Marc & Others,
I'm far from being involved in the world of traditional marketing 101 as being discussed but I always thought that when a entry level luxury brand product such as the X Vario is brought out for example, it is also hoped that it makes such an impact with the buyer, that they eventually hope to "trade up" within the brand. The example used above suggests this buyer for whatever reason wants or desires Af...that's fine. If they decide after a time of using and enjoying this product they would like to branch out to incorporate a wider or longer lens but keep the other attributes of EVF, focus peaking etc., it doesn't appear they have anywhere to go within the brand...unless they step up to a Leica S, which is doubtful. The new Leica M doesn't have AF. Below is a possible solution to this dilemma and more.
That's why I thought a good opportunity might have been missed by not introducing the exact same camera as the X Vario but incorporating the ability to change lenses by having a interchangeable M mount. This would not only have served the purpose of some of these buyers to expand out beyond the zoom they started with but also for Leica to offer the camera to some other of their other and current traditional users of the Leica brand. Yes, wider or longer M lenses as it stands now are strictly manual focus, but if the camera turned out to be successful for both their target market and others, it might have encouraged Leica to come out with a few small APS specific AF lenses along the lines and quality of the original zoom offered in order to allow growth within the system and thus keep their original entry level buyer from leaving for other green pastures.
At least with the example of the C class cars, anyone who purchases an entry level model has the choice of stepping up to a higher class version when desired and not loose the features that got them into their original model in the 1st place.
Although I know designing the X vario with an interchangeable M mount meant some compromises would have to be made, I think the tradeoff would have served the company well without loosing their original target audience, so to speak, while at the same time drawing in others. The $3,000 or slightly higher price tag to some, might have been a more readily accepted I believe and it might have been looked upon as a true gateway and model to entering the Leica "M" system, just as used examples of the Leica M8/M8.2 are now seen as some as a gateway to full frame interchangeable Leica M models such as the M9 and new M. Just some random thoughts.
Dave (D&A)
I'm far from being involved in the world of traditional marketing 101 as being discussed but I always thought that when a entry level luxury brand product such as the X Vario is brought out for example, it is also hoped that it makes such an impact with the buyer, that they eventually hope to "trade up" within the brand. The example used above suggests this buyer for whatever reason wants or desires Af...that's fine. If they decide after a time of using and enjoying this product they would like to branch out to incorporate a wider or longer lens but keep the other attributes of EVF, focus peaking etc., it doesn't appear they have anywhere to go within the brand...unless they step up to a Leica S, which is doubtful. The new Leica M doesn't have AF. Below is a possible solution to this dilemma and more.
That's why I thought a good opportunity might have been missed by not introducing the exact same camera as the X Vario but incorporating the ability to change lenses by having a interchangeable M mount. This would not only have served the purpose of some of these buyers to expand out beyond the zoom they started with but also for Leica to offer the camera to some other of their other and current traditional users of the Leica brand. Yes, wider or longer M lenses as it stands now are strictly manual focus, but if the camera turned out to be successful for both their target market and others, it might have encouraged Leica to come out with a few small APS specific AF lenses along the lines and quality of the original zoom offered in order to allow growth within the system and thus keep their original entry level buyer from leaving for other green pastures.
At least with the example of the C class cars, anyone who purchases an entry level model has the choice of stepping up to a higher class version when desired and not loose the features that got them into their original model in the 1st place.
Although I know designing the X vario with an interchangeable M mount meant some compromises would have to be made, I think the tradeoff would have served the company well without loosing their original target audience, so to speak, while at the same time drawing in others. The $3,000 or slightly higher price tag to some, might have been a more readily accepted I believe and it might have been looked upon as a true gateway and model to entering the Leica "M" system, just as used examples of the Leica M8/M8.2 are now seen as some as a gateway to full frame interchangeable Leica M models such as the M9 and new M. Just some random thoughts.
Dave (D&A)