Leica M quality and pricing - don't make me laugh!

[tim_gee]

Peter,

Lovely wife backed my Mercedes over the Billinghams full of Leicas.

Flat as a pancake! Left scratch marks on the driveway too.

Fortunately I don't need talent as I'm too busy buying all new stuff

(incl. Merc). The driveway's a worry though.

Go on Peter, give us a smile.

[art2]

And I forgot one of the things that I like about my Leica. A good

shot to the nose of a bear with an M3 stops them. I know from

experience. I wouldn't try this with a plastic camera. :))))

 

<p>

 

Art

[jeff_stuart]

Do you really think that a camera makes YOU a better photographer?

 

<p>

 

Put it this way: do you think a parachute makes YOU a better sky

diver?

[ray_moth]

"As to the person that stated that by the time a product gets to the

end user it should be free of defects (implying is seems that Leica

does a poor job), there would be no need in this case at all for

warranties."

 

<p>

 

Gee, I guess that comment might be aimed at me! My point was only

that an obvious fault (e.g. the sticking aperture control ring in my

R8) should be discovered during final inspection and testing before

the camera is shipped. I can't see why anyone would take exception to

that opinion, humble as it is.

 

<p>

 

I don't agree that we would not need a warranty if we could be sure

that our cameras were delivered free of detectable faults. Things

that appear at first to be perfect can break down later. Leica's

generous five-year warranty is intended to allow for defects that may

reveal themselves only after the camera has been in use for some

time.

[msitaraman]

"Most people who use Leica are rich amateurs with little talent who

could just as well use a $100 P&S but who want an ostentatious toy to

impress their friends and make them feel like better photographers

than they really are. The Leica is a part of their upscale

consumerist lifestyle�BMW cars, Rolex watches, custom made golf

clubs, handmade suits, etc. "

 

<p>

 

I have no way of knowing about the "little talent" bit, but the rest

is surely not too much off the mark here in Asia. And Leica/Hermes

would like it to be even more true, to sell more Leicas. And you

know, if that ensures the survival of the company, that may be a good

thing. As long as prices don't triple.

 

<p>

 

As it is Leica M6s are expensive, but not all that expensive. For the

price of a typical Rolex you could get two M6 bodies. Or 30, for the

price of a BMW.

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

You got me Peter, but I got lost in the way, just don´t know if

having four leicas and fifteen lenses makes me a rich man, because I

don´t own a thing else, not even a car, or a bank account, and under

my bed I may only find negs my friend.

 

<p>

 

About talent, well I haven´t sell a picture in years, but belive me I

can apreciate make up work, really; does it help?

[michael_kastner]

Jeff's sky diver and parachute was good. Lemme put it this way again

(as I have already said it once): A really good pianist doesn't have

to play on a Steinway; I as a scuba diving instructor never advocate

only one single brand of equipment to my students (altho I have my

likes and dislikes); and now we've re-entered cars -- I care even less

what brand that is -- all it has to do is move me well from A to B.

[bobtodrick]

As has been said before - ya gotta love this forum - nowhere else on

the web have I seen such a varied range of opinion, and though the

underlying sarcasm is sometimes there, so are the good manners :-)

[iván]

Yes indeed, Bob !

 

<p>

 

I couldn´t believe I was so patient as to read it all but in the end

I feel happy that we are still able to state our thoughts and

(mostly) our feelings in a prevalently educated manner though some

noticeable attempts to steer us otherwise.

 

<p>

 

-Iván

[jay_goldman]

Jeff wrote:

"Put it this way: do you think a parachute makes YOU a better sky

diver? "

Yup!. Having a parachutelets me practice over and over again.

(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

I shall promise not to write a post answer, under the efects of

cafeine.

[michael_kastner]

Hey Jeff and Jay! Remember the famous radio news broadcaster Paul

Harvey? One of his announcements around 1978 went something like this:

A parachuting instructor on board was getting his students ready for

their big jump. Everybody was busy checking out this that and the

other of their equipment, at which time the instructor (having already

done this thousands of times) was checking out his brand new video

camera equipment. Soon, everybody jumped, as usual the good teacher

always waiting to be the last of these. His time had come, and he

jumped too. But upon wanting to pull the cord, he realized that he had

been so fascinated and preoccupied with his camera system preparation

that he had even forgotten to put on his parachute too. He was in

heaven but his video recorder survived. The words it saved were:

"OHHH..... SHIT!"

[Robin Smith]

" A really good

pianist doesn't have to play on a Steinway;"

 

<p>

 

Yes, but most of them do...Why is that?

[michael_kastner]

Wow, Robin, as they say here "My compliments". I'd say they do this

because they want to show, or have to show, that they unfortunately

don't have anything else at hand.