M8 Price Increase October 1st ??

[abumac]

I don't know if it is true that there is no change. But that is what they told me. The multiple post was a mystake of internet. I have deleted them.

 

[patrickho777]

A reliable source in Hong Kong told me WATE is going up in price on Oct 1. I did not ask the price of M8.

 

[Keith]

Does anyone know how many M8's have been produced to date ... ?

I think Noel was being a bit harsh in his thinking ... but if you did have stock of an item that's a little slow to move ... rumours of an impending price rise of this magnitude would definitely get a few fence sitters to act! Then maybe on Oct 2nd you announce that the camera has been creating a loss for Solms and will be discontinued after the next production run ... and the company will concentrate on lens production expanding it's range to other manufacturer's platforms!

I need to stop thinking this way!

 

[peter_n]

I love shooting my MP and am contemplating the purchase of an M8. However, even at the current price, I can't get myself to part with the cash because it doesn't "feel" like the MP when I handled one. It somehow felt fat, and ergonomics is a big thing to me.

Well it is fat. No point in beating about the bush!

BTW I love your avatar Pat!

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Leica -- raise their prices? 10-20%?

... Noooooo

 

[retow]

The bad news is that Leica might price itself out of the market, with such steep price increases. Being exposed to Euroland manufacturing costs on the one hand and lack of competition on the other hand allows Leica to try the seemingly easy path first - i.e. increasing prices rather than being innovative, getting leaner and indentifying economies of scale. What really is it which makes the M8 so expensive and does not allow to lower prices over time or improve the product without increasing prices (just red the Canon powershot G9 announcement - more camera for less monye than its predecessor)?

The good news being that higher M8 prices make the digital RF market segment more attractive for future competitors. I hope Zeiss is recalculating the revenue potential for a digital ZM with a smile on their face.

 

[peter_n]

Well-heeled buyers don't care what the price is so I think Leica is justified in jacking its prices up and making certain focal lengths to order.

 

[Joop van Heijgen]

I understand that in Japan, the M8 isn't selling as well. (Several Osaka stores mentioned this to me)

So increasing the MSRP by the minimum amount would not make sense. At least to me...

In Japan they realize what the M8 really is: a bad M camera with a japanese sensor!:bang:

When they want a digital camera they buy a Nikon or a Panasonic.

Or when they want a real Leica they buy a M3,M2, M4, M5, M6, MP ....

 

[jaapv]

In Japan they realize what the M8 really is: a bad M camera with a japanese sensor!:bang:

I'm sure Kodak will be surprised to hear their product described thus....
Where the sensor actually was machined is anybodies guess. It might even be Holland.....

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

The bad news is that Leica might price itself out of the market, with such steep price increases.

Well, to put it in perspective, I've read that same reasoning at PNut over the years, and people have been saying for the past 40 years, if what a few friends tell me is correct.

Everybody is increasing prices. Everybody. Except, of course, when it comes to salary pay. It's the Neofeudalist world we live in.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

In Japan they realize what the M8 really is: a bad M camera with a japanese sensor!:bang:

Reminds me of the time a friend told me that in the Netherlands they spoke some weird-sounding German. Funny when people get their facts twisted by their bias.

 

[Ben Z]

The bad news is that Leica might price itself out of the market, with such steep price increases.

That's making an assumption regarding what market Leica is targeting. Higher prices could just as easily make the M8 more attractive, to a certain market.

 

[gb hill]

The good news being that higher M8 prices make the digital RF market segment more attractive for future competitors. I hope Zeiss is recalculating the revenue potential for a digital ZM with a smile on their face.

I can't help it, but I sure am tired of seeing these threads pop up like digital ZI, digital Bessa, and when do you think the digital M9 will come out? Like Dr Phil says, "GET REAL PEOPLE" It ain't gonna happen. First of all in another thread I believe it was Tom A. I could be wrong though, said Mr. K is not interested in a digital bessa. 2nd: Do you think the high ups at Zeiss, after seeing the fiasco of the M-8 are going to pour money in R&D on a digital version? I wouldn't bet on it. The market for making a profit isn't there. The majority of the people want simplicity. Thats why p&s cameras do so well. Practically all professional photographers use dslr's. If there was a market for rangefinder cameras don't you think Canon as well as Nikon would still be producing them? Leica is forced to raise their prices because they lost so much money on the M8. With all those cameras going back to Solms had to be expensive for the company. Sales are down because people don't want to take a risk on buying a faulty camera. I bet that the companies biggest profit comes from their name being on the lenses of Panasonic p&s cameras. I'm even betting that within five years someone will buy out Leica and it's only profit will be from it's name alone. BTW feel free to call me a nut . I kind of like stiring up the pot.

 

[Keith]

I can't help it, but I sure am tired of seeing these threads pop up like digital ZI, digital Bessa, and when do you think the digital M9 will come out? Like Dr Phil says, "GET REAL PEOPLE" It ain't gonna happen. QUOTE]

Never say never ...different time different industry but back in the early days of Honda Motor Co. it's founder Soichiro Honda proclaimed publicly on numerous occasions that his company would never produce a two stroke engine. In his own words ... 'they were inefficient, poluting and unnecessary ... and the four stroke was a far superior design!' When the demand exceeded his ethics he went on to make millions of them ... then they banned them in California for the reasons he had stated ... so Honda stopped making them!

I don't care what any CEO of any company says about their future plans ... it's hubris! If the leica M8 had been a runaway success with photographers ditching their SLR's one after the other to convert to Rf photography (unlikely I know) the opposition manufacturers would be locked in their design departments as we speak planning their responses!

Leica's pricing policy almost guarantees that their camera will never be regarded as a success because it will only ever sell in limited numbers ... I mean seriously you have to be off your rocker to pay what they ask for this camera ... but I did and so have quite a few other zealots it would seem. I think they could sell this camera for however much they feel like and I wouldn't be surprised to see the price go higher still ... what a way to guarantee exclusivity of a product and bluff your opposition out of attempting to enter the market!

 

[tvleeskr]

M6 price increase confirmed

M6 price increase confirmed

My Leica dealer yesterday confirmed that the M8 price will go up with Euro 600,- as of October 1. Leica is absolutely right asking the price they need to be profitable, since the price is less important then top notch service.
I recently had to convince Panasonic to replace the faulty CCD of my LC1 at no cost with loads of evidence collected from the internet. Although Japanese companies are quite service minded, they also are operating at a low margin. Hence the faulty Sony sensors??

Btw, in Japan new small hi-tech stuff is much liked and of course top quality equipment from yesteryear. M7's will sell to Japanese collectors at high prices in a few years from now. Euro 600 more then I originally anticipated

 

[jaapv]

I can't help it, but I sure am tired of seeing these threads pop up like digital ZI, digital Bessa, and when do you think the digital M9 will come out? Like Dr Phil says, "GET REAL PEOPLE" It ain't gonna happen. First of all in another thread I believe it was Tom A. I could be wrong though, said Mr. K is not interested in a digital bessa. 2nd: Do you think the high ups at Zeiss, after seeing the fiasco of the M-8 are going to pour money in R&D on a digital version? I wouldn't bet on it. The market for making a profit isn't there. The majority of the people want simplicity. Thats why p&s cameras do so well. Practically all professional photographers use dslr's. If there was a market for rangefinder cameras don't you think Canon as well as Nikon would still be producing them? Leica is forced to raise their prices because they lost so much money on the M8. With all those cameras going back to Solms had to be expensive for the company. Sales are down because people don't want to take a risk on buying a faulty camera. I bet that the companies biggest profit comes from their name being on the lenses of Panasonic p&s cameras. I'm even betting that within five years someone will buy out Leica and it's only profit will be from it's name alone. BTW feel free to call me a nut . I kind of like stiring up the pot.

Hmmm.. funny fiasco this is. Cameras are selling like hot buns, lens sales backed up for months, turnover up by 55%, profits from deep red to the first black in years. I think there a some other companies praying for such a fiasco.
You might retract your bets if you read the financial reports. They are specified by camera type you know. I wouldn't dare call you a nut, just somebody who did not check his premises.

 

[gb hill]

I truly hope you guys are right. When I say fiasco, and that is not really the correct word I should of used I guess. But Leica has had their problems, which for a camera costing so much shouldn't have happened. Then why is there thread after thread stating that sales of the M8 are not so good. Keith stated in a thread the other day that a salesman in a camera store stated sales of the camera in Australia are down. Why did many here on RFF after obtaining the m8 send it back? Answer that for me? Why is there thread after thread putting the M8 down. Look at this thread chief bartender submitted on M8 cost going up. I think the M8 is a fine camera. Just look at photos in the gallery. I know it has it's glitches. But like I say we here at RFF are a nitche crowd. Business wise with R&D cost and such, I'm afraid a digital rf will not succeed. Look at the RD-1 DISCONTUNED! Please tell me why! NO PROFIT for Epson thats why. Unless the heads at Epson are stupid. Like I said before I hope that you are right and i'm wrong, but time will tell. Canon & Nikon have certainly had to look at bringing out a digital RF but they have not. Surely if there are profits to be made in digital RF photography Canon & Nikon would jump in,they do have the money to do so, but they aren't. I know you guys love your rangefinders, I do too, but use your brain instead of your heart.

 

[pizzahut88]

Leica is pushing it.

Leica is pushing it.

I have been thinking about the M8 for a while now.
On the border line of getting one.
But that sum being currently invested in stocks is earning me a nice dividend.

The M8 at its current price is already very hard to justify.
With another price increase, I will never let myself buy one.
It's not reasonable. It's only a digital camera afterall.

The Canon 5D is so much more of a better deal.

For the price of one M8, I could get
a 5D, plus several current production Zeiss M42 lens using it at full frame.
What I am losing for not getting the M8? Nothing.
Plus the M8 has a 1.3 multiplier.

 

[Avotius]

I have been thinking about the M8 for a while now.
On the border line of getting one.
But that sum being currently invested in stocks is earning me a nice dividend.

The M8 at its current price is already very hard to justify.
With another price increase, I will never let myself buy one.
It's not reasonable. It's only a digital camera afterall.

The Canon 5D is so much more of a better deal.

For the price of one M8, I could get
a 5D, plus several current production Zeiss M42 lens using it at full frame.
What I am losing for not getting the M8? Nothing.
Plus the M8 has a 1.3 multiplier.

You and me truly are in the same boat...I also have canon eos stuff and the 5D is awfully hard not to pounce on especially since I like shooting wide angle and my 17-40 is begging to be taken off my dying 20D. Plus I also though I could pick up a zeiss 50 or something then get the adapter and shove it on the camera since my canon 50 1.4 isnt focusing right anymore due to build quality issues. The only thing holding me back is that I much prefer rangefinders to SLR's.

We are in deep do do eh?

 

[rsl]

That Leica would even consider raising their already absurd price on this flawed body can only mean they have a death wish. I was ready to buy an M8 as soon as Leica fixed the worst of the problems, but the problems don't seem to be getting fixed, and a price increase will cause me to sit this one out -- mainly because, considering the less than sane things they've done so far, I have trouble believing Leica will survive.

As I said in a post earlier this year, it's a heartbreaker.