UPGRADE Price Increase February 16, 2009

[Tony Rose]

Yes you can secure your Repair Upgrade

Yes you can secure your Repair Upgrade

HI,

For Tony and others that might know....I would assume if one hasn't caleld Leica yet (Leica in N.J.) and made an app't to have upgrades installed, I would assume they would honor the old prices if one schedules to have it done prior to the Feb. 15th deadline, even though Leica may not get to working on the camera till after Feb. 15th. I hope at least its that way, but one never knows for sure.

Dave

Just make sure if you are considering an upgrade to your M8, to get in your request NOW. You can always back out if you change your mind. Also we do handle the upgrade through Leica USA if your feel more comfortable letting us do the LEG work for you. We have done more than s dozen alreadTR

 

[KM-25]

Still they are selling as many as they can build......

Simply amazing...

Jaap, you can't honestly believe this?

 

[erikhaugsby]

Whatever the camera every digital camera goes out of date in about 10 months

My pair of Canon 20Ds are shooting as well as ever, thank you very much.

 

[Fred Burton]

The 20D is a fine camera. But if you decided to buy another Canon new now, would you be willing to buy one with the same specs as the 20D and at the original price you paid for the 20D? Leica buyers looking at a new M8.2 are being asked to pay almost $6,000 for equally old technology. I had a Canon 10D that served me well for over four years; but, I sure didn't replace it with a new 6mp Canon dSLR at $2,200 (what I originally paid for the 10D.) I replaced it with a 5D at the same price.

 

[sfokevin]

And what will happen to those of us patiently waiting on the wait list?... I requested an upgrade slot in September... Colleen emailed back they could get to me in late November... Them on December 15th Sarah sends me (And many others in a blanket cc) an apology letter from Leica stating that they will begin contacting us "After the Holidays"... That could well mean AFTER February 15th?...

 

[cmogi10]

I'll see your 20D and raise you a D30... 🙂

Still going strong as well. Takes just as nice a picture as it did on day one.

Damn. That is impressive.
I still havn't gotten tired of my Fuji S3, I think that cameras about 4 years old now.

 

[JohnnyRangefinder]

Harbinger of a price reduction...

Harbinger of a price reduction...

Could it be that there were still too many M8s in dealer inventory -- my rep just got rid of his last black M8 a week ago. The existence of backstock M8s would almost have forced Leica to price the M8.2 as high as it is lest they wait for stock to disappear and seem to not *improve* the camera after the first 2 years.

The collapsing resale price of the M8 could not have helped much -- what else would have prompted Leica to 'give' $1500 off the price. I've been watching used M8s go for $2700.

I imagine now that M8s are essentially out of the dealer-chain, the M8.2 will find it's price come back down to M8 levels. With that done, Leica will be able to 'magically' find the engineering know-how to deliver an M9 in another year or two.

I agree, Leica needs to really shake things up. Within a year they should find a way to outsource 'old design' M8 production to Cosina and sell a plebeian digital rangefinder for $2500. That or make the 'uber-compact' -- something like a fixed 40mm P&S with the M8 sensor, or an 'EVIL-type' M-mount body without the 'expensive' RF mechanism.

But what do I know...

Cheers,

S.G.

 

[dof]

It puzzles me a little that the three options separately total $3700.00 ... combined they come to $2150.00. I realise that each time they open the camera there are specific labour costs and to do all three combined you are effectively reducing that cost but that's a hell of a difference!

The inclusion of the extended warranty as part of all upgrade options may account for the cost differences.

 

[tgift]

I agree. My guess is the whole upgrade program was a legacy of Stephen Lee. I suspect it has the compelling disadvantages of 1) not being terribly profitable for Leica; and 2) significantly undercutting sales of the M8.2.
...

Hard to do much speculation without more information, but I'd agree that the upgrade program is probably not profitable for them. From a manufacturing stand point, it's usually much cheaper to build from scratch than to modify or upgrade. Even if it was profitable, the margins may be lower than work on other products.

I've seen references to what sounds like a long waiting list, which means they have more cameras to upgrade than they have employees to work on them. Ignoring M8 vs. M8.2 pricing and supply issues, increasing the upgrade price could reduce the number of upgrades to a more manageable level, and/or allow them to hire more technicians to deal with them.

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

Just looking at this from my side

Just looking at this from my side

It's fun to speculate about whether the Lee legacy has them gnashing teeth in Solms, but not very useful.

For my part, I think I'll get the most value out of my M8s by upgrading the one that is now out of warranty, and has had a shutter problem in the past, and leaving my 2008 model M8 just as it is. I don't really expect to sell either, and I am not making large prints, so I am immune to the siren song of MF for now. I have an M8.2 (for when the "öther Jaguars" are in the shop), and like the discreet shutter that doesn't come (yet) with the upgraded M8. But I am not dependent on it, and frequently override it by selecting "C" mode.

In Europe it wasn't stated, but we quickly determined that all orders for upgrades placed and accepted by Leica before Jan 1 will be charged the 2008 price, even though they happen well into 2009.

scott

 

[varjag]

I have rarely seen a company as determined as Leica to cut it's own throat.

Admit though that despite all the drama from concerned observers they still hang around. They've seen Zeiss Ikon AG, Konica and Minolta (and multitude of lesser operations) rise and fall. So it may well still churn out film bodies by the time Canon falls back to its main business of copy machines.

 

[sfokevin]

In Europe it wasn't stated, but we quickly determined that all orders for upgrades placed and accepted by Leica before Jan 1 will be charged the 2008 price, even though they happen well into 2009.

scott

Thanks for bringing that to the forums attention on January 4th, 2009 🙁

 

[Eric T]

I would like to have a quieter shutter on my M8 but I would rather have another CV lens or two or the new Panasonic G1 or the new Fuji folder.
So the upgrades are just too expensive even at current prices given what is offered.

 

[scott kirkpatrick]

Thanks for bringing that to the forums attention on January 4th, 2009 🙁

I assume the magic order deadline in the US will be sometime in Feb 2009 if it works out the same way. Call 'em.


scott

 

[oris642]

I just got an email from Leica yesterday to send the camera in. Perhaps I should auction off my position in line - no waiting, and at old price - any takers? (I sold my M8)

: )

 

[Way]

I still have my D60 which is still a fine camera. But the M8 upgrade has lost it's appeal to me because the "discreet shutter" is not offered. I compared the M8.2 with my M8 in a store and there is a pretty good difference in volume.

I'll see your 20D and raise you a D30... 🙂

Still going strong as well. Takes just as nice a picture as it did on day one.