p.6 #1 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
highdesertmesa wrote:
I still think they will introduce several new film cameras in the next year or two – they have all that production capacity from the discontinued APS-C line just sitting there doing nothing.
p.6 #2 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
highdesertmesa wrote:
I still think they will introduce several new film cameras in the next year or two – they have all that production capacity from the discontinued APS-C line just sitting there doing nothing.
A new CM with present day autofocus would sell like hotcakes.
p.6 #4 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
airfrogusmc wrote:
I'll say this again if Leica making special editions helps their bottom line so they can make cameras like the M 10 Mono or even keep making film cameras then rock on Leica. BTW have you sent your Canon F-1 into Canon for service. How did that work out? Leica still making film cameras is a good thing period. And everything you read on the internet is true ha ha ha ....
I always say if they make something you don't like, simple, don't buy it.
Being a Leica user myself, it is often hard to distinguish what is best for me regarding Leica offerings and what is best for the company Leica Camera. Especially with Leica - at least for me - this gap widened significantly in recent years. A big junk of Leica Camera profits seem to derive from customers willing to spend a huge load of money for special gear editions which drives the luxury brand name. Therefore it is not surprising that the "new" anticipated film camera turned out to be this limited M6 edition of 500 pieces. IMO there is much less intent to sell this camera to regular users - the target group remain collectors and investors (for purchase and reselling later).
I admit that Leica is currently - and "currently is the important word here - successful with the strategy and makes the company survive by keeping margins high. Problem I see in the long term is that Leica might loose its regular customer base. In the past, a photographer could save some money to afford a Leica M and lens. Starting out as younger photographer or in school, it will take a long time now to afford even a more modern but also used Leica M10 for example. And I doubt anybody of this group is willing to spend > $4K for any kind of film camera (even I wouldn't do this).
Leica is likely afraid to start - or continue - a cheaper product line to avoid in-house competition. Therefore I highly doubt we will see other Leica film cameras with lower price tags in the future. It just does not fit into the current marketing strategy even I personally would love to see this happening.
p.6 #5 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
Well Leica M has survived SLRs, auto focus, DSRLs mirrorless and other changes yet they are still successful.
When I was in college studying photography in the early 1980s I nor any of my student friends could afford Leica Ms then. There were about double what the pro Nikons and Canons were then.
p.6 #6 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
Intially, I was surprised by Leica releasing a new M6 variant. But I think it's to increase awareness of film and to make available three film bodies. Leica knows it will sell to mainly collectors but they don't care; it gives them additional $$ they haven't been making in the used M6 market. If it sells out, they can make more. I think it's a power move by Leica and supports film; which I think is good for everyone.
Cheers.
CJ
retrofocus wrote:
Being a Leica user myself, it is often hard to distinguish what is best for me regarding Leica offerings and what is best for the company Leica Camera. Especially with Leica - at least for me - this gap widened significantly in recent years. A big junk of Leica Camera profits seem to derive from customers willing to spend a huge load of money for special gear editions which drives the luxury brand name. Therefore it is not surprising that the "new" anticipated film camera turned out to be this limited M6 edition of 500 pieces. IMO there is much less intent to sell this camera to regular users - the target group remain collectors and investors (for purchase and reselling later).
I admit that Leica is currently - and "currently is the important word here - successful with the strategy and makes the company survive by keeping margins high. Problem I see in the long term is that Leica might loose its regular customer base. In the past, a photographer could save some money to afford a Leica M and lens. Starting out as younger photographer or in school, it will take a long time now to afford even a more modern but also used Leica M10 for example. And I doubt anybody of this group is willing to spend > $4K for any kind of film camera (even I wouldn't do this).
Leica is likely afraid to start - or continue - a cheaper product line to avoid in-house competition. Therefore I highly doubt we will see other Leica film cameras with lower price tags in the future. It just does not fit into the current marketing strategy even I personally would love to see this happening....Show more →
p.6 #7 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
highdesertmesa wrote:
I still think they will introduce several new film cameras in the next year or two – they have all that production capacity from the discontinued APS-C line just sitting there doing nothing.
sirimiri wrote:
Time to ramp us S system production!
SlowDriver wrote:
The S system is dead... If you are lucky there will be a new Leica mirrorless medium format system that takes the S-lenses with an adapter...
I probably should have added some marks to indicate (S)arcasm. The S system, nice though it may be, is indeed on borrowed time.
p.6 #8 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
calebjoon wrote:
Intially, I was surprised by Leica releasing a new M6 variant. But I think it's to increase awareness of film and to make available three film bodies. Leica knows it will sell to mainly collectors but they don't care; it gives them additional $$ they haven't been making in the used M6 market. If it sells out, they can make more. I think it's a power move by Leica and supports film; which I think is good for everyone.
Cheers.
CJ
If Leica really wanted to push film photography for actual users, this kind of revamped M6 would have been offered in much higher production numbers to support the two other M-A and M-P camera systems (which seem always in demand as new cameras). I suspect this wasn't done mainly for the reason that a higher number of new Leica M film cameras available would automatically bring pricing down - and Leica didn't want this. But it is possible that Leica continues to offer other M6 special editions in low production numbers which satisfies collectors and keeps prices high per unit sold. Regular users will continue to use the used camera market as it was before.
p.6 #9 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
Why not a special MP edition? Or a special M-A edition? Why another M6 variant? Maybe because they still have a lot of M6 parts? Lol...
retrofocus wrote:
If Leica really wanted to push film photography for actual users, this kind of revamped M6 would have been offered in much higher production numbers to support the two other M-A and M-P camera systems (which seem always in demand as new cameras). I suspect this wasn't done mainly for the reason that a higher number of new Leica M film cameras available would automatically bring pricing down - and Leica didn't want this. But it is possible that Leica continues to offer other M6 special editions in low production numbers which satisfies collectors and keeps prices high per unit sold. Regular users will continue to use the used camera market as it was before. ...Show more →
p.6 #10 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
calebjoon wrote:
Why not a special MP edition? Or a special M-A edition? Why another M6 variant? Maybe because they still have a lot of M6 parts? Lol...
Maybe simply to jump on the M6 bandwagon hype and benefit from it profit-wise? There was definitely a black-paint M-P edition made, too. Not sure about others since I normally don't follow the special edition stuff too much.
p.6 #11 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
calebjoon wrote:
Why not a special MP edition? Or a special M-A edition? Why another M6 variant? Maybe because they still have a lot of M6 parts? Lol...
Well they just did that titanium M-A. And most limited edition models are now digital cameras.
The M6 has received a lot of hype online in the last few years, so Leica is just leveraging that.
This ‘M6’ is not actually an M6 but in name. The M6 had zinc pieces and some cheaper bits inside, while this will be the improved MP dressed up as an M6.
So think of it as a limited edition MP!
p.6 #12 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
The M6 has received a lot of hype online in the last few years, so Leica is just leveraging that.
I was hoping the re-release of the M6 would deflate original M6 prices down to normal levels, but it's going to be interesting to see what will actually happen. Like people have said this limited release of 500 will just go straight to collectors, never be opened, and just sit in display cases. I ultimately doubt that it will have any effect on the original M6 prices.
p.6 #13 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
frame_00 wrote:
I was hoping the re-release of the M6 would deflate original M6 prices down to normal levels, but it's going to be interesting to see what will actually happen. Like people have said this limited release of 500 will just go straight to collectors, never be opened, and just sit in display cases. I ultimately doubt that it will have any effect on the original M6 prices.
Actually it looks like the M6 prices have been dropping from a high earlier this year.
Then I saw people asking over $3K for an M6, now it seems down to $2400-$2500 for a decent one.
If anything, a limited release of 500 will just increase interest in the regular ones! Suddenly that $2400 M6 will seem like a bargain!
p.6 #15 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
^Man I just wish I lived closer to the West Hollywood store, I'd love a roll, developing and some chit-chat, all gratis. But piercing that outer protective bubble at say, La Brea ave, then entering the "we-have-$hi&-for-business-tax-base-and-balance-budgets-through-hyper-aggressive-parking-enforcement" zone of West Hollywood is probably half the (time) battle. Nay, 66%.
p.6 #17 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
sirimiri wrote:
^Man I just wish I lived closer to the West Hollywood store, I'd love a roll, developing and some chit-chat, all gratis. But piercing that outer protective bubble at say, La Brea ave, then entering the "we-have-$hi&-for-business-tax-base-and-balance-budgets-through-hyper-aggressive-parking-enforcement" zone of West Hollywood is probably half the (time) battle. Nay, 66%.
p.6 #19 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
I would like to attend an event at the Leica L. A. store. I think I will take the train up from San Diego, and the Metro from there. I hate driving to L. A.. Way to many traffic issues for me.
p.6 #20 · Will Leica bring the M6 film camera back to life?
sirimiri wrote:
^Man I just wish I lived closer to the West Hollywood store, I'd love a roll, developing and some chit-chat, all gratis. But piercing that outer protective bubble at say, La Brea ave, then entering the "we-have-$hi&-for-business-tax-base-and-balance-budgets-through-hyper-aggressive-parking-enforcement" zone of West Hollywood is probably half the (time) battle. Nay, 66%.
You could always park at the Beverly Center and walk a few blocks to the store.
