johnvanr
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1bwana1 wrote:
I see your point of view on that subject, and can't really disagree that it is the right approach for you. However for me it is somewhat different. The Leica brand which is an integral part of supporting Leica culture, Leica community, and Leica customer interface infrastructure, which are an important part of my enjoyment of my photography hobby.
The LSI organization has events, a magazine, and a website that I enjoy membership in. I have made many very good friends through this Leica supported organization.
I have four Leica owned stores within easy distance of me. I know of know other camera brand with such an extensive infrastructure of customer experience. These World Wide stores are elegant , and are staffed by wonderful people, hold many interesting events not just about equipment but also have galleries for photo exhibitions, educational seminars, and workshops. I frequently attend events at these stores. This recently included an invitation to try the new M EV-1 we are discussing in this thread. These store also offer many great services to Leica customers including free cleanings (sensors included), inspections, and minor servicing of Leica equipment.
Brand management and customer car are important ingredients in many luxury products. One should try and take advantage of them to fully understand the value of ownership. Porsche and Ferrari are examples of this. In my time as a Porsche driver I spent many hours with Porsche owners instruction on advanced driving techniques and doing VIP drives at different race tracks around the World. Today, I will be a guest at Ferrari headquarters in Italy. I know that owners of these brands perceive great value in such experiences. Price and money are not as big a barrier for some as it is for others. After you have paid for food, house, health, transportation, and other basic needs what are you going to do with the rest of you money. I say enjoy it. You will be dead soon and then you will be dead for a very long time.
So yes, if all you want is to buy a camera and shoot it without taking advantage of all the benefits a brand offers your view makes sense. Price/performance/value calculations are all that matter. While these are also core to my decision making, the value portion is heavily influenced by brand considerations.
In regards to this specific release I stand by my "luke warm" not for me opinion on the product. I wish Leica had put mor innovation into this release. Still, it is a competent product that when taken as a whole will likely offer a great experience for many people. In sum it should be a valuable option in the Leica M ecosystem for a certain customer profile.
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Interesting perspective.
To start with the place of this camera in the market. I'm not sure about that. I've read repeatedly that this is the M aimed at older Leica users who have trouble seeing the rangefinder patch, but want to keep using a M. Now, maybe I'm ill-informed, but these forums tend to skew toward older Leica users and I've seen very few people here say this camera is perfect for them. But I leave that to the market forces. We'll see.
Your post made me think about my relationships to brands and products. I've never moved in the realm of Porsche or Ferrari owners and only twice briefly popped into a Leica store, while only visiting the Leica Wetzlar facility to quickly get my M11 fixed. And when I was invited to product launches, free rides (including a Porsche for a week) and loaner products, it was always in my role as an outsider, a journalist. And I think I very much always take on that role myself. When I still wrote my blog, Zeiss asked if I wanted to contribute to their blog and I said no, while I saw others, including people who insisted on their independence from brands, posting on that Zeiss blog.
So, yes, I guess I tend to not 'join' any brand. I abhor wearing branded clothing. I expect a brand to live up to its reputation, not for me to give it leeway because its name once meant something. I guess I value brands by what they represent, but once they no longer represent that, the manufacturer has for me thrown that brand away (recent examples: Ford using Mustang and Capri for new middle-of-the-road EVs). Hence, to me, it's still for Leica to protect its brand by offering products that do it justice.
Have fun at Ferrari!
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