Looks like Leica is rolling out the special editions! The M9-P Hammertone was seen last week, and now there is one with a special edition CHROME Noctilux. Wow…that is going to be one hell of pricey rig. To see all of the info on these special edition M’s, even a new film MP3..the CLICK HERE!. Skimpy thin wallets need not apply (that would be me). Haha.
I am in the process of moving some old articles from my older site over to this site so for the next few weeks you will be seeing some “re-posting” of these articles. This one […]
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STEVEHUFFPHOTO 2018
another nice accessory to match your equally expensive handbag..
I have no problems with Leica producing all these special editions, as it helps their finances, so long as it does not impede production of their normal products.
However, as I had to wait for over a year to get a 50 lux, I think that it is a problem. It was so long that the dealer forgot that I had ordered it and I only got it because I saw it in the store.
I want one.
Damn I knew I shouldn’t of bought a house just yet and got one of these lol
Don’t like it? Buy an MP!
I certainly can understand folks frustration in obtaining lenses. Hard to believe that when you’ve bought a $7k camera body and want to spend another few thousand or more on a lens that none are to be had.
However, I don’t really think that such special editions are to be blamed for supply and demand issues. Its not like all production has been shifted to the special editions.
Likewise, the Leica collector really is just as important and the mainstream consumer, reason being, that the collectors demand is going to remain steady, unlike the ebb and flow they have seen with the DRF’s. Who really would of been able to predict the huge demand for both the m9 and glass ?
The whole industry was all about full frame DSLR’s and the RF wasn’t really popular at all, now a whole new user market has discovered RF shooting and also many DSLR owners are wanting high IQ in a smaller/lighter package.
I dont think many of use saw it coming, I sure didnt. If I had, I would of been buying up all the glass I could of found for 1/4th going prices.
Sell the sister, sell the mother, buy a Leica, be it`s father.
Instead of messing around with these “trophy” cameras and lenses why can’t the good folk at leica pull out their fingers and start to sort out the lenses with a world wide back order problem. 35 F1.4 quoted at being about 10 months to deliver and a hefty deposit required to secure one……. Totally pathetic.
Yes agree totally ridiculous ! Weird that you’re asked a deposit ! Just wanted to say one thing….maybe not applicable to the 35 lux so apology if mistatement.
The 50 lux Asp for exemple, has fluorite element into it, and I know from the canon ones, that fluorite needs something like a year to get to their final stable stage…. think like wine you keep them in barrel first for several months/year … so if the 35lux has such type of element….
Ok, but it doesn’t mean that they only start when you place an order. There must be ongoing production! I waited over a year for a 50 lux. Not sure I really want to join a long list for a 35 lux!
That’s insane…..Only waited 2 weeks, and could have gotten another one a month after as I was on 2 Waiting Lists. The matter is not only the production but also how the lenses are being allocated lenses.
I can from a marketing point of view see the similarity between a Leica and a Porsche sports car. Here is one proof. A Leica is always a Leica as Porsche is a Porsche. GREAT! And, noone is cheap and find their customers.
And Nissan GT-R kicks the ass of most of Porsches for quarter of price. So what are we left with? A NAME, just like LEICA!
A Leica isn’t always a Leica though… quite often a Leica is a Panasonic with a red dot and inflated price tag.
Maybe Vadim is raising a good underlying question : are we reaching the point of “stagnation” in digital cameras ? Not in the bad way. In the good way.
I mean : now we’re far from the early 90’s when digital gears were crap (sorry for this word…). But I really think they were. I remember special magazines doing camera reviews and talking about 2MPix cameras, going up to… 400 ISO !
Woohoo ! No big deal, huuu…
Not so impressive.
Now we’re expecting 1600 ISO at least.
Now we can buy great cameras, great DSLR and great compact systems.
Time has changed.
And that’s fine !
What about the “stagnation” I’m talking about ?
For example each new DSLR is better, but not that much compared to the older version…
It seems to me (maybe I’m wrong) that there are only minor changes : for example a better screen but no bigger sensor nor major “killer” functionality.
You don’t need to change your gear for the last version any more, except if you want to spend money.
Have we reached the optimum MPix sensor size combining compacity and quality and features (except for those who want full frame or medium format sensors) ?
So… is the M9 going to be “timeless” or something like that ?
A “piece of art” in digital camera history, like other M cameras or other “magic” older DSLR, other film cameras, Polaroid, etc ?
(yes I loved the “blurry Polaroid style” 🙂
Today, digital manufacturers are looking for something else than just “pure power & MPix inside”.
That’s why Fuji X100 was so expected and why it is a great camera.
Going back to old values and old fashion photo style…
Special editions are great for business. For sure.
It’s also good for “image”…
And they make some brands different from others.
But IMHO, they don’t kill R&D.
Just some fresh air.
Like design cars in showrooms… See what I mean ?
Steve, what are your personal thoughts about that ? About all that special stuff from Leica ?
About gear evolution through the years ?… Where are we today in the digital world ?
My 2 cents… 🙂
Cheers.
Antonio
I think “stagnation” could be replaced with “plateau.” And I think you’re right. What’s great about today’s cameras is that each new release doesn’t make the previous version look like crap.
Whatever comes out next from Nikon, the D700/D3 will still be awesome cameras. The 5D2 won’t be obsoleted easily either.
And the M9? Hello entry level Leica with the M10 hits.
If only Nikon and Canon made proff and rugged full chip RF bodies with M-mount for 3k, Leica would revise it`s oh so exclusive policy.
I’m looking at Fuji or Cosina-Voigtlander. Zeiss won’t do it. Canikon would never make a camera without designing their own mount.
I’d of liked Leica to sort out its back order of Lenses first and offer a professional turnaround time for service repairs for those who would like to use its as a daily tool to earn their crust.
I guess thats why I use Nikon as my professional tool ( 2/3 days with NPS ) and Leica as my hobby.
Am I asking the impossible ?
Does Panasonic have enough money to just acquire leica, so they can have steady money to do more R&D instead this kind of nonsense.
Hello Mr. / Mrs bmacw,
What do you mean by “this kind of nonsense” ?
nonsense, as making useless stuffs for collectors rather than people trying to use their leicas as tools.
I’m okay with paying premium for a limited production/hand made item. I’m also okay with them releasing special editions to get more money. But at least they should put the money back into research and development of more useful things. Like better screen rez, better iso, better reliability, etc.
When you buy a Porche, everything is top of the line. You don’t get special editions with the same shitty suspension you get from a toyota…
it’s not nonsense…I am sure they are investing in R&D, this is just a way of generating $ while doing your research. What the matter anyways they are just a handful camera which doesn’t affect your shooting…. actually it DOES and positively because an M9P / M9P limited edition has the same sensor and inside as an M9 …therefore it doesn’t make your camera obsolete..
And still, if an M10 was out tomorrow, would that mean that you can’t anymore good photo ? we are not in the late 90s with average sensor…the sensor of an M9+ leica lens will produce great shots for many many years
When you buy a porsche and pay the full premium, you can have it customized, think those limited ed the same ways as for an M9P
Regards
Vadim
Sooner or later, there will be 50 variants of M9 in Limited edition that I can finally say my Black M9 is now also limited edition (since limited editions will eventually populate). Right?> LOL!!!
Any botique camera company can change the color of something and slap a ‘LIMITED EDITION” on it and easily claim 10K+ in revenue per person.
AS a matter of fact, anyone can do it.
The funny thing is, people are willing to pay premium for it.
Vadim, what exiting can we expect from Leica M10, knowing that only real news will be it`s price of probably 10k?
When you buy a Porsche limited edition you get some extras plus cosmetics which not can be ordered as options to the standard product program. As I can understand, this applies to Leica as well. Some people are prepared to pay for this. In addition, those money goes back to R & D. And, don’t forget, customers who buy the more expensive vehicles, return more Gross Profit to the manufacurer than the “cheaper” vehicles within product program. Otherwise quality and components are shared between the low and high priced products, basically.
Right on man. I feel too, that Leica is abandoning the RF community that`s left with loads of leica lenses and M6s. And, instead of making affordable digital cam costing something around 3K, they are hitting stratospheric price level attainable for the already rich sheiks and alikes, who know a shit about photography and just want to display their riches in vulgar way. But, of course Leica loves to maintain an image of human approach to photography, giving away it`s cameras as a price to photographers who win top awards for the pictures of disaster stricken people, who live on a dollar a day. That goes for big Nikon and Canon brothers, albeit in less bloody way. Have anyone recently heard about a reporter Nik or Can gold plated with handpolished manual lens? Really guys, I love leica philosophy of compact bodies and lenses but it`s getting out of reason lately.
OK I can’t answer to all those, but yes I see the fustrations. but the way you should look at it is that your M9 is still an alive product. Would you prefer something like canon P&S and they have their product updated every year ? I guess no ! The guy who took over leica transformed the company into cash generating machine. Yes there are a few people who can spend thousands just to own A LEICA and the rest of us using it as RF photography and struggling to get one !
The better the Leica M gets the cheaper a used M9 will be! Keep em coming! I’m seeing 2017 as the year I might be able to swing a digital M, hahaha…
I’m sure they are investing in R&D. They have a complicated system going with their market. The M9 is out, no going back to that, and it would be really too early to make a M10. Special editions make them money and keep some people happy, although for the rest of us it looks a little confusing. I’m sure the M10 will have a top notch-ish LCD, and better processing power etc… As for the other “wants” I highly doubt they’ll change what many percieve as a winning formula.
Hello everyone !
Thanks Steve for the news.
When I first saw that image, I said to myself : “Hum, seems like I’ve already seen this before…”
(Tic ! Tic ! ***Thinking***…)
“Yeah of course ! It’s there !
http://leicarumors.com/2011/06/20/20-years-leica-shop-vienna-special-editions-m9-p-m3-p-and-d-lux-5.aspx/#more-10010”
It’s not – EXACTLY – the same camera, but very similar. Funny isn’t it ?
Are they both real pictures of real Leica cameras ? Or is there one “Photoshopped” ?
😉
By the way, I wish I could afford that kind of “Jewelry” and feel the M “uniqueness” when framing and taking pictures… as Kai W. says in one of his latest videos :
http://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalRevCom?feature=chclk#p/u/1/Ykuy4qYip1U
(hope it won’t be upset if I send you this link)
Noctilux 0.95… Lovely…
Bye bye.
Antonio
[*** EDIT ***]
They are both real cameras. One is the M9-P and the second is the M3-P.
Sorry.
hum… Think I gotta go to sleep…
😉
my personal opinion…but i can’t stand the vulcanite look. makes the m’s look darn ugly
Don`t you worry boy. No vulcanite, only the leather of near extinct species that fetch 100 000k a yard on black market.
will the chrome Noctilux be heavier than black version, as Leica chrome lenses always heavier . .
It will weigh some two pounds and I hope will come with built-in 3mm protection front glass. Just the thought of accidentaly scratching the 15K lens gives me creeps.
RAD!!!
YAWN. Anyone else waiting for the next upgrade from the M9?
Yeah, I’m waiting for the one that doesn’t have worse digital workings than a point-n-shoot at a fraction of the price, better ISO, and a design that doesn’t make changing memory cards quickly a pain.
I may wait forever, though these are all sensible improvements…