Conspicuous Consumption

[Bill Pierce]

http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/special_editions/leica_M8-2_safari/?mid=430

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Comments?

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

What does it cost?

 

[aizan]

i want a silver anodized 28mm elmarit asph. that's the worst thing about these special editions - the good stuff doesn't make it into regular production. 🙁

 

[funkaoshi]

I think it's 10,000 USD. My coworker sent me a link to an ad for it.

 

[f6andBthere]

I'm intrigued that in the info on the site they state that the whole process is paint ... top cover, bottom cover and even the vulcanite. It seems strange to paint the leatherette in this way and you'd have to suspect that the green coating and the covering (obviously originally black) may part company, possibly in the future, and that will not be a good look. They must have a lot of faith in the green coating!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I think it's 10,000 USD. My coworker sent me a link to an ad for it.

That's a lot of money, and more than i'd pay even if I could afford it, but it doesn't sound like it is much more than the price of a regular M8.2 with the normal production 28mm lens.
🙄

 

[Al Kaplan]

They're counting on the cycles in fashions. Just like the original black paimt M3's and MP's back in the 1950's were covetted for that look of chipped black paint revealing the brass beneath, now a new generation of photographers can thrill to the discovory of black vulcanite beneath the paint...

 

[Pablito]

http://us.leica-camera.com/photography/special_editions/leica_M8-2_safari/?mid=430

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Comments?

What's to say? Leica always does $h*t like this.

 

[f6andBthere]

They're counting on the cycles in fashions. Just like the original black paimt M3's and MP's back in the 1950's were covetted for that look of chipped black paint revealing the brass beneath, now a new generation of photographers can thrill to the discovory of black vulcanite beneath the paint...

I can't see it being quite the same! 😛

I remember as a kid my sister bought some colour change for her shoes to keep up with the fashions and her need to fit in with her friends ... who could just afford the new shoes and didn't have go to such lengths. After a week or so of wearing them the coating, whatever it was, had cracked around the flex areas of her new black shoes and the look was not so cool!

Leica are guilty of tarting up the old girl with a quick coat of paint a little here and justifying it by nostalgically harking back to their military contracts!

 

[kshapero]

Attention!! Salute!!

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

Conspicuous Consumption

One more useless/pointless gimmick from Leica to earn some more bucks from some must-have everything (rich) customers.
Why not a fireman shining-red camera?
Or a desert colored Afrika korps model?
Or...? Or...?
I find such ways just ridiculous.
I think the game with limited editions is just loosing control. Too much is just too much!
Rui

 

[photogdave]

If you like it, buy it.
If you don't like it don't buy it.
Seems simple to me.

 

[Toby]

Am I alone in thinking it would take a brave man to photograph lions on safari with a 28mm lens?

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

The people who buy this will never use it for any serious photography.

 

[Keith]

I was wondering ... when was the last time Leica released one of these drab olive limited editions and what model camera was it?

 

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

Conspicuous Consumption

I know that only buys who wishes to.
But I don't know if it is just as simple as that. In my modest opinion, such actitudes are not very benefical for the image of a company that once had a reputation for seriousness and commitment. We are talking here about a company that earned her prestige producing high-quality photographic tools.
While such gimmicks don't diminish the quality of these tools, I think that in a way Leica is kind of making fun of it's heritage.
We are not talking here about GAP or Timberland or Lacoste.
For myself, I get a little sad to see Leica becoming more and more a kind of fashion company, always trying to invent one more cameo to satisfy a dubious kind of market.
I wonder when they will start their clothing line for photographers... Or even for cameras. Like puppett clothes.
"Have you already dressed your Leica today?".
I would prefer a little more commitment to photography.
Rui

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Rui:


My thoughts exactly.

If I was buying new today I'd choose Zeiss over Leica.

 

[Keith]

Actually, as much as the thought makes me cringe, a clothing line would probably be fairly successful for Leica at this stage.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I don't really like the looks of the M8 in olive. I did briefly own an R3 Safari back in 1980 and I thought it was very handsome looking.

A photographer I knew ended up in a nasty divorce and sold me the entire kit - R3 Safari, 35, 50 and 90 lenses in a fitted case - for $1000. I really liked the R3, but the opportunity to make a nice profit on the kit resulted in my selling it a couple of weeks later.

 

[sleepyhead]

It's that Embossed Leather Strap that tips the balance for me... Where's my wallet?