Increased R3A price

[Allen Gilman]

Went to the same dealers today. From what I gathered (in my not too perfect Japanese), the list price is 75,000 yen, but street prices will vary according to shop. One shop that I went to mentioned the "maybe" 65,000 yen price. The same shop said that the R3a will "probably" start selling mid-Nov.

Personally, I don't think US dealers nor Cosina is screwing anyone here. Nor do I think US customers are getting screwed (if the pre-orders are honored at the original price). Like Huck Finn stated above, with a small company like Cosina, there are variables that cannot always be taken into account beforehand. I say this keeping in mind that 599 US dollars is still a good deal for these new models. That's my 2 cents - now, where's that beer at...

 

[Huck Finn]

Darrel, I agree with your point about conjecture. I thought it was only fair to try to look at it from the possible dealers' point of view. As the front line, they tend to take all the flack & be made to look pretty bad on this whole thing.

Re the Minolta Dynax, I think the price point is largely a factor of sales volume. As digital takes over & SLR sales decrease, watch prices rise for what will become another niche market.

 

[Taipei-metro]

There are many factors (manufacture discount rate to retailer according to market or retailer discount according to sales units) how the street price of a camera was set. Dynax 7 or Alpha 7 in Japan or Maxxum 7 in US, in Japan today, body only is 125,000 Yen,which will be US$1190 if $1=Y$105 . B&H, Adorama is selling $399 (Oct,2004) a big 66% off the Japan list price,did the two retailers loose money on this deal? I doubt it.
If R2a, R3 list at 70,000 Yen,and if it's a Max 7, the price in US will be $226. (Of course it doesn't work this way for Cosina if total R2a R3 sale projected 8,000 unit or LESS worldwide)
BTW the Max 7 is a beautiful camera and best bang 4 the buck SLR.Lots of great work from the Max 7 "official photographer", Kozawa.

 

[ZeissFan]

I have a limited number of dollars for new cameras, so I'm going to build up some cash, skip the new Bessa entirely and opt for the "Super Bessa" (a.k.a. Zeiss Ikon).

 

[Allen Gilman]

Addendum to Taipei-metro - Mamiya's prices in Japan are about a half to 2/3rds to what they are in the States. Usually, I find most camera equipment a little cheaper in the States. Apparently, from what I've been told, Mamiya sought to build up their image in the States as a serious contender to Hasselblad a while back and started to sell their cameras there at similarly high prices. Especially 5-10 years ago, you could always find Mamiya cameras at a much much cheaper price in Japan. Sorry for going off topic -

 

[hoppinghippos]

Allen: does your "not too perfect" jap contain only vocab words like "beer", "sake", "more please"? Must be difficult asking for camera prices then! 😀 Personally I've always wanted to visit Japan, you're really lucky to be able to work there!

 

[Huck Finn]

I have a limited number of dollars for new cameras, so I'm going to build up some cash, skip the new Bessa entirely and opt for the "Super Bessa" (a.k.a. Zeiss Ikon).

"Super Bessa" - great line, Zeiss Fan. LOL. It certainly promises to offer the most precise focusing of any new camera on the market - including Leicas. Agree that it's well worth waiting for.

 

[hoppinghippos]

But the ZI could be 3 times the price of the new bessas?

 

[Allen Gilman]

Darrel,

Fortunately, I've got the beverages down pat. Banks, hospitals, and govenment offices are like travelling down the Heart of Darkness! To borrow a line from William Klein - Tokyo is good and good for you!

 

[Huck Finn]

Could be, Darrel, although early estimates seems to suggest a little less. Maybe 2.5 times. Nice to have a choice at 3 different price points.

"Super Bessa" offers capabilities that the Bessa R series doesn't provide, i.e. built-in 28mm framelines & 56mm effective baselength. Buyers will make decisions based on their needs/wants & their ability to pay. It will be even nicer a few years down the road when these new "super Bessas" start showing up on the used market as Konica Hexar RFs occasionally do today, so that buyers have even more choice at even more price points.

 

[Taipei-metro]

Allen,
Map Camera in Shinchiku Ku,Tokyo. ph.# 0120-15-3383 is having a 10th Anniversary sale.Fujiya Camera in Nakano Ku seems to be a real big store. Asahido Camera of Nagoya 052-242-4188 seems specialize in Voigtlander Bessa stuff.
Last time I was in Tokyo I enjoy visting Yokohama Chinatown, Asakusa Temple,Ueo Zoo and especially Gold Pagoda. My cameras,F3 24mm 2.8, 35 F2. Canon A-1 28 2.8 35-70 3.5-4.5. No Autofocus no digital.I took subway by myself wondering around in Tokyo for a week, visting camera stores and ends up charging about $2,400 on my Visa account,can't help it.I bought a Nikon 180 2.8 and was so happy about it...