New Low for Leica

It's funny... I love my Leica cameras (M7 & M9), but I've grown to detest Leica as a company. People always try to excuse this kind of stuff with the old excuse that it's these ridiculous limited editions that fund the serious cameras we all enjoy and maybe that is the case, but it sure doesn't make Leica's exploits any easier to stomach.
 
But surely 'limited' editions are not new to Leica -- they were doing this back in 1929 with their Luxus models, later with their 'Safari' models of the R3, '50 Jahre' CL's, LHSA models, the '1913-1983' M4-P's and Everest editions.

So while the Hello Kitty version might be a bit silly, the concept for Leica is certainly not new.
 
Ryan1938 said:
It's funny... I love my Leica cameras (M7 & M9), but I've grown to detest Leica as a company. People always try to excuse this kind of stuff with the old excuse that it's these ridiculous limited editions that fund the serious cameras we all enjoy and maybe that is the case, but it sure doesn't make Leica's exploits any easier to stomach.
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you seem to be handling all that hurt in your butt just fine, though.
 
Here's what I think happened: someone in Colette said "did you know it's Playboy's anniversary AND Hello Kitty's? We should do something." Someone else said "Something like the pink Hello Kitty Leica?" They call Leica and ask how much it would cost. After having been told that (a) the pink version is a fake and (b) a current genuine equivalent would be over 10,000 Euros they ask "but could it be done with a Leica compact?"

So Collette commission Leica to produce a batch, pay whatever ridiculous sum Leica asks, and everyone laughs all the way to the bank what with (a) money and (b) free advertising on RFF!
 
I like to think of leica less as a luxury brand and more as a serious photograph. Equipment manufacturer, but that thread of celebrities chimping at the back of their M9s reminds me of the reality of the situation.
But hey. In this case, the joke's on the Colette, and like others said, as long as it pays the rent. I don't have to buy one.
 
I find it hard to get worked up about a camera that I don't personally own. If someone etched a Porno Kitty into my M9-P I might get a little cheesed off, but as far as I'm concerned I ain't gotta buy it and I ain't gotta use it.

Any business decisions Leica makes doesn't affect me so therefore I don't let it bother me. They could make a line of Leica branded sex-toys and PEZ-dispensers for all I care. As long as my cameras and lenses work right everything is good in my world.
 
It's not a Leica product. Some clothing company is just putting a sticker on them and repackaging them.
 
I wonder what the reaction would be around here (or, alternatively, l-camera-forum) if I had a Playboy Hello Kitty engraved on..my M5.
 
swoop said:
It's not a Leica product. Some clothing company is just putting a sticker on them and repackaging them.
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It's not a real Leica anyway, just the Leica-rebranded Panasonic DMC-LF1.

There is also no evidence this is made by or approved by Leica. Anyone can silk-screen a logo on a camera. The prominent copyright text is a give-away.
 
I think it is NICE.. At least you don`t have to guess if this guy carrying it is a"serious photographer" with Ralph Gibson Signature model it is much harder, still basically the same thing...
 
Rangefinderfreak said:
I think it is NICE.. At least you don`t have to guess if this guy carrying it is a"serious photographer" with Ralph Gibson Signature model it is much harder, still basically the same thing...
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But the MM is an amazing camera and a camera that caused Ralph Gibson to take a serious look at digital which he didn't care for until he picked up an MM.
 
People complained that Leica cheapened their image when they signed up with Minolta and then Panasonic.
Lately they have been doing the same without anyone else's assistance !!


EDIT: As usual, I commented without reading the whole story. This is a promo from some ad company, not Leica.
 
This is a fun thread and all, but the simple truth is this...

majid said:
There is also no evidence this is made by or approved by Leica. Anyone can silk-screen a logo on a camera. The prominent copyright text is a give-away.
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All the talk about Leica profiting on these -well even if they were, there are 10 of these selling at twice the retail of a C.

In the states a C = $699, so the sales will generate an extra 699x10, or a whopping grand total of $6990.00
 
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