How many M9 are out there already?

[DGA]

Does anyone have an idea of how many M9s Leica had sold already?
I was looking for that information on the web, but found none.
9 months after the big launching event and the waiting lists are not getting shorter.

D.

 

[urban_alchemist]

Well they definitely sold one.

It's in my bag 😀

 

[fotomeow]

Sold enough to help drive down the price of the used M8s! (but still not within my economics specs)

 

[yanidel]

At 30-50 produced a day for 10 months, that would be a max close to 10'000 since launch.

 

[Phantomas]

Nowhere near that. I'm looking at Leica's European sales figures (which I'm sorry I will not disclose for ethical reasons) and 10,000 estimate for the whole world is way too far fetched. Unless there's some hugely different sales ratios in the rest of the world, I'm judging by the worldwide sales patern of DSLRs and compacts.
One statistic though - Germany sells 4 times as many M9s as any other European country.

 

[yanidel]

I remember reading Leica was producing something like 35 units a day and was aiming for more. If this is correct, all the rest is pure maths and 10'000 should not be far off. The US and Japanese markets are much bigger than most European countries.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've been waiting since early February, was told this week it would likely be another three weeks.

 

[jaapv]

I remember reading Leica was producing something like 35 units a day and was aiming for more. If this is correct, all the rest is pure maths and 10'000 should not be far off. The US and Japanese markets are much bigger than most European countries.

In the past, The USA was about equal toe germany.

 

[Phantomas]

Jaap, does USA = Germany in Leica sales or camera sales in general? The later is not true, US sells more than Europe (EU), especially DSLR and lenses. Japanese sales are also quite high (if market size was similar to US or Europe they'd outsell both together and then some). Of course story could be different for Leica, and I do expect the sales in Japan to be much higher in this case, but still can't be even close to 10,000. Sorry, can't say too much more about it, because I'm not sure if Leica would like such info disclosed at all and I like to play fair.

Another piece of statistics - European April sales put M9 in 39th position in interchangable lens camera sales list (out of 65 cameras, incl. old models).

 

[dng88]

I do not know the business secret but since last few months, I observe that you have dropped in M9 actual price and that it is available (both stocks and even behind glass in the shop). I think all the one who can afford one got one and all those who are saving up are still saving up.

 

[DGA]

I do not know the business secret but since last few months, I observe that you have dropped in M9 actual price and that it is available (both stocks and even behind glass in the shop). I think all the one who can afford one got one and all those who are saving up are still saving up.

Still, there are long waiting lists and large back-orders all around.
So I guess people are buying it, and a lot.
My assumption is close to yanidel's, I also remember something about 30-40 units a day (but that might had been for the MP:angel🙂.

 

[DGA]

Well they definitely sold one.

It's in my bag 😀

As for me, I haven't seen one, so it's still a legend of a mystic creature. 🙄

 

[Mackinaw]

This has been talked about on the Leica forum and Stefan Daniel expects Leica will sell 12,000 M9's/year. This comes out to a production of about 40 - 50 cameras/day.

Jim B.

 

[gdmcclintock]

I think it's bizarre that so few M9s are actually available. As the weeks turn to months, I am talking myself out of the M9, thinking of selling my M8, batteries, UV/IR filters, etc. in order to purchase one or more lenses for my M6. Nothing beats the image quality of color or black and white film.

 

[splitimageview]

At PMA, Leica USA reps revealed they had 4500 back orders. This was in March. This number is just for USA. Of course this has no relation to what they have shipped, the 35-50/day figure seems realistic.

 

[miklosphoto]

At PMA, Leica USA reps revealed they had 4500 back orders. This was in March. This number is just for USA. Of course this has no relation to what they have shipped, the 35-50/day figure seems realistic.

That sounds a lot. Well, I must feel very lucky. I walked in to Keebel And Shuchat in Palo Alto a week ago and walked out with a black version. They just happened to have one on stock.

 

[parsec1]

Will somebody tell me where I can buy one NOW please !!!

 

[MartinP]

It might almost be wise to order and buy two, then sell the second body at over list price to someone who was desperately waiting . . . assuming such people exist in sufficient numbers to push up the in-the-hand price of course.

 

[dreamsandart]

Jaap, does USA = Germany in Leica sales or camera sales in general? The later is not true, US sells more than Europe (EU), especially DSLR and lenses. Japanese sales are also quite high (if market size was similar to US or Europe they'd outsell both together and then some). Of course story could be different for Leica, and I do expect the sales in Japan to be much higher in this case, but still can't be even close to 10,000. Sorry, can't say too much more about it, because I'm not sure if Leica would like such info disclosed at all and I like to play fair.

Another piece of statistics - European April sales put M9 in 39th position in interchangable lens camera sales list (out of 65 cameras, incl. old models).

Just for fun I plan on asking Leica Japan how many units are being sold here when I call them next week about adjusting my M9 for a service (finder came with some factory cleaning issues, and needs some fine focus adjustment with some of my lenses).

Last I checked, the big camera store Bic Camera wasn't even taking any more orders, and I haven't seen any M9s in a shop waiting to be sold in the Kyoto-Osaka area ever. Not seen anyone out and about with one on their neck, and or even heard of a shop actually having and selling one (when I have walked into a shop with mine the sales folks are amazed I have one).

Maybe its the price, maybe its availability, but the M9 here is still a rare and almost mythical camera to have. Even though Leica is very popular here, there must be more units going to the USA and Europe.

BTW; as I said 'Leica' is still a very popular brand name here, and the Japanese probably shoot more film than any other nation, but there sure are a lot more used film Leicas on the shelves this past year.

 

[ricnak]

I got mine this week.

I only had to wait 5 months, 3 weeks and 2 days on a waiting list!

Worth the wait.