M10-D production numbers?

[benqui]

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Mine is 5332503

Edited September 7, 2021 by benqui

[egrossman]

54908xx

[Datsch]

@humerc @benqui  thanks for the serial numbers

@fabior   @egrossman thanks for that, another two new batches ...

Here is the current list of M10-D Batch numbers, implying a total production run of 1400 units:

53265xx    
53323xx        
53324xx
53325xx    
53326xx
53327xx
53332xx
54883xx        
54885xx        
54908xx        
54911xx    
54925xx
55003xx    
55004xx

Anyone who has an M10-D with a serial number not in those series then please do let us know about it ...

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by Datsch

[Phil_P]

On 9/6/2021 at 11:30 PM, Datsch said:

Using the same method as in the M-D thread https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/297947-m-d-type-262-production-numbers/ I had a quick go at seeing how many batches of 100 might have been made using serial numbers. (We gathered serial numbers and found only 15 batches, implying 1500 M-D's in existence. )

For these M10-D numbers I took only serial numbers that have been published, either as an image, eg in a review or for sale picture, or from EXIF info shared on flickr.

5326550  

If you have a serial number that is not in these series, please post it (you can xx out the last 2 digits if you are shy) ...

Thanks

55015xx. Purchased Feb 2021

[hutchinson14]

Hi 

my M10D is serial number 55012xx bought used from Park Cameras January 2021

[Datsch]

Thanks @hutchinson14 and @Phil_P those are both from new batches, which together with 53328xx which I found as the dpreview test camera, brings us to 1700 units.

So I think we can already call it that the M10-D sold in larger numbers than the M-D (1500) though they are both quite limited editions really ...

 

[M9reno]

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5500450

[poli]

54910xx

production date January 2019

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[scott kirkpatrick]

5332796, one of the first ones delivered in US. (Nov 2018)

I also had (briefly) a pre-production camera which had to go back to be shared at Fotokina.  That one was 5326579.  Some of them are apparently in circulation.  Here's a shot from Sept 2018 with that camera

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Edited September 13, 2021 by scott kirkpatrick

[IkarusJohn]

Forgot to put mine up

5332660

purchased December 2018

[Steven]

5500268

[Datsch]

@Steven @scott kirkpatrick @poli @M9reno

 

Thanks folks,

That makes 1900 units.

This time I've also added ?????? where it seems likely there were other batches of M10-Ds, which could be as many as 2600 if it turns out those slots were also made.

53265xx

53323xx
53324xx
53325xx
53326xx
53327xx
53328xx
???????
???????
???????
53332xx

54883xx
???????
54885xx

54908xx        
???????
54910xx        
54911xx

54925xx

55002xx
55003xx
55004xx

55012xx        
???????
???????
55015xx        

 

 

 

 

[Steven]

That’s nearly 2M dollars of M10D sales. Worth developing an M11D… 

[IkarusJohn]

I wonder how many units have to be sold for Leica to start to make a profit?  Or, if a profit is possible?  The most expensive series M digital was the Monochrom, and someone posted recently that Leica lost money on each camera.  Not unusual, if true - VW apparently lost a massive amount on each Bugatti Veyron.

I’d love to get inside Leica’s pricing on its cameras.  I’m sure some were relatively cheap and easy to make (the T/TL/TL2 cameras were CNC fabricated and assembled in Portugal, aside from the “hand polishing”), where others must be marginal.  I would hope that each production M camera is profitable, and perhaps the special editions, but small run versions must cost quite a bit more.  Some, like the Monochrom, may not have made a profit regardless how many were produced.

[Datsch]

@Steven is that net sales you're talking about?

Call it 2000 units, at $/E/£7000 each retail. Half goes to the VAT and the retailer. That's 2000 * 7000 / 2 = 7million for Leica's production and marketing and profit.

Sure margins may be low, they may be high, but let's say 10% net profit on 7m which is 700,000

Of course, there are pretty much fixed startup costs of introducing a new model -- R&D, design, testing, tooling, sourcing parts (eg rotary backplate ISO dials ...😄 )

So it's more like 'how many units before it starts to wash its face' and then after that you're churning them out with a decent profit per unit.

We might get a clue from limited edition runs which we must presume are profitable ... they often have extremely small R&D and startup costs as changes are mostly cosmetic (eg sourcing a batch of different coloured leather, setting up the CNC machines for a different engraving, etc), plus they charge more for the product. So even a little change is expensive to make.

The -D's have much harder stuff to produce -- new firmware, new backplate, new dials, so would need to be sold in more than limited edition numbers?

Edited September 14, 2021 by Datsch

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Datsch]

Whatever the economics, even as a loss leader the -D is so iconic and so much part of the Leica ethos, such distinctive branding and so talked about by non-Leica users, it does a terrific amount of good and so is worth keeping for an M11-D ...

When I now handle cameras with a screen, they seem to be archaic, old-fashioned, primitive ... screenless is stressless ... pure photography ... no menu-anxiety ... no 'did I remember to switch off the auto-ring-tailed-lemur-tracking-mode?' ...

Edited September 14, 2021 by Datsch

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[petermullett]

12 hours ago, Steven said:

That’s nearly 2M dollars of M10D sales. Worth developing an M11D… 

Hi Steven, did you find another M10-D in good shape?

[Steven]

4 hours ago, petermullett said:

Hi Steven, did you find another M10-D in good shape?

I did. From a forum member. And I couldn’t be happier with it. Such a gorgeous camera. The only pity is how bad the app is designed. It’s so bad that nothing would have been better. 
 

[a.noctilux]

16 hours ago, Steven said:

That’s nearly 2M dollars of M10D sales. Worth developing an M11D… 

Leica may surprise us with M11-D as first M11 of the bunch 🙊.

So let's be prepared ...

[petermullett]

51 minutes ago, Steven said:

I did. From a forum member. And I couldn’t be happier with it. Such a gorgeous camera. The only pity is how bad the app is designed. It’s so bad that nothing would have been better. 
 

Great, good to hear!

Totally agree about Fotos, it's pathetic........But once the camera is set up with Fotos you can pretty much never use it again until there's a change you want to make. I've not changed my M10-D's setup for two or more years and I never use Fotos for viewing the images, ( what's the point? ).