While my fingers still have life... As the treasurer of a billion $ plus corporation, I have forgotten more about the economics and calculus of supply and demand, inputs, production, micro and macro factors, marginal this and marginal that, than most people will know in a lifetime. I would certainly love to debate whether leica can cut cost and prices on lenses and grow market share. But that is a conversation for another day. I also understand that increased market share may not be leica's motive and certainly not the motive of some leica officianados. As a finance exec that thought deeply troubles me. Probably why corporations need more than just finance execs making decisions. Over the past number of years leica has had its share of financial issues and senior management turnover even before the recent economic meltdown. Will they survive with their current model? The opinions are across a very wide continuum on that one. Based on my limited outsider, current understanding of their model, it is an investment I would not make make. $77 million may not be enough. Though I would love to study their model and see what they really are about. In the meantime, I expect my m lenses will still be providing incredible results 20 years from now. To quote a mentor of mine when discussing a friend of his lamenting over the cost of owning a private jet. "If you are worried about the annual cost of flying in a personal jet, you can't afford it!" Perhaps the allure of owning leica. If you are concerned with price, you probably can't afford it, but want one. A gross generalization, I know. But there is some wisdom there. A lot of us just suck it up and pay to have the quality. I really do hope that 20 years from now leica is not just a memory. Which begs the question: what will a digital camera look like in 20 years and will lenses even be an issue? I may not be able to use an m lens. Shudder that thought! We will be wearing 20x zoom lens glasses with a 100 mp mini cam in the frame wireless linked to a cray supercomputer wrist watch!!!! Holy radiation, Batman! Enjoy your leicas while you can. :ROTFL::wtf::talk028: