SL2 Availability

[scroy]

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8 minutes ago, Tailwagger said:

If that was directed at my post, you missed the point. Yes, the camera is not subject to the tax, however all lens sales for it are.  To mitigate the chaos and lost sales from that optical side of the house, Leica US, which I was told only knew about the specifics of the tariff about a week before the details were announced, was forced to scramble to create kits, as when the lens is sold in a kit with a camera body, is no longer subject to tariff. Hence, bodies that would have been released for sale have been held back so that they can be purchased with tariff-free lenses.    

Interesting

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[Tailwagger]

9 minutes ago, scroy said:

Interesting

Something else to factor in, is that all the stock that was in the country prior to the imposition of tariffs, isn't subject to them. I bought a 75mm today at the pre-tariff price. So to build the kits, and get any actual benefit out of it, the lenses have to be those that have or will arrive after this debacle went into effect.  My personal speculation is that now the problem is getting enough of those lenses built and into the country to actually create the kits, which l'm guess further increases the delay.

While I was told to expect my camera this week, had the launch situation been as was originally anticipated, I would have had my camera in the first shipment on the 21st. 

[Agent M10]

30 minutes ago, Tailwagger said:

If that was directed at my post, you missed the point. Yes, the camera is not subject to the tax, however all lens sales for it are.  To mitigate the chaos and lost sales from that optical side of the house, Leica US, which I was told only knew about the specifics of the tariff about a week before the details were announced, was forced to scramble to create kits, as when the lens is sold in a kit with a camera body, is no longer subject to tariff. Hence, bodies that would have been released for sale have been held back so that they can be purchased with tariff-free lenses.    

Interesting. I have the SL2 and the 35mm Cron on pre-order. Haven't heard from my dealer about either one or both as a kit. Hopefully, I'll hear something soon.

[Jeff S]

Some of those kits were ‘wasted’ initially, at least from a customer savings standpoint, as they included the more plentiful, already in stock, SL 75 lenses, so the kit price offered no cost difference.  The more rare SL 35 and SL 50 kits are where the costs will matter early on. 

But the dealer potentially benefits selling  the complete kit (through margins and/or efficiency) rather than selling the components individually.  I experienced this when a small dealer was anxious to know if I was interested in the kit; otherwise he was reluctantly going to split the kit to satisfy other client requests.  He confided that the kit worked better for him, even though he had customers in line.

Jeff

[scott kirkpatrick]

There's got to be some misinformation in this thread.  For the kit arrangement to save the eventual purchaser some money, it has to be put together in Germany before shipment.  So they are not building kits in a warehouse in New Jersey.  Or they shouldn't be. And I am surprised that this deal could be put together in a day or two after Leica became aware of the tariffs.  Usually, getting a product classified for import handling is weeks or months of paperwork.  And taking the kit apart once it reaches the US to sell the pieces separately is likely to get someone in hot water.  The most sensible story I have heard is that Leica will introduce kits in 1Q2020 -- that sounds doable and legal. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by scott kirkpatrick

[budjames]

22 hours ago, Chaemono said:

You may need now one of them 8-core processor, 32 GB RAM, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, 16 inch almost 4K retina display laptops.  I forgot to mention, the files are huge and it takes LR forever to output an SL2 JPEG. 😁

I ditched Lightroom a few years ago for Capture One Pro.

My main computer for photo and video is a current iMacPro 10 core, 64gb RAM, Vega 64 video card and 2TB SSD. It rocks! I keep my C1P catalogs on the internal SSD and photo files on a Synology Disk Station 8-bay NAS connected to my 10GBe wired network. 

All images, videos and documents on my Synology NAS are backed up real time to a Synology NAS on my office network so that I have off site duplication.

As you can see, photography and Mac computers and related technologies are my hobbies.
Regards,

Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

Edited November 23, 2019 by budjames

[Chaemono]

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vor 19 Minuten schrieb budjames:

I ditched Lightroom a few years ago for Capture One Pro.

My main computer for photo and video is a current iMacPro 10 core, 64gb RAM, Vega 64 video card and 2TB SSD. It rocks! I keep my C1P catalogs on the internal SSD and photo files on a Synology Disk Station 8-bay NAS connected to my 10GBe wired network. 

All images, videos and documents on my Synology NAS are backed up real time to a Synology NAS on my office network so that I have off site duplication.

As you can see, photography and Mac computers and related technologies are my hobbies.
Regards,

Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

Whom was I kidding, you’re a Pro.  BTW, I used the 35 Summicron-SL on the SL2 today.  I was very impressed with how sharp it is wide open.  I’d say it’s the sharpest of all the SL Summicrons, followed closely by the 50, then the 75, and then the 90. 

[wellfleet]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

The more rare SL 35 and SL 50 kits are where the costs will matter early on. 

That's exactly what Leica Miami and Leica Boston told me back on 11/7, and it's definitely come to pass as the Leica Online Store is now listing both those lenses at the new price, though it doesn't mean that each individual store is at that price yet.

We have a tariff thread (https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302641-25-price-increase-in-us-nov-1st/#comments) and it might be useful for to post what stores have increased their prices or not, and on what lenses.

 

 

[Jeff S]

9 minutes ago, wellfleet said:

That's exactly what Leica Miami and Leica Boston told me back on 11/7, and it's definitely come to pass as the Leica Online Store is now listing both those lenses at the new price, though it doesn't mean that each individual store is at that price yet.

We have a tariff thread (https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302641-25-price-increase-in-us-nov-1st/#comments) and it might be useful for to post what stores have increased their prices or not, and on what lenses.

 

 

I’d be surprised if any SL35 or 50 is available in US stores at the original price, except through a bundled kit.  As for the other SL lenses, those inventories are likely changing daily as dealers go through wait lists and still take care of priority customers (I’m not naive about that). 

Jeff

[wellfleet]

6 minutes ago, Jeff S said:

I’d be surprised if any SL35 or 50 is available in US stores at the original price, except through a bundled kit.  As for the other SL lenses, those inventories are likely changing daily as dealers go through wait lists and still take care of priority customers (I’m not naive about that). 

Jeff

Bergen Bros has the 50mm online right now. Haven't checked with Leica Boston or Miami since the 7th. Leica Miami had stated that they had inventory that should be good for awhile.

Edited November 23, 2019 by wellfleet

[hoppyman]

On 11/22/2019 at 7:14 AM, FlashGordonPhotography said:

Picked mine up in Sydney yesterday. I asked how many units they received and the official answer was "not enough". But there were people coming in regularly while I was there.

Also managed to find a SL50 f2 nearby, so all in all a good day. It'll be interesting comparing to my S1R'2 and 50 1.4.

Gordon

That’s two reported in Sydney so far here  plus other people picking up as well mentioned. I wonder when mine will arrive in Brisbane?

well the 50 is on the dealers shelf

[jrp]

1 hour ago, Chaemono said:

Whom was I kidding, you’re a Pro.  BTW, I used the 35 Summicron-SL on the SL2 today.  I was very impressed with how sharp it is wide open.  I’d say it’s the sharpest of all the SL Summicrons, followed closely by the 50, then the 75, and then the 90. 

I doubt that you can tell the difference centrally and the edge performance varies with distance. (The 75 is for portraits, not landscapes, eg). I would choose lenses based on need, rather than performance, if you can distinguish it. 

[Tailwagger]

On 11/22/2019 at 4:19 PM, FlashGordonPhotography said:

My Surface Pro has no issues with S1R and X1D files.

Gordon

Specs please. My 2016 16GB Mac does, unless I close my browser, which admittedly always has  20+ tabs open. 

[caissa]

On 11/22/2019 at 10:10 PM, Chaemono said:

You may need now one of them 8-core processor, 32 GB RAM, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory, 16 inch almost 4K retina display laptops.  I forgot to mention, the files are huge and it takes LR forever to output an SL2 JPEG. 😁

You simply have to install more memory, 24GB or 32GB, maybe even more. The processors are usually more than fast enough. Often mostly idle. And you should close apps that use a lot of memory, often the Webbrowser is worst. I use a Mac Pro from 2014. The cpus were always fast enough. I have 24 GB Ram. And put the files on SSD.

Edited November 23, 2019 by caissa

[budjames]

3 hours ago, Chaemono said:

Whom was I kidding, you’re a Pro.  BTW, I used the 35 Summicron-SL on the SL2 today.  I was very impressed with how sharp it is wide open.  I’d say it’s the sharpest of all the SL Summicrons, followed closely by the 50, then the 75, and then the 90. 

I purchased the Summicron SL 35 with my SL2 to avoid the 25% tariff. I only shot a few images with it so far, but it looks amazing. The Summicron and Summilux 35 M lenses with the SL adapter a good too, but the auto focus is nice with the SL 35.

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

[Chaemono]

vor 8 Stunden schrieb budjames:

I purchased the Summicron SL 35 with my SL2 to avoid the 25% tariff. I only shot a few images with it so far, but it looks amazing. The Summicron and Summilux 35 M lenses with the SL adapter a good too, but the auto focus is nice with the SL 35.

Regards,
Bud James

Please check out my fine art and travel photography at www.budjames.photography or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/budjamesphoto.

Don’t underestimate having a relatively ‘compact’ weather sealed option.  You travel a lot and the weather can be unpredictable at times.  You won’t always want to mount your M lenses on the SL2 and sometimes won’t feel like carrying the 24-90 either.  One SL prime affords big flexibility in this respect.  And now one can crop a lot with the 35 Summicron-SL, too.  BTW, try it at f/5.6 to see how sharp it is.

[Tailwagger]

19 hours ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

For the kit arrangement to save the eventual purchaser some money, it has to be put together in Germany before shipment. 

I'm simply reporting what I was told, more than once, by a Leica representative. Are you speculating, an international trade expert or have you actually read the regulations? If so, I'd like to read the passage where what you assert above is written. From what I recall reading last month in the documents, which I can no longer find for the precise wording,  lenses sold in conjunction with a camera were exempt. Nothing about packaging, where the bundle or kit had to occur.

Outside of Leica special editions, every kit I've ever seen or received has arrived in completely separate packaging camera and lens.  The latest, my X1D kit was 'assembled' in NJ. Two boxes, put into a single box and shipped.  Once the deal was over, no more kits. The Gov't dictates a lot of crap, but they don't typically dictate packaging at this level. You may be correct,  but in the absence of evidence to the contrary, I'm taking the folks I spoke with at their word.

Edited November 24, 2019 by Tailwagger

[scott kirkpatrick]

I read the forms which identify the items that receive a 25% duty.  Haven't seen the one which provides an exception  for a kit, but I concluded that a lens that arrives by itself owes the US 25% of whatever its declared value (not eventual price) is.  I also heard from a person with inside knowledge who was quite worried about the whole operation, and said that others were also worried.  I import stuff into Israel that I purchase elsewhere, and there is a very definite step of crossing the border and paying the duties to extract the goods from the customs people.  A bulk importer can perhaps do some of the handling themselves but only as long as the customs people are sure that everything is kosher.

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[Tailwagger]

1 hour ago, scott kirkpatrick said:

A bulk importer can perhaps do some of the handling themselves but only as long as the customs people are sure that everything is kosher.

This certainly seems to be the strategy. Local dealers aren't creating them; I specifically asked if they could create a bundle for me and was told no, they expect them to begin arriving after the 1st of the year from NJ, similar to what you heard about 2020. Again, you may very well be correct, but clearly something is up and the folks I spoke with were extremely disappointed by whatever it is, as their allocations were far lower than they had been initially told, just a month before.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

22 hours ago, Tailwagger said:

Specs please. My 2016 16GB Mac does, unless I close my browser, which admittedly always has  20+ tabs open. 

Surface Pro 7 i7 with 16GB ram. My older Surface Pro 6 (will be a hand me down) has no issues as well or my Surface Book 2. The only issue is when trying to drive a 4K external monitor. The graphics cards don't have the grunt required. But for travel the fast SSD's and decent graphics for the inbuilt screen mean I have no speed issues when I travel. If I want a larger screen than I use something more significant (either a Mac Pro or Surface Studio) that can drive all those screen pixels properly.

Gordon