Reversing Leica priorities

[Roger Hicks]

Roger,

I guess for me, I was trying to convey, in my prior post, that the images that I saw as a kid and as a young man were/and are inspirational. If Leica's market has been the wealthy. I can see that I came to own a Leica M through the back door. I purchased it because I wished to create images as great as those who had used this camera before me.

No dispute with any of that. I just wonder whether this is, in fact, as important a market as we (enthusiastic photographers, amateur or professional) believe -- or whether the bigger market is, in fact, luxury buyers.

I just don't know, and obviously it's not in Leica's interest to admit it if it is; but it's worth thinking about.

Cheers,

R.

 

[kevin m]

I just wonder whether this is, in fact, as important a market as we (enthusiastic photographers, amateur or professional) believe -- or whether the bigger market is, in fact, luxury buyers.

Even if professional use is only a fraction of the market for Leica, it is still their key demographic. Why? Because professional use is what gives a brand its legitimacy, and legitimacy is a large part of what the "luxury market" is paying for, whether the individual shopper is consciously aware of it or not.

Every owner of a Leica M film body owns a camera much like the ones used by Capa, Salgado and HCB, and many are aware of that fact. It was (and remains) a no-excuses, carry anywhere tool that works quietly and reliably. Can the same be said of the M8?

How many cars do Ferrari sell to wealthy punters because they're on the F1 podium every weekend? How many do you suppose they'd sell if they not only stopped appearing on the podium, but didn't even bother to race? That's the position Leica is in now.

HCB has been dead four years now. How much longer can Leica sell cameras on his memory?

 

[Svitantti]

One shouldn't love jsut the brand (name "Leica"), rather than the real jewels the brand has produced. Now you can wonder, which I might think do NOT fit in this category ;-). At least if price is taken in count.

 

[retow]

M 8.2 USD 6200, Canon 5D II USD 2600 (rounded). Other makers launch FF DSLRS at aggressive price points, wherea Leica lipsticks the pig to steeply increase prices. The gap has widened to an extent, that even Leicaholics should ask themselves, whether a cameramaker with such a different strategy and business model will be able to survive and prosper, eventually.

 

[charjohncarter]

I didn't buy it originally for reliability, it was just cool. But for some reason it didn't give me that much trouble. Couple hundred thousand and no rattles. Still, I wouldn't recommend one. And over the years it ended up being the cheapest car I ever owned. I think the $50 I spent on my Leica IIIf in 1963 which I used this morning was by far the cheapest camera I ever own. And I would definitely buy a Leica because they are cool and reliable. In the case of the Leica I would recommend it.