Why do black paint cameras and lenses cost so much?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Leica Photography : One Thread

Is it because of the low number produced or is there something about that justifies its added premium. Hand painted, in the older ones I can kind of accept. But the newer black paint items from Leica are machine applied. So what gives? Expensive paint?!!

-- sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), February 27, 2002

Answers

Limited production runs that do not benefit from economy of scale. The LHSA editions also have a special brass top plate, instead of the usual zinc alloy. And starting up a special production line for the black Leica dot instead of red. ;+) There remains a suspicion that these items are overpriced, but if the collectors want to subsidize our favorite camera company so it can stay in business (Leica lost money last year) then why should we complain?

-- Phil Stiles (Stiles@metrocast.net), February 27, 2002.

....same reason ANY Leica costs so much - Leica has 'em and won't give 'em to us unless we pay what they ask! It's called "what the market will bear."

Nothing justifies the price in any technical sense - low production runs and high prices are a chicken-and-egg problem. If Leica dropped the price and sold more units, then their costs would drop, too.

Why do Picassos and Van Goghs sell for so much? Because they are not common and people want them and are willing to pay for them - so why shouldn't the sellers charge all they can get?

If only the LHSA black paint wasn't a damn TTL!

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), February 27, 2002.


Andy is right. If I want a black paint Leica like the LHSA then I want the old style shutter dial instead of the new TTL version!!!

-- Russell Brooks (russell@ebrooks.org), February 28, 2002.

Yeh, give me the old vintage stuff anyday. The new blackpaint M6ttl's like the Millennium M6ttl is not the same as the old blackpaint cameras. They just don't make them like they used to; as the saying goes.

Old is better. Simple is best.

-- sparkie (sparkie@mailcity.com), February 28, 2002.


Absolutely! I might have bought one if it weren't for that stupid shutter speed dial and extra height. And if they'd put the M2/M3 advance on it instead of the hinged plastic one it would have been a no- brainer! Glad to see others have good taste, too!

-- Carlin (carlinm@abac.com), February 28, 2002.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ