Hi There Peter
They haven't become such a brand they have always made special editions - it doesn't detract from the core product and it's essential for a small company who can't match the 6 monthly releases from their Japanese competitors.
I find it weird that people get so aerated about this (you say you think it's disgusting).
1. You aren't forced to buy them
2. if they sell more special edition cameras then they can invest in a better camera next time around.
I'm not buying one (although I do like the black dials on the back). But I hope lots of other people do.
That is a good summation Jono. Who cares if Leica makes a quick couple of million selling some custom M variant to those with the means to pay the price?
Leica are smart cookies IMO. They cash in on their Cache so to speak
Leica has been quite straight up with their positioning as of late. They are after the top 1% and instituted exclusive retail Store environments and Boutique experiences to cater to that crowd. Folks like that tend to like heritage and history behind the brands they choose …thus the harkening back to a storied past.
This doesn't exclude a serious photographer who "gets" the whole rangefinder gestalt and puts it to good use …professionally or not. At $8K for a camera and upwards of $20K for a decent system, the photographer is already in the 1%, or close to it … or they are making a serious financial commitment by acting like they are in the top 1% when it comes to their photography.
- Marc
When asked why he robbed banks, the infamous thief Willy Loman replied …
"Because that's where the money is." Leica goes where the money is. It's that simple.