Leica a la Carte is a la Dead

CameraQuest

CameraQuest

Head Bartender
Staff member
Local time
7:57 AM
Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Messages
6,600
Alas, the Leica a la carte program
where you would pretty much build your own custom Leica body
(for a price)
has apparently been cut off life support.

If you were about to make such an order, get it in quickly!

Hopefully the upset will be great enough
for Leica to affirm the close to dead program will be continued.
 
CameraQuest said:
Alas, the Leica a la carte program
where you would pretty much build your own custom Leica body
(for a price)
has apparently been cut off life support.

If you were about to make such an order, get it in quickly!

Hopefully the upset will be great enough
for Leica to affirm the close to dead program will be continued.
Click to expand...

miss my a la carte M7 .85 so much. Always said I would get another,,, too late, now.
 
I always thought that the a la carte program was a way for Leica to keep making film cameras without really making film cameras. They could just make them as orders came in rather than making 1000 at a time. For them to close the a la carte system means a few things for me;

1. They are selling enough MP's and M7's to make them in bulk again. I doubt it. So...
2. The MP and M7 are soon to be discontinued.
3. The M-A is still being made in large batches. Or ...
4. The M-A will also be discontinued and Leica will no longer make new film cameras.

I unfortunately think #4 is the most likely outcome. I believe Leica may have made only two batches of M-A's (based on serial numbers), the last one being made a few years ago. I think once they're gone, they're gone.
 
michaelwj said:
4. The M-A will also be discontinued and Leica will no longer make new film cameras.

I unfortunately think #4 is the most likely outcome. I believe Leica may have made only two batches of M-A's (based on serial numbers), the last one being made a few years ago. I think once they're gone, they're gone.
Click to expand...

Ugh, I'm closing to my ears to such horrible doomsaying. :eek:
 
How do you know that? I just checked Leica’s website and seems like they updated the Ala Carte program section with new Photos.
Plus I ordered one just about 2 months ago.
 
michaelwj said:
For them to close the a la carte system means a few things for me;

.......
4. The M-A will also be discontinued and Leica will no longer make new film cameras.
Click to expand...


If the rumour turns out to be true, it could simply mean that the à la carte programme is no longer worth the bother. I don't see that the closing of the programme necessarily means that Leica no longer finds regular film body production worthwhile. Anecdotally the MP is still in good demand (and, being presumably "between batches", is currently backordered at many dealers). The M-A still seems to be finding buyers (though I get the sense that it is no longer quite the flavour of the month it was a couple of years ago)

I'd wait for something more authoritative before jumping to conclusions.
 
Winds of change?

Volvo just announced they will build only electric cars immediately.

Ford has dropped all cars from their model lineup immediately with the exception of the Mustang and some forgettable small sedan (whatever it is named).

Leica dropping a la carte? Another dream lost.

Mercedes dropped its vintage/classic/older car customers years ago. Try getting them to work on a 1995 W124... the techs don't know how, according to the service advisors.

And much more...



The good news is it doesn't affect me... I can't afford any of them anyway.:p
 
Well, it seems odd. I can't think of a real reason that you would discontinue a Service (other than it no longer makes you Money.) Unless there were exclusive Builders who made the a la carte Models who Leica were no longer able to justify their Position, perhaps? I feel they would increase Cost before discontinuing the service. But who knows, Leica make questionable decisions.
 
I can't imagine that it's still an economically viable proposition
The numbers availing themselves of this service must be very small indeed .
 
dave lackey said:
Winds of change?

Volvo just announced they will build only electric cars immediately.

Ford has dropped all cars from their model lineup immediately with the exception of the Mustang and some forgettable small sedan (whatever it is named)........
Click to expand...

Wrong on Volvo. They'll be building EV's and hybrids (which include a gasoline engine). They are not going 100% EV.

As for Ford, they'll be phasing out some sedans over a several year period. Not immediate, as you suggest.

Jim B.
 
Mackinaw said:
Wrong on Volvo. They'll be building EV's and hybrids (which include a gasoline engine). They are not going 100% EV.

As for Ford, they'll be phasing out some sedans over a several year period. Not immediate, as you suggest.

Jim B.
Click to expand...

Details, details...:) their PROGRAM is gowing into effect very soon. Not my news! It was in CNN Money last week... When the consumer buys the vehicles for each will take a handful of years, of course. I guess they are wrong?

Not to hijack this thread, it is all I will say about that. I am more interested in the Leica topic.:)
 
dave lackey said:
Details, details...:) their PROGRAM is gowing into effect very soon. Not my news! It was in CNN Money last week... When the consumer buys the vehicles for each will take a handful of years, of course. I guess they are wrong?

Not to hijack this thread, it is all I will say about that. I am more interested in the Leica topic.:)
Click to expand...

Agreed, let's not hijack this thread. But forget CNN Money. Read the trade publication "Automotive News" if you want the real scoop on the auto industry.

Jim B.
 
I wonder what the profit advantage to the ala carte program is (or was, as the case might be) to Leica. There's a lot of cost overhead to such a customizable purchase program.

It's all academic and makes little difference to me in the end: My ala carte favorite Leica would be exactly what my M-D typ 262 is as I bought it, so there's no value to an ala carte order for my purposes. Now, supposedly, the M-D typ 262 is discontinued anyway ... but I'm not crying about it: I have mine, and there are enough new ones still in dealer and distributor hands that I could likely find another if I was so motivated. So now I have a limited edition camera ... think of the add to the collectible value! :)

I still don't need a film body replacement for my M4-2 either. :D

Such is the way of all manufactured products. They have a production lifespan. When it's over, it's over ... Just like us. The only difference is that production for any manufactured product can be restarted if there's enough interest .. and profit to justify it.

G
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom