches are bought as gifts - perhaps by wives of rich men (or equally by rich women for their husbands) because they're aware that the recipient will be delighted by the tradition, craftsmanship, engineering etc but who'll probably never actually use them to take photos with. Despite their colours I don't think they're particularly things men would buy for women - but I'll be interested to hear a counter-argument to this.

Nonetheless, I think it's exactly what Leica should be doing - it'll get into magazines such as the How To Spend It magazine from the FT as well as a host of society and fashion mags that I'll never have heard of. It'll reinforce the brand in the consciousness of some very big spenders. Association with that set will deliver a lot of aspirational customers for Leica.
 
Austerby said:
My guess is that such tchotches are bought as gifts - perhaps by wives of rich men (or equally by rich women for their husbands) because they're aware that the recipient will be delighted by the tradition, craftsmanship, engineering etc but who'll probably never actually use them to take photos with. Despite their colours I don't think they're particularly things men would buy for women - but I'll be interested to hear a counter-argument to this.

Nonetheless, I think it's exactly what Leica should be doing - it'll get into magazines such as the How To Spend It magazine from the FT as well as a host of society and fashion mags that I'll never have heard of. It'll reinforce the brand in the consciousness of some very big spenders. Association with that set will deliver a lot of aspirational customers for Leica.
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I could not agree more.

Cheers,

R.
 
I personally think that orange is quite sharp, and hey if you have the money why not. Its better the rich leica collector buys this than all the excellent vintage leica glass keeping them hermetically sealed in a display case and out of the hands of users. That's just my opinion others are more then welcome to disagree.

And just and something to think about. It is the beginning of dusk to some of us the golden hour, you are out taking some photographs on a beautiful remote beach. Out of the corner of your eye you spot beautiful woman and she begins approaching you from down the beach her summer dress blowing in the wind. With every step she takes closer to you your heart begins to pound, as now you have noticed that the most beautiful woman you have seen if your life is looking directly at you. As she nears you keep your cool and keep shooting as she continues to close in on your exact location until the spot where you are stand and the the path she is taking intersect. she stops looks into your eyes then your lens. "Is that a leica." she says in her beautiful foreign accent, pointing at yours then to her orange Hermes she flashes you a little smile "Can you teach me." she blushes. Fast forward a year and you are cruising the Mediterranean on a luxurious yacht with your gorgeous fiancee taking photos for the wedding invitations with the same Hermes special edition lecia.
 
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