Fantastic CL + 18 mm lens sale in U.S.

[bags27]

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https://leicarumors.com/2018/12/04/leica-cl-camera-elmarit-18mm-lens-starter-bundle-now-895-off.aspx/

 

Edited December 5, 2018 by bags27

[Jaclo]

I was upset I missed out on the free M adapter they were giving away but this seems like a better deal.   I'm surprised no one has commented on this yet.  I know if I had bought this kit before, this new offer would not be making me happy. I'm assuming Leica is not selling this at a loss so now I'm wondering just how overpriced this system really is?  Still debating making the plunge, this or a future Q maybe.

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Bill W]

I doubt Leica is making any money on the lens at this price but they do it to attract new users and possibly sell more lens in the future. If you think Leica is overpriced and you have not made the plunge, perhaps it is not the system for you. FWIW

[bags27]

The deal lasts until March and is only on the black one.

I wonder if this is in anyway tied to what may be an announcement (in February, supposedly, I think) of Panasonic taking orders on their 2 cameras for delivery in late spring. Perhaps Leica wants to accelerate the CL anticipating that people might otherwise gravitate to FF Panasonics.

[jaapv]

At a rumoured price of 4000$ for the Panasonic I rather doubt that.

[Jaclo]

4 hours ago, Bill W said:

I doubt Leica is making any money on the lens at this price but they do it to attract new users and possibly sell more lens in the future. If you think Leica is overpriced and you have not made the plunge, perhaps it is not the system for you. FWIW

Well, they were doing the same thing giving away a nearly $400 adapter.  Maybe the system isn’t selling very well.  I called Leica US a few months ago asking about the CL camera and the Leica rep.started trying to push me towards the Q.  It seemed strange.  Maybe they have a lot of Q’s to move out before a full update.  Don’t know.  Plus, selling new lenses in the future?  They can’t even seem to make several of them as it is.  Cost is not an issue, value is.  The CL is a solid German built piece of art.  I have no problem with the cost of the body.  The mostly slow, Japanese made lenses on the other hand, sorry, don’t see the value there at all. The reduced price on the 18mm is what it should be selling at all the time in my opinion.

[jaapv]

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What is the problem with Japanese made lenses? Solid piece of German art? Where do you think the components originate from?

If I buy three plastic blocks on AliExpress and have somebody in Berlin stick them together with Pattex the result will be “made in Germany”

[thighslapper]

2 hours ago, Jaclo said:

  Maybe the system isn’t selling very well.  I called Leica US a few months ago asking about the CL camera and the Leica rep.started trying to push me towards the Q.  It seemed strange.  Maybe they have a lot of Q’s to move out before a full update.   Plus, selling new lenses in the future?  They can’t even seem to make several of them as it is. 

Leica is a small manufacturer with multiple lines of products. Few, if any, are in constant production ....  they produce batches based on an educated guess at what demand will be over the subsequent 6 months or so. This applies  to lenses/bodies/accessories produced in Wetzlar, Portugal or Japan. Hence periods of glut and famine. There is really no other way of economically doing this, and promotion of a particular product or lack of an item signifies very little. 

[Jaclo]

2 hours ago, jaapv said:

What is the problem with Japanese made lenses? Solid piece of German art? Where do you think the components originate from?

If I buy three plastic blocks on AliExpress and have somebody in Berlin stick them together with Pattex the result will be “made in Germany”

Maybe “art” was misplaced.  I meant the bodies seem more solid and better build, The CL and Q I tried, compared to some other bodies I’ve handled, Fuji, Canon, etc.  interesting point about made in Germany.  I thought the standards for Made in USA, applied to other countries as well, but that does not seem to be the case.  Thanks for the clarification.  

 

 

 

 

[jaapv]

I would like to make a comment on the common critique, often seen on the internet,  of standard zooms being "slow" This applies to Leica as much as to any other brand.

All standard mid-range zooms are meant for general, pick-up-and-go photography. That means a compromise has to be found. One cannot have a lens that is small and light, high speed and high quality at the same time. This type of lens must be compact. Leica went for compact and (extremely) high quality. If one wants/needs a high speed lens one should buy a fast prime.

Other brands went for higher speed and lower quality. I know what I prefer.

Bashing a standard zoom is for lens speed is just plain silly.

[jaapv]

25 minutes ago, Jaclo said:

Maybe “art” was misplaced.  I meant the bodies seem more solid and better build, The CL and Q I tried, compared to some other bodies I’ve handled, Fuji, Canon, etc.  interesting point about made in Germany.  I thought the standards for Made in USA, applied to other countries as well, but that does not seem to be the case.  Thanks for the clarification. 

Well, but Japan can make solid cameras as well - the price would be in the same range as German-built cameras, though. The distinction is between an expensive hand-assembled product and a mass-produced one. The build quality of the first will obviously be better. Interestingly, quality control on the second will be superior. The interior components may well be the same or similar

[thighslapper]

and furthermore ..... a lot of 'Japanese' cameras are in fact made an assembled in places like Vietnam, Thailand and China ...... in fact arguably the best FF DSLR, the Nikon D850, is made in Thailand, and although most Canon high end stuff is made on Japan it also has 16 manufacturing plants throughout the rest of Asia. I'm not aware that Apple makes anything in the USA .... it's all from China.... and so the list goes on. 

I'm afraid the country of manufacture tells you nothing these days about the quality of the product .... it's all down to the original design, component specifications, manufacturing process and quality control. 

[bags27]

7 hours ago, jaapv said:

At a rumoured price of 4000$ for the Panasonic I rather doubt that.

well, that's the 47 MPS and we don't know whether that might include the standard zoom. The 24 FF MP Panasonic will certainly be a lot cheaper--if it is to compete with the Sony A7iii and the Nikon Z6 and Canon. I doubt it will be more expensive than the CL

[jaapv]

But it certainly will be considerably bulkier and heavier with larger lenses. Aimed at a different audience. 

[bherman01545]

12 hours ago, Bill W said:

I doubt Leica is making any money on the lens at this price but they do it to attract new users and possibly sell more lens in the future. If you think Leica is overpriced and you have not made the plunge, perhaps it is not the system for you. FWIW

+1

[Jaclo]

21 hours ago, Bill W said:

I doubt Leica is making any money on the lens at this price but they do it to attract new users and possibly sell more lens in the future. If you think Leica is overpriced and you have not made the plunge, perhaps it is not the system for you. FWIW

You may very well be correct.  In my ignorance I've never actually handled any of the native CL lenses.  The local Leica store I visited had a Q, a CL body and M camera and lenses.  I couldn't even turn on the cameras.  My comments were based on pictures of those CL lenses which probably wasn't very smart. Might be ordering the current deal in a few days. 

[jaapv]

Actually I think the best combo is the 18-56 plus  either 11-23 or 55-135 and the 23. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill W]

7 hours ago, jaapv said:

Actually I think the best combo is the 18-56 plus  either 11-23 or 55-135 and the 23. 

I have all of these and they are a great combo in my way of thinking. In all seriousness they are very well made and the IQ is superb. 

[lanetomlane]

I may be wrong but I thought the lenses for the CL's zooms were provided out of Germany for assembly in Japan.

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[LocalHero1953]

On 12/7/2018 at 2:15 AM, jaapv said:

Actually I think the best combo is the 18-56 plus  either 11-23 or 55-135 and the 23. 

There's a lot to be said for the 60mm, for its portrait and macro capability - a versatile lens. And the 18mm for its pocketability on the body.

18, 60, 11-23 and 18-56 are exactly what I have. So that must be the right combo😊.