M9P Hermes

[Archiver]

Nonsense. Selling a special edition is not making the rest of the brand less of a tool. Selling Bentleys does not make Volkswagen a luxury brand.

Leica's marketing appears to be straddling two worlds. On one hand they maintain links to a professionally-driven past and make much of their current partnership with Magnum. On the other, their combination of features and pricing is moving them into luxury goods territory. Many Swiss watch brands have a similar heritage but have taken the luxury goods route, like Omega, Rolex, Breitling etc.

During the 60's, 70's and 80's, Rolex print ads were all about the explorers and adventurers who used their watches. They were capitalizing on their workhorse past to sell the quality of their watches, which is rather like what Leica is still doing today. But they have since gone to make blingier and blingier watches and appeal to the monied set much more directly. Rolex may move in this direction over time, if other companies are any indication.

At the moment, they can't encrust a M with gems like Breitling does to their watches or Vertu does to their phones because this would undermine their 'camera that took the most iconic images of history' image. The most they can do at the moment is make Hermes-type limited edition sets, and I'll bet they will sell super-well in the Asian markets.

Mainland Chinese are buying designer goods in droves with all the new money that is emerging. The Japanese have been one of the highest consumers of luxury goods for many years, as well as Leica cameras. Bringing these two brands together is a wet dream for many of these buyers.

 

[albygentle]

Hand-delivered too I guess: Shipping 300 $...

and it's sold. Some woman will be very happy with her 40k blue ostrich leather purse.

 

[jaapv]

I don’t understand these pricing complaints. The M9 is in the same price bracket as other full-frame top end cameras and their lens prices are rivaled by the top series of Olympus, to name but one. Summarit prices compare to Zeiss.

Leica's marketing appears to be straddling two worlds. On one hand they maintain links to a professionally-driven past and make much of their current partnership with Magnum. On the other, their combination of features and pricing is moving them into luxury goods territory. Many Swiss watch brands have a similar heritage but have taken the luxury goods route, like Omega, Rolex, Breitling etc.

During the 60's, 70's and 80's, Rolex print ads were all about the explorers and adventurers who used their watches. They were capitalizing on their workhorse past to sell the quality of their watches, which is rather like what Leica is still doing today. But they have since gone to make blingier and blingier watches and appeal to the monied set much more directly. Rolex may move in this direction over time, if other companies are any indication.

At the moment, they can't encrust a M with gems like Breitling does to their watches or Vertu does to their phones because this would undermine their 'camera that took the most iconic images of history' image. The most they can do at the moment is make Hermes-type limited edition sets, and I'll bet they will sell super-well in the Asian markets.

Mainland Chinese are buying designer goods in droves with all the new money that is emerging. The Japanese have been one of the highest consumers of luxury goods for many years, as well as Leica cameras. Bringing these two brands together is a wet dream for many of these buyers.

 

[celluloidprop]

The complaints probably come from few people seeing the feature-set or sensor of a M9 as comparable to a D4 or 1DX, and from the complete lack of lower priced M9 alternative (such as the D800 or 5D3) from Leica.

 

[Frank Petronio]

I always call them "Herpes Leicas" to myself. And now you.

 

[jaapv]

How nice....:roll eyes: I had a now departed relation who flew Lancasters in WWII. Whenever he boarded a Lufthansa flight he would tell the stewardess: “ I love to fly Luftwaffe”. You should see his collection of blank stares.

 

[CrisR]

I personally don't understand why anyone complains about the prices of non-essential items?

Too much money? Don't buy it. Buy a Nikon. Buy 2nd hand.

Leica owes no one a $1000 M9, if they want to sell them all for $100,000, that's their business decision, for better or worse.

 

[clayne]

I personally think Leica is almost doing these as some form of internal joke just to see how many people buy it. You're out of your mind if you pay 50 grand for a still camera - of any type - that isn't made out of solid gold.

The reason this pisses off so many people is that it's supposed to be about solid gear for solid photography - not show-offs or other BS. So many kooks with Leica whatever these days, and cameras like these don't really make it anymore about real photography.

 

[jaapv]

Well, this camera will net Leica over three million $. If you had an easy market of three million wouldn’t you profit from it?

 

[sig]

I think this is not an internal joke. It is about building / reassuring Leica as a luxury brand. Leica as all other businesses is in it to make money, branding themself as a luxury brand and selling luxury items has made and is making money for Leica.

I personally think Leica is almost doing these as some form of internal joke just to see how many people buy it. You're out of your mind if you pay 50 grand for a still camera - of any type - that isn't made out of solid gold.

The reason this pisses off so many people is that it's supposed to be about solid gear for solid photography - not show-offs or other BS. So many kooks with Leica whatever these days, and cameras like these don't really make it anymore about real photography.

 

[sig]

Well, this camera will net Leica over three million $. If you had an easy market of three million wouldn’t you profit from it?

How much does the dealer get per sale?

 

[Moriturii]

I just hope they implement that gorgeous top plate to future Leica M's

 

[jaapv]

How much does the dealer get per sale?

No idea. A thousand?, Maybe two?

 

[Jamie123]

The reason this pisses off so many people is that it's supposed to be about solid gear for solid photography - not show-offs or other BS. So many kooks with Leica whatever these days, and cameras like these don't really make it anymore about real photography.

So is some RFF wannabe Cartier-Bresson who roams the street with his M3 to produce generic black and white photos more of a 'real photographer' than some wealthy Leica enthusiast who uses his M9Hermes to take pictures of his friends on a sailing trip? I'm not so sure about that. I could even say that i'd probably be more interested in the rich guy's photos.
Don't get me wrong, the person who buys a $50k Leica to show off might be an douche but there's plenty of those around making interesting photos.

 

[CrisR]

The reason this pisses off so many people is that it's supposed to be about solid gear for solid photography - not show-offs or other BS.

They still sell the regular M9? How is offering a different product aimed at a different market, in any way affecting the rest of their line?

if that line isn't focused on "solid gear for solid photography" how does that effect you or the other lines that are? It doesn't make your M9/8/6/2 take any worse a photo?

You do realise that car makers have been doing this for decades? The "standard" car that the families buy and then the 2 seater, turbo charged drop-top for 5-10x the price?

I just hope they implement that gorgeous top plate to future Leica M's

Totally with you on this. Tho i would like the flash shoe back 😉

 

[CrisR]

Very well said.