Leica lowers lens prices!
Leica lowers lens prices!
No, not really!
Here's the real news, as I see it:
For many years, Leica has produced products in their Vila Nova de Famalicao, factory in Portugal.
Some products were completely made and shipped from Portugal and labeled, "Made in Portugal".
Some products had their parts made in Portugal and then assembled in Wetzlar, Germany. These were labeled, "Made in Germany."
Now, because of the recently implemented 25% tariff on German-made goods, some Leica products, previously assembled in Germany, will now be completely manufactured and assembled in Portugal.
So, there will be identical lenses, some labeled, "Made in Portugal" and some labeled, "Made in Germany".
The "Made in Germany" labeled lenses will be priced from $200 to $500 more than their counterparts, labeled "Made in Portugal".
Here is a current list of the lenses to be manufactured, assembled and labeled, "Made in Portugal":
August 2020:
Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black – #11716
Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., silver – #11717
Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black chrome – #11715
September 2020:
Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11708
Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., silver – #11709
Leica Summaron-M 28 mm f/5.6 silver – #11712
December 2020:
Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11707
Leica Summicron-M 50 mm f/2 black – #11719
Leica Elmarit-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH., black – #11711
The question arises: Will the lenses labeled, "Made in Germany" continue to hold their higher prices in the used marketplace?