Leica price increase question.

It's unlikely that anyone who actually knows something in advance will be at liberty to talk about this, so all you will get is hearsay and rumours without a solid grounding. Why are you interested?
 
rxmd said:
It's unlikely that anyone who actually knows something in advance will be at liberty to talk about this, so all you will get is hearsay and rumours without a solid grounding.
Quite. I doubt that even Leica are entirely sure.

Cheers,

R.
 
I heard an increase on Jan 1 2008 from the Leica Buyer and owner on separate occasions of a major Lecia retailer here in LA. A USA Leica rep was in the conversation when the Buyer mentioned it, and did not say anything contrary.

TOTAL HEARSAY!!! (Could have just been a little marketing technique to buy now - which I did!) 😀

My un-educated guess would be the upper echelon of Leica lenses are going to increase across the board. Now that the new Summarit's are on the shelves, Leica may want to create more of a gap between the lens groups.

In other words, if you want something beyond a new Summarit or even the M8 inspired 28 2.8 Elmarit ASPH (which is still a lot of dough IMO), you will have to pony up above already very high prices.

Thus, cost prohibitive market driven pressure to buy Summarits, and inversely, more margin from the group that will continue to purchase top price lenses regardless.

This is strictly my own warped opinion.

Does anyone know how the Summarit's are selling thus far?


MB
 
Please let me clarify...the USA Leica Rep said nothing...as in did not utter a word in response to the Buyer mentioning the price increase when all three of us were talking...he did not say "yes" and he did not say "no"... (whew!)
 
I read somewhere else (the LUF?) that prices were going up early next year. They jack the prices up once or twice a year every year so why should 2008 be any different?
 
There goes my dreams of a leica in my future I guess. Strange thing though, Leica prices here in China have not gone up in a very long time and in fact some of them actually went down now thats a word you dont hear much with Leica eh? Not to mention a lot of Leica prices here in China and in HK are already cheaper then the American/Euro prices. For instance the M8 was 4500 give or take here before the price increase and now its about 5100-5200 USD. Every bit counts.
 
mknawabi said:
does this mean i will have to pay more for an M6? 🙁

The M6 prices have nothing to do with new Leica prices........but as the supply and demand goes, buy one NOW while you still can find decent one`s under $1,500.....these will be
highly sought after
just as the M3 and M4 has become , the M6 will gain well in value in the next coming years, they are the serious Leica users camera of choice, with a far greater following then the M7 or M8 will ever have.......

Tom

PS: Sorry not highjacking or tunring it into a M6 thread, just answering a question on my own opinion 🙂
 
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Yeah, im hoping of finding one in the 900-1100 range. I take very good care of my cameras so im pretty sure itll keep its value if i do get one (waiting on that last paycheck 🙁 )

I would make you guys ashamed of me! You guys seem to be all about making the camera look as if its been used like crazy 😀
 
mknawabi said:
Yeah, im hoping of finding one in the 900-1100 range. I take very good care of my cameras so im pretty sure itll keep its value if i do get one (waiting on that last paycheck 🙁 )

I would make you guys ashamed of me! You guys seem to be all about making the camera look as if its been used like crazy 😀

Go ahead and save the extra $400 and be patient, it`s best to buy one that`s pristine and has had CLA or has been very lightly used, while these are ready to be workhorses

Hard used and well worn, M6`s seem to be always going back for adjustments, I have heard this from many seasoned photographers, that tell me it`s best to buy M6`s that are well kept, while the veteran cameras have been worn out........and require more then just normal services

Tom
 
Nooooooooooooo! hahaha, it's been pretty tough finding cheap M6s and summicron 50s. This camera business doesn't make saving up for a car very easy at all 😛

Thanks for the tip Tom 🙂
 
mknawabi said:
Nooooooooooooo! hahaha, it's been pretty tough finding cheap M6s and summicron 50s. This camera business doesn't make saving up for a car very easy at all 😛

Thanks for the tip Tom 🙂

Hahahahahah I know what you mean, but you are starting off young at 18 that`s good....here`s a tip look for someone who`s selling a M6 WITH a 50mm Summicron together (and if you are really lucky maybe a 35mm Cron - best deals for these cameras are NOT ONLINE but private sales!) and don`t forget to watch garage and estate sales, I had a girlfriend of mine pick up a MINT- Black Chrome M6 in the box with cards at an estate sale in San Francisco 2 years ago for $75!!!!!!!!!!!

It`s OUT there 😀

Tom
 
mknawabi said:
Yeah I have been wanting to do that. I really trust you guys though.. I was hoping I could get the M6 from this post:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost-classifieds/showproduct.php?product=8169&cat=fav

We'll see how it goes. He lives in LA which is a little north from here, so it would be a fun train ride (I could make it a little photo journey!)

Yes, I saw that camera (early M6) and among the best of them 🙂 that seems well worth the $900 - I`m hoping for a 0.95 Canon lens now, so a second M6 body is out of the question, I think I`ll wish for a SS M3 or a M2R body next in line for my working pallet, good luck on your search!

Happy Shooting

Tom
 
My dealer confirmed today that there will be a price increase in March next year in Singapore. It was a 3-month lag on the last price increase and this news seems to be very reliable.
 
Leicabug said:
Someone at Leica user forum said that the Noctilux will be $5995 on Janurary.
How can they charge $6K for a lens they seem to be unable to produce? I read on a dealer's web site here in the US that the lens is no longer available. To me that means it's discontinued.
 
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