New Leica lenses Made in Portugal

[jaapv]

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4 hours ago, adan said:

It has been known for decades that Leica has a Portugal factory

Since 1973, in fact.

[nicci78]

By the way, Leica only planned to produced six M lenses in Portugal. Not that much.

August 2020:

• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black – #11716
• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., silver – #11717
• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black chrome – #11715

September 2020:

• Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11708
• Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., silver – #11709
• Leica Summaron-M 28 mm f/5.6 silver – #11712

December 2020:

• Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11707
• Leica Summicron-M 50 mm f/2 black – #11719
• Leica Elmarit-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH., black – #11711

Read more: https://leicarumors.com/2020/08/26/just-released-nine-leica-m-mount-lenses-made-in-portugal-with-new-lower-pricing.aspx/#ixzz6WJVksSlp

[Gobert]

It’s just meant for the American market. So no worries. In Europe we keep our best products for ourselves. 😂

[logan2z]

1 minute ago, Gobert said:

It’s just meant for the American market. So no worries. In Europe we keep our best products for ourselves. 😂

The Made in Germany versions of the lenses will continue to be sold in the US, with the addition of the less expensive Made in Portugal lenses. 

[Gobert]

5 minutes ago, logan2z said:

The Made in Germany versions of the lenses will continue to be sold in the US, with the addition of the less expensive Made in Portugal lenses. 

That is what they are telling you today. Tomorrow might be different.

[logan2z]

Just now, Gobert said:

That is what they are telling you today. Tomorrow might be different.

It's possible.  Which is why I just bought two new Made in Germany lenses, just in case 

[Kwesi]

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2 hours ago, nicci78 said:

By the way, Leica only planned to produced six M lenses in Portugal. Not that much.

August 2020:

• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black – #11716
• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., silver – #11717
• Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH., black chrome – #11715

September 2020:

• Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11708
• Leica Summicron-M 35 mm f/2 ASPH., silver – #11709
• Leica Summaron-M 28 mm f/5.6 silver – #11712

December 2020:

• Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH., black – #11707
• Leica Summicron-M 50 mm f/2 black – #11719
• Leica Elmarit-M 28 mm f/2.8 ASPH., black – #11711

Read more: https://leicarumors.com/2020/08/26/just-released-nine-leica-m-mount-lenses-made-in-portugal-with-new-lower-pricing.aspx/#ixzz6WJVksSlp

1- I wonder if these are the most sold lenses in the US.

2- Labor costs must be so much higher in Germany that Leica can still increase profits on these lenses while giving what amounts to about a $500(US) discount per lens

 

[Gobert]

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[wattsy]

I'd imagine the lenses are made in exactly the same locations by exactly the same people as before but given a final polish and boxing-up in Portugal to satisfy the "Made in Portugal" declaration. It would hardly make sense to run two different production lines, no matter how entwined the two factories are.

Edited August 27, 2020 by wattsy

[wattsy]

As an aside, it will be interesting to see how popular these lenses are and the degree to which US Leica buyers prefer to save a bit of money (10-15% of the retail price) or stay with the cherished "Made In Germany" engraving. If they were being sold in the UK and I was in the market for one of the lenses in this range, I would actually rather have a "Made in Portugal" one, all other things being equal. IMO the "Made in Germany" tag is a bit pompous and, as well know, not really all that accurate.

[logan2z]

3 minutes ago, wattsy said:

IMO the "Made in Germany" tag is a bit pompous and, as well know, not really all that accurate.

And how do we know that?  I'd be very surprised if Leica failed to comply with whatever rules are in place regarding Made In Germany labeling.  

[logan2z]

10 minutes ago, wattsy said:

If they were being sold in the UK and I was in the market for one of the lenses in this range, I would actually rather have a "Made in Portugal" one

Until you went to sell it. 

[rivi1969]

5 hours ago, jaapv said:

Best to answer is  that they are made wherever Leica says they are made."

No Jaap. No mysteries here. 

The M-50mm f2 Summicron IS made in Portugal among other lenses and several cameras like the SL (as documented at the Portugal factory PDF) anyway they say "Made inGermany". We have discuss this before but nobody wants to accept it and bringing that up is considered sacrilege. I bet this has to do more with legal aspects than the mere intention of saving in production costs. Anyway those lenses are 10% off at BH vs the" German" versions, is not like a massive saving anyway.

Edited August 27, 2020 by rivi1969

[Jeff S]

8 minutes ago, rivi1969 said:

Anyway those lenses are 10% off at BH vs the" German" versions, is not like a massive saving anyway.

Prices were increased in the US by roughly 10% to offset tariffs.  While the the tariffs on German lenses to the US is 25%, Leica spread the increase across most products, including cameras (but excluding some like the SL2, which competes more on price).

Jeff

[Herr Barnack]

This is a good move by Leica. 

It is a bit of relief from the asinine scrotum kicking that U.S. based Leica buyers have been subjected to at the hands of the geniuses at the office of U.S. Trade Representative, headed up by some obscure buffoon of a bureaucrat named Robert Emmet Lighthizer. 

Their pointless and ham fisted attempt is apparently intended to force photographers to buy U.S. made cameras and lenses they deem to be "just as good as" Leica - brands like Polaroid, Kodak, Vivitar,  Bell & Howell and General Electric.  🙄

This is what we get when people are given policy making power over something that they know less than nothing about. 

It is as laughable as it is sad but it is politics as usual.

[logan2z]

Whether or not you believe it, FYI...

From B&H Photo (emphasis mine):

"In an endeavor to diversify its supply chain, Leica is shifting production of select Leica M-series lenses to Portugal. It should be noted that this move does not affect the quality of workmanship of Leica products – all production standards and guidelines are being followed as before, only in a different location"

[wattsy]

54 minutes ago, logan2z said:

I'd be very surprised if Leica failed to comply with whatever rules are in place regarding Made In Germany labeling.  

I'm not suggesting that Leica fail to comply with any rules, just that the rules are not especially onerous.

[Peter Zapp]

vor 9 Stunden schrieb adan:

But to answer the original question, assembled enough to avoid the US tariffs currently in effect on German-labelled optics.

Before it was made and assembled just enough in Germany to earn the "Made-in-Germany" label, taking into account immaterial R&D, marketing and other overheads outside of the physical supply chain, with flexibility in internal accounting and on transfer pricing. I wonder whether different national customs authorities or FTA apply the same criteria on local content. When you google, it's umpteen pages of document and nowhere a simple percentage. Eventually they can change the nominal  country of origin without any change or with only minor change in the physical supply chain.

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by Peter Zapp

[LUF Admin]

Short notice:

I have merged four (4) threads about this topic.

Will post some official information later. And I have asked in Wetzlar for clarification.

Andreas

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[logan2z]

1 minute ago, LUF Admin said:

Short notice:

I have merged four (4) threads about this topic.

Thank you!