M9 Student Discount Program

s124am said:
I am currently a photography/art student and have known about this program for about a month now and I sold a mp and a 35 lux to fund a M9. But now I am having a hard time justifying it. Should I put my money in lenses and shoot my M4-p with fancy glass. Or should I take the M9 plunge? I was planning on going with the M9 but now am having second thoughts. I really love shooting rangefinders which is why I would buy this camera. I am not sure what to do yet I have a local dealer trying to get me one but I can always change my mind. I have been working on my Bachelors for quite a while and don't know how much longer I will be able to take advantage of this...
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I always remember the first day of undergrad, and the first day of grad school. There would always be one student in the class who would bring their fancy rocket camera to school (in the case of undergrad, it was someone with an F3, motor drive, big glass lens, etc etc, and in grad school it was someone with a Hasselblad all decked out). It was almost like they were putting it out there as some kind of pissing contest for the other students right off the bat. All us other lowly students thought 'wow, this person must really be a great photographer'. Of course, come the first class critique, this person's stuff would be as bad (or worse) than the rest of us. They were only about equipment, and nothing more. I'd be surprised if either one of them were still involved in photography.....

So my advice to you is - save your money, use it to pay your rent/tuition, and see what kind of work you can generate with lesser equipment. Should be a challenge for all of us.....
 
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Mike Ip said:
I think the bottom line of the program is that it's there for those who can take advantage of it. I think it's sort of crass bashing Leica for their part in trying to help out students. Will all students that want an M9 be able to afford one? Of course not, but if the program helps a few out, then it is a success.
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'Helping out' may be the wrong word. My own suspicion is that many -- perhaps most -- students who can afford an M9 with the discount would also be able to afford it without the discount. The discount is to get them hooked: everyone (no matter how rich) loves a bargain.

It also gets Leicas in front of the other students who can't afford them, or may never have considered one. Essentially, it's a self-funding advertising scheme, as are most student discounts.

Cheers,

R.
 
Not available to UK students is the word form Leica? Surely students are students the world over? That said I would prefer to learn with a manual film camera.
 
If I were in the US I'd totally offer to buy one for someone else. I could charge a fee of $500 and it would still be a great deal for both parties involved.
 
Yes, Shirley DeSiliva at x219. I may ask another contact in NJ if I might squeak in.

Adjuncts are the vast majority here in VT as well. Since the Chancellor (just replaced) over-ruled our contracted maximum credit load and cut it by 1/3 there are now 1/3 more of us. Benefits are never going to be an option up here- not even near to a negotiating point.
 
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I have talked with my local deal a lot about how to take advantage of this, but it's not that easy. You must bee a full time student in an accredited photo program and even if you pass that most stores still have a waiting list of customers who will pay the full amount for the M9. In Seattle we have 30 waiting!?! The retailer still gets their percentage so Leica is the one eating the cost on this one..

Also my guess, you dont what to know what is costs Leica to make a camera...As an engineer in R&D I can tell its a hell of a lot less than 5k...usual mark up on flagship products is 5x of course thats not what Leica sees, as a manufacturer they probably sell it for 3x to a distributor who marks it up a little and sells it to a dealer who marks it up further until the MSRP Leica set is reached.

Aaron
 
piazza63 said:
I dont what to know what is costs Leica to make a camera...As an engineer in R&D I can tell its a hell of a lot less than 5k

Aaron
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How did you figure that? Did you take one apart and apply the labor costs in Germany?:confused: A factory of about 1000 persons (Portugal and Solms combined) produces 50 per day max.
 
robklurfield said:
Bob, I know you finally got an M9. Did you get through the program or not?
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I did. I went through Freestyle, where we get a lot of supplies for our classes. It was quite easy, one fax to Freestyle and they dealt with the rest. Ordered (and paid) the first week in February, got the camera August 3rd.

The warranty and registration, etc. was all done by Freestyle as required by Leica for items purchased through the program- cards filled out and submitted.

I got my XPAN2 through the Hasselblad Student/Educator Program years back, and Mamiya had (still has?) a similar program.

It certainly does influence students- I have several former students who now shoot Leicas after handling one of mine, and seeing my prints. I don't believe any of them bought new, but they have been hooked...
 
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Bill58 said:
Pretty funny--how can a student anywhere afford one, unless Bill Gates is your dad? What a dumb program. Next will be a homeless person discount?
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Well, I just enrolled at a 5 year-course of analogue photography here, at the Academy of Arts in Louvain ... I think it will be fun to have things refreshed a bit and interacting with other students (probably a lot younger then me .. :).
 
Bill58 said:
Pretty funny--how can a student anywhere afford one, unless Bill Gates is your dad? What a dumb program. Next will be a homeless person discount?
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Banks are usually happy to lend money to students enrolled in post-secondary education. Young, relatively well-educated people have time to repay their debts.
 
Thanks for the update, Bob. I'm certain that whatever it costs Leica to do this, that it pays off a strong residual ROI with new sales at full price as they make new converts. Those students who aren't buying new ones now, might, as you did, when they finally have some money (at 50, I'm still waiting for that time to arrive!).

How much do you think I could get for a slightly used kidney? Actually, I'm still pretty happy with my M8.

sepiareverb said:
I did. I went through Freestyle, where we get a lot of supplies for our classes. It was quite easy, one fax to Freestyle and they dealt with the rest. Ordered (and paid) the first week in February, got the camera August 3rd.

The warranty and registration, etc. was all done by Freestyle as required by Leica for items purchased through the program- cards filled out and submitted.

I got my XPAN2 through the Hasselblad Student/Educator Program years back, and Mamiya had (still has?) a similar program.

It certainly does influence students- I have several former students who now shoot Leicas after handling one of mine, and seeing my prints. I don't believe any of them bought new, but they have been hooked...
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