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marknorton · April 24th, 2008, 07:27 PM

It's being reported on Red Dot Cameras that the prices of some (but not specified) Leica lenses are increasing by a boggling 30% from 1 May.

It's presumably down to our currency going down the pan along with the US dollar compared to the Euro, but the message is clear - if you are planning to buy something Leica, do it sooner rather than later.

It's interesting though that an M8 price increase last year is only now filtering through to retail prices; seems clear though that with the US and the UK being two of the biggest markets outside Germany, Leica will face increasing price resistance.

sdai · April 24th, 2008, 07:49 PM

It seems so funny that the dealer has put up a picture of CHE on the front page of their web site, please allow me to quote Mr. Guevara:

one can only win at the cost of others

delander · April 24th, 2008, 09:45 PM

The Pound has not yet gone down 30% against the Euro. The price increases for the M8 back in Oct last year did not really stick. I am confused by their marketing pricing policies, special deals on Summarit kits and 28/75 cron kits at the same time as price increases. They don't really seem to know what they are doing.

Jeff

ericperlberg · April 24th, 2008, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdai

the dealer has put up a picture of CHE on the front page of their web site,

I'm confused. All I'm seeing at Red Dot Cameras website is the same placeholder page that's been there since the beginning. Is this not what others are seeing?

jackal · April 24th, 2008, 10:12 PM

the prices wnet up several weeks ago now i thought ?

malagauche · April 25th, 2008, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericperlberg

I'm confused. All I'm seeing at Red Dot Cameras website is the same placeholder page that's been there since the beginning. Is this not what others are seeing?

Empty your browser cache.

ericperlberg · April 25th, 2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malagauche

Empty your browser cache.

Tried that before posting... 2 browsers, 2 different computers... oh well

Mauribix · April 25th, 2008, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marknorton

..Leica lenses are increasing by a boggling 30% from 1 May.

I know for shure that prices increased in Euroland from April 1st, and it was not a joke!
I bought my 75cron at almost 300€ more than 5 days before

I hope this is not going to be another suddenly programmed increase...

marknorton · April 25th, 2008, 11:27 AM

I think the site is up and down like a yo-yo....

If the 75/2 has gone up in Euroland by €300 (£240, $480), it's easy to see how the fall in value of the Pound could make up the rest of the 30%.

Currently, one UK dealer has it at £1519; a 30% increase would take it to £1975. Yikes.

guidomo · April 25th, 2008, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marknorton

Currently, one UK dealer has it at £1519; a 30% increase would take it to £1975. Yikes.

Is that excl VAT? I can find one for 1479 excl VAT, so I presume it is.

In Germany they sell for ~2000 EUR excl VAT, which is ~1600 GBP at current rates. So it would appear that current prices in the UK are actually competitive.

(I just bought one here in Hong Kong for 17,500 HKD, which is 1140 GBP - and we don't have VAT

)

stunsworth · April 25th, 2008, 12:32 PM

I think Mark may be referring to a Scottish dealer, and the price includes VAT. Certainly that's the price I found when I checked the dealer I'm referring to a couple of minutes ago.

marknorton · April 25th, 2008, 01:29 PM

No, as Steve says, that is a Scottish dealer who are more reasonable than "The Classic Camera" in London who tend to have an attitude problem towards the customers who keep them in business and are showing £1699. Both prices are current (presumably pre-increase) and include VAT. It will be interesting to see where they go.

For people in Europe, they may well be able to buy more cheaply in the UK at the moment if they can find the item in stock.

jackal · April 25th, 2008, 01:37 PM

i know the 28 cron has gone up

listed here for example for £1985:

Lenses - Leica M System: Best Deals On New and Used Leica Cameras, Leica Lenses, Leica Accessories, Leica Scopes and Leica Binoculars.

but i called them up 2 weeks ago and just managed to get them to pressure leica uk and let me have one at the 'old' price of 1800.

Philinflash · April 25th, 2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marknorton

I think the site is up and down like a yo-yo....

If the 75/2 has gone up in Euroland by €300 (£240, $480), it's easy to see how the fall in value of the Pound could make up the rest of the 30%.

Currently, one UK dealer has it at £1519; a 30% increase would take it to £1975. Yikes.

Still, it's a nice lens. If I didn't have one already, I'd have to gulp hard and buy it.

cbretteville · April 25th, 2008, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marknorton

No, as Steve says, that is a Scottish dealer who are more reasonable than "The Classic Camera" in London who tend to have an attitude problem towards the customers who keep them in business and are showing £1699. Both prices are current (presumably pre-increase) and include VAT. It will be interesting to see where they go.

For people in Europe, they may well be able to buy more cheaply in the UK at the moment if they can find the item in stock.

I just received an ex-demo 24ASPH from that Scottish dealer. As always shopping with them is a good experience. Saved me quite a bundle compared to buying it here, even if I have to pay shipping and the 25% Norwegian VAT. I hadn't planned to buy the lens this side of summer, but the deal was just too sweet with the £ being low compared to NOK. The lens has full Passport guarantee, but I don't know if that covers non UK residents.

- Carl

dcsang · April 26th, 2008, 12:21 AM

This looks like it's not limited to the UK folks.

I just checked my local dealer's website.

The 28mm Elmarit-M ASPH used to be $1599

The current price is $2199 (and I had JUST checked the same lens price two days ago).

That's a 37% increase over the old price.

I wonder if Leica knows what it's doing here....

Dave

andybarton · April 26th, 2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marknorton

No, as Steve says, that is a Scottish dealer who are more reasonable than "The Classic Camera" in London who tend to have an attitude problem towards the customers who keep them in business and are showing £1699. .

The Classic Camera are no longer Leica dealers.

andybarton · April 26th, 2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbretteville

I just received an ex-demo 24ASPH from that Scottish dealer. As always shopping with them is a good experience. Saved me quite a bundle compared to buying it here, even if I have to pay shipping and the 25% Norwegian VAT. I hadn't planned to buy the lens this side of summer, but the deal was just too sweet with the £ being low compared to NOK. The lens has full Passport guarantee, but I don't know if that covers non UK residents.

- Carl

If there's ANYTHING wrong with the lens you buy from the Scottish dealer, tell them very quickly.

If you leave it a week or two, they don't want to know...

marknorton · April 26th, 2008, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andybarton

The Classic Camera are no longer Leica dealers.

You wouldn't know that, looking at their web-site.

cbretteville · April 26th, 2008, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andybarton

If there's ANYTHING wrong with the lens you buy from the Scottish dealer, tell them very quickly.

If you leave it a week or two, they don't want to know...

Thanks, for the heads up Andy. I thought ffordes had a good rep. No problems seen so far. I've used it almost exclusively since it arrived and I'm liking what I see.

- Carl

April 24th, 2008, 07:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
marknorton Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: November 12th, 2002 Posts: 4,951	30% Price Increases in the UK It's being reported on Red Dot Cameras that the prices of some (but not specified) Leica lenses are increasing by a boggling 30% from 1 May. It's presumably down to our currency going down the pan along with the US dollar compared to the Euro, but the message is clear - if you are planning to buy something Leica, do it sooner rather than later. It's interesting though that an M8 price increase last year is only now filtering through to retail prices; seems clear though that with the US and the UK being two of the biggest markets outside Germany, Leica will face increasing price resistance. __________________ Mark

April 24th, 2008, 07:49 PM	#2 (permalink)
sdai Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: March 5th, 2004 Posts: 2,007	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK It seems so funny that the dealer has put up a picture of CHE on the front page of their web site, please allow me to quote Mr. Guevara: one can only win at the cost of others __________________

April 24th, 2008, 09:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
delander Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: April 15th, 2007 Posts: 490	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK The Pound has not yet gone down 30% against the Euro. The price increases for the M8 back in Oct last year did not really stick. I am confused by their marketing pricing policies, special deals on Summarit kits and 28/75 cron kits at the same time as price increases. They don't really seem to know what they are doing. Jeff

April 24th, 2008, 10:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
jackal Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: April 30th, 2007 Posts: 375	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK the prices wnet up several weeks ago now i thought ?

April 25th, 2008, 11:27 AM	#9 (permalink)
marknorton Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: November 12th, 2002 Posts: 4,951	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK I think the site is up and down like a yo-yo.... If the 75/2 has gone up in Euroland by €300 (£240, $480), it's easy to see how the fall in value of the Pound could make up the rest of the 30%. Currently, one UK dealer has it at £1519; a 30% increase would take it to £1975. Yikes. __________________ Mark

April 25th, 2008, 12:32 PM	#11 (permalink)
stunsworth Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: September 30th, 2002 Location: Manchester Posts: 6,767	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK I think Mark may be referring to a Scottish dealer, and the price includes VAT. Certainly that's the price I found when I checked the dealer I'm referring to a couple of minutes ago. __________________ Steve Website - www.steveunsworth.co.uk Picture a week - http://www.steveunsworth.co.uk/PAW_blog/?page_id=9

April 25th, 2008, 01:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
marknorton Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: November 12th, 2002 Posts: 4,951	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK No, as Steve says, that is a Scottish dealer who are more reasonable than "The Classic Camera" in London who tend to have an attitude problem towards the customers who keep them in business and are showing £1699. Both prices are current (presumably pre-increase) and include VAT. It will be interesting to see where they go. For people in Europe, they may well be able to buy more cheaply in the UK at the moment if they can find the item in stock. __________________ Mark

April 25th, 2008, 01:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
jackal Erfahrener Benutzer Join Date: April 30th, 2007 Posts: 375	Re: 30% Price Increases in the UK i know the 28 cron has gone up listed here for example for £1985: Lenses - Leica M System: Best Deals On New and Used Leica Cameras, Leica Lenses, Leica Accessories, Leica Scopes and Leica Binoculars. but i called them up 2 weeks ago and just managed to get them to pressure leica uk and let me have one at the 'old' price of 1800.

April 26th, 2008, 12:21 AM	#16 (permalink)
dcsang Neuer Benutzer Join Date: October 30th, 2007 Posts: 8	Re: 30% Price Increases everywhere !!!! This looks like it's not limited to the UK folks. I just checked my local dealer's website. The 28mm Elmarit-M ASPH used to be $1599 The current price is $2199 (and I had JUST checked the same lens price two days ago). That's a 37% increase over the old price. I wonder if Leica knows what it's doing here.... Dave