[LRflex] Re: why leicas are expensive

Hi

putting questions is like peeling an onion, you find the answer with the 
next question, so if you're referring to used cameras here are some more 
questons to ask:
why more expensive ?  because they WERE expensive for a start (and so 
are Mercedes and other "made in Germany" stuff)
why were they more expensive from scratch? because the Germans have 
simple tastes, they only want the best  (quote from my German father in 
law  who used to write adverts for a very famous German company).
why is the best so expensive? because high precision engineering, 
sophisticated but robust materials, reliable manpower and expertise, etc 
have a cost.

Now, I"m NOT saying that the rest of the world is bad stuff - I'm not 
saying that we didn't pay for the brand image either when buying Leica 
stuff; rather, we got real value for the big money.

Indeed, German engineers chose to "ignore" the cost and prefer quality 
on the whole, even though it resulted in not so high production volumes 
(for instance, I own a 22 year old BMW and a seventeen year old Audi 
both based on "everlasting" mechanics, but how many cars did Ford, 
Suzuki or Renault sell in the same period?). Back to cameras, Pentax was 
only considering bayonets when the R3 went out, most cameras didn't have 
center light measurement and programs when the R4 did, most tele or wide 
angle lenses offered vignetting or lack of sharpness when Leica 
objectives didn't, and so on and so forth. I once went to India with a 
brand new Contax 139, its electronics collapsed because of the dampness 
in the monsoon and even the rails that guide the film got rusty. I swore 
I'd never get caught again.
This might be one of the reasons too I guess.
 
Now, if you're thinking of current cameras (Digilux or R9) times have 
changed and turned digital. Unfortunately, Leica didn't see the change 
in attitudes and the trend to consumerism. The body is no longer 
considered as a part that should really last. Fast turnover is there by 
design, due to the challenge with film which results in the increasing 
number of pixels, the constantly improving algorithms in the software, 
etc. And here Japan is at its best.
Pity for us Leicaphiles.
And I think Leica's production system is based on the older concepts; 
that's why they're still so expensive - think that Panasonic manages to 
sell the clone of the Digilux II half price.

 Well, now to tell you MY truth, once you've shot a few snaps with a 
Leica, you'll always find other cameras not so interesting, or lacking 
in something; that's where the passion comes in. Being in love is 
priceless (well erm, sometimes, it does ;-) ).

Yours
Phileica


sub mani wrote:

>Hello
>
>I checked many cameras for price. I found leica
>cameras are very expensive than Nikon or canon.
>Could anyone tell me what could be the reason. Is it
>because of sheer brand image 
>regards
>subu
>
>
>       
>       
>               
>___________________________________________________________ 
>Yahoo! Messenger - NEW crystal clear PC to PC calling worldwide with voicemail 
>http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
>------
>Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
>    http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm
>Archives are at:
>    www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/
>
>
>  
>
------
Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at:
    http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm
Archives are at:
    www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/

Other related posts: