[LRflex] Re: The DMR as a Collectible.
- From: <tt688688@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 9 Feb 2007 09:53:43 +0800
Guys
I have other thought. =20
Barbie dolls are collectible, it is true as it is easy to maintain and =
I
saw a 100 years old teddy bear and it is still in good condition. But =
the
question for DMR is, how long it can last? Those electronics items are =
not
predictable, I have a TV works fine for 4 years and dead one day =
suddenly,
and few other electronics appliances were not working suddenly. No sure =
for
Dlsr and DMRs, but I guess five years is maximum already. for such short
life cycle, it should be a consumable item, the one way to maximize the
value is : use it, use it and use it. So the average click cost will be
lower, may be 10 cent one click^_^
Best Regards=20
tt =20
-----Original Message-----
From: leicareflex-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx =
[mailto:leicareflex-bounce@freelists.
org] On Behalf Of David Young
Sent: 2007=C4=EA2=D4=C29=C8=D5 9:19
To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [LRflex] The DMR as a Collectible.
Juan wrote:
>I think David's points are well taken. When an expensive product one=20
>owns goes out of production, there is bound to be some trepidation.
>In this case, however, the demise of the DMR is inconsequential as long =
>as Leica remains committed to the R line.
>
>They will support (are not they bound by law to do so?) the DMR for a=20
>number of years-- in the world of digital, many more years than the=20
>current happy owners of DMRs will be using them. No matter how much of=20
>a great picture-taking machine it is, it is a safe bet that almost all=20
>of today's DMR users would have been using something else 5 years from=20
>now anyway. THAT is the nature of the digital beast (it was not at all=20
>the same with film cameras).
>
>As resale value is concerned, it is another safe bet it will keep it=20
>much better than any other digital product. You cannot find a Contax N=20
>digital for less than US 3000, while the Canon 1D is 1400 at KEH...
And William Lamb said:
> > Dream on. Another digital doorstop like the rest.
Whether the DMRs hold their value or not, is inconsequential to me. I =
shoot
about 5000 to 6000 photos a year. A roll of film, with processing, is =
about
$20, or about 80 cents per photo. At 5000 shots per year, that's $4000 =
per
year. In two years, I've saved $8000 over film costs, and the DMR did =
not
cost me that. Now it's true, I spend some money on prints, but much =
less
than you'd think. So, lets say I spend $500 per year on prints, and do =
the
math.
Two years film savings. $8000
less prints -1000
Savings =3D7000
Cost of DMR -6000
net savings -1000
and this assumes I throw the DMR away! Of course, if I hold off for a =
third
year, the equation changes considerably!
However, there is a more important aspect to this idea that DMR's might =
hold
their value better than the average digital. Collector value.
A friend of mine - an auctioneer and an expert in collectibles - once =
told
me that the essence of collecting lies in scarcity. But there have to =
be
"enough". For instance, if there is only one of something, it is not
collectible. Because, if you want it, and the guy who has it does not =
wish
to sell... game over.
Barbie dolls are collectible, because although millions are made, there =
are
tons of varieties where only a relatively small number are made. And =
most
of those are played with by children, and damaged or=20
destroyed. What's left become collectible. Old Comic books are the=20
same... millions were printed, but most were destroyed by their readers =
and
many of what were not were thrown away by mothers cleaning their
college-aged kids rooms! Thus they are scarce (at least, in good to =
mint
condition) but enough have survived to make them collectible.
I don't know how many DMRs have been made, but my guess is under or near
3,000. I base this on the serial numbers I've seen, and the fact that =
only
about 30,000 R8 & R9's are in active use. Only a fool would build one =
for
every R8 & R9 and hope that every owner would buy one! Five to 15% =
would
seem more logical. (It's this low number, over which to spread the
development costs, that forced the relatively high price of the DMR.)
Given their price, most will survive - because we will look after them.
Some will fail, although that has not been a big problem, to date. Some =
will
be damaged or destroyed in house fires, car crashes, accidental drops =
and
floods (such as mine, flooded out in the Solms factory), etc. The =
remaining
ones will still number enough that only a couple of thousand (at best)
collectors will ever be able to have one. Scarce enough to be =
collectible
... not so scarce that you cannot get one, if you're willing to pay. The
perfect formula for collectibility.
The reason that other digital products become doorstops is simply =
because
far too many are made... if you want one, you can get it at the flea =
market
for $10! As they are discarded, and enter the landfills, eventually =
only a
relatively few will remain... and at some future date, those units may
become collectible. But, like the works of a dead artist, DMRs are =
becoming
collectible - now.
---
David Young,
Logan Lake, CANADA
Wildlife Photographs: http://www.telyt.com/ Personal Web-pages: =
http://www3.
telus.net/~telyt
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