Daniel Beacock Posted March 1, 2014 Share #1 Posted March 1, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Interesting that Red Dot are offering the M at £4,799 now and RG Lewis are offering new M's with free Leica EVF's for a limited period. I guess that's inevitable now that they seem to be stock items. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 1, 2014 Posted March 1, 2014 Hi Daniel Beacock, Take a look here Price drop?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Londonmember Posted March 1, 2014 Share #2 Posted March 1, 2014 I got mine for 4750 a couple of months ago Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirekti Posted March 1, 2014 Share #3 Posted March 1, 2014 ...this is still much more than in the US, unless I'm missing something. Currency Calculator (British Pound, US Dollar) - X-Rates Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted March 1, 2014 Share #4 Posted March 1, 2014 Perfect Leica Marketing I'm afraid. Release a great product and then starve the market of supply while there's the most interest. Wait until Christmas is over and Sony, Olympus and Fuji have swept up the disappointed punters with competing products, and then flood the poor frustrated dealers with bodies they're struggle to shift. A pity - because the M is a really good camera... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 1, 2014 Share #5 Posted March 1, 2014 ...this is still much more than in the US, unless I'm missing something.Currency Calculator (British Pound, US Dollar) - X-Rates UK prices include 20% VAT giving a net of $6,700 i.e. slightly lower than in the US base price. But VAT/sales and use taxes are local costs are unavoidable for most of us ( around 10% in many states ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted March 1, 2014 Share #6 Posted March 1, 2014 I got a flyer from Leica last week saying M's were now easily available from my local dealer, so perhaps sales are slowing enough for a more permanent discount scheme? Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcraf Posted March 1, 2014 Share #7 Posted March 1, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Perfect Leica Marketing I'm afraid. Release a great product and then starve the market of supply while there's the most interest. Wait until Christmas is over and Sony, Olympus and Fuji have swept up the disappointed punters with competing products... Not certain that any products from these 'competitors' compete with the M, with the possible exception of the Sony A7R. But in my view that doesn't either. It's not a rangefinder, and it's not a Leica. IMHO The M is not a 'Christmas' type product where there might be a 'can't get that, so I'll have that' thought/purchase process. I think for most, acquiring the M240 is an experience, which, in pecuniary terms alone (let alone aspirationally and emotionally) is way beyond any Fuji, Olympus or Sony. Most people waiting for Ms were/are established users, probably using M9s, and prepared to wait. That some have waited so long that we see a price drop is fortunate for them. I doubt all this a conscious marketing ploy from Leica, more a simple cock up in initial supply. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted March 1, 2014 Share #8 Posted March 1, 2014 Not certain that any products from these 'competitors' compete with the M, with the possible exception of the Sony A7R. But in my view that doesn't either. It's not a rangefinder, and it's not a Leica. IMHO The M is not a 'Christmas' type product where there might be a 'can't get that, so I'll have that' thought/purchase process. I think for most, acquiring the M240 is an experience, which, in pecuniary terms alone (let alone aspirationally and emotionally) is way beyond any Fuji, Olympus or Sony. Most people waiting for Ms were/are established users, probably using M9s, and prepared to wait. That some have waited so long that we see a price drop is fortunate for them. I doubt all this a conscious marketing ploy from Leica, more a simple cock up in initial supply. ...agreed; probably more cock-up than conspiracy. Unless of course, they have simply cocked-up their conspiracy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenicolas Posted March 1, 2014 Share #9 Posted March 1, 2014 Not certain that any products from these 'competitors' compete with the M, with the possible exception of the Sony A7R. But in my view that doesn't either. It's not a rangefinder, and it's not a Leica. IMHO The M is not a 'Christmas' type product where there might be a 'can't get that, so I'll have that' thought/purchase process. I think for most, acquiring the M240 is an experience, which, in pecuniary terms alone (let alone aspirationally and emotionally) is way beyond any Fuji, Olympus or Sony. I too find it hard to believe, but the comments on websites such as steve huff or leicarumors show that more than a few people originally interested in the M have given it up for one of the new offerings of other companies... As for the established users you mentionned, I think most of those would have joined the waiting lists early on, and even the smart ones who want to avoid being beta tester would have ordered once the sumer had passed and would have their cameras now. My guess is that M production is now at least slightly superior to market demand, hence the camera being in stock most everywhere, and the price drops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted March 1, 2014 Share #10 Posted March 1, 2014 Not certain that any products from these 'competitors' compete with the M, Hmm, the M has image stabilsation, dedicated telephoto lenses, a vast range of menu options, zoom lens options, tilting LCD screens, and a client base where you can have conversations without reducing things to price, megapixels, and elitistism, .......I'll buy one! You say buying a Leica is a far greater aspirational achievement than buying an Olympus, well I'll say the better photographer has achieved their aspiration irrespective of what camera they buy. A crap photographer buying a Leica is still a crap photographer, a better photographer buying an Olympus is still a better photographer, and let's face it there are more inspirational images made with Holga's than Leica's at the moment. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 1, 2014 Share #11 Posted March 1, 2014 Let's be frank, the only reason to discount is to generate sales, which in turn means that sales at the intended price are too low. If sales are too low it means the product isn't desirable/good enough for the intended price, or that the competition are beating you. Now we all know that there's no competition to the Leica M...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 2, 2014 Share #12 Posted March 2, 2014 I think maybe time for a facelift for the M? Time ruins fast in Digiland… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 2, 2014 Share #13 Posted March 2, 2014 I think maybe time for a facelift for the M? Time ruins fast in Digiland… Maybe a new marketing partner for the facelift - Gucci or Prada or Zegna? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
anupmc Posted March 2, 2014 Share #14 Posted March 2, 2014 Or Leica trying to drive M's off the shelves before Photokina for one reason or another? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 2, 2014 Share #15 Posted March 2, 2014 Maybe a new marketing partner for the facelift - Gucci or Prada or Zegna? No, those are the specials - I am expecting a Tiffany 100-Jahre one… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 2, 2014 Share #16 Posted March 2, 2014 No, those are the specials - I am expecting a Tiffany 100-Jahre one… Oh yes, with an option of: either sterling silver or diamond-topped shutter release button and tiffany blue ostrich leather cladding with matching neckstrap. I'll be pre-ordering two of them tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenInTime Posted March 2, 2014 Share #17 Posted March 2, 2014 I think maybe time for a facelift for the M? Time ruins fast in Digiland… And so many of us have enough cameras that are already more than good enough; so it's easy to sit on the fence waiting for seemingly trivial aesthetic or feature improvements. I'm holding out, even if it takes another 3 years, for a M -P with no red dot, frame pre-selector lever restoration and electronic horizon overlay in the EVF. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted March 2, 2014 Share #18 Posted March 2, 2014 Ah! Now I see why you chose that forum name. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenPatterson Posted March 2, 2014 Share #19 Posted March 2, 2014 Slowing sales will lead to more authorized dealers around the world dumping inventory into the Hong Kong grey market as resellers buy up stocks of bodies and lenses at or below dealer cost. I know that Leica over the past few years has increased the amount of product that authorized dealers must accept, and this has put several, I believe, in a cash flow pinch. Today you can buy a new M240 for just over $6000 USD (black), slightly more for the silver chrome. The last new lens that I bought in Hong Kong had a warranty card stamped by a dealer in Paris. Of course I didn't mind, as it had an international warranty and $1400 USD for a 28 Elmarit ASPH is a deal too good to refuse! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted March 2, 2014 Share #20 Posted March 2, 2014 So Stephen, just confirms there are three irrefutable facts in the world: death, taxes, and supply & demand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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