Update: the price of the Leica D-Lux 4 will go up to $799 (currently $699 on Amazon).
As reported before Leica US will raise their prices on January 1st, 2010 (price increase is also expected in the UK). David Farkas just posted online the new price list for the US:
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8 Comments
Glad to see the 24mm Elmar is staying the same. Had my eye on that lens for a while now.
I am interested to hear any comments anyone has comparing the 24mm Elmar and the 28mm Elmarit. The MTF for the 24mm Elmar is pretty impressive.
David, I recently got the 28mm Elmarit – I will post a brief “hands on” soon. I don’t have the 24 Elmar.
@ Scott
And I’m assuming you won’t be getting it anytime soon. If you do, congrats on spending thousands of $$$ on a piece of glass. Probably one you’ll never get paid for. Unless you sell it. Just the satisfaction of getting the brand. But. Way to go.
@ Everyone
These prices are ludacris! We’re in recession gosh darn it! But it is the holidays. Feel free to indulge on your whims and fancies. Enjoy the Christmas season!
Things cost what people will pay.
If you want it and can afford it, no problem. If you think it is too expensive, buy something else. There is a lot of alternatives. Personally, I think it is nice having the choice. I chose something more modest, but that´s just me and lenses.
@LR
I look forward to your report. I think it’s a wonderful little lens and have no complaints. But if you are enlarging the photo to something very big, the MTF seems to suggest the 24mm Elmar may be a bit sharper on the details. But the MTF is one thing, real photos is another.
@ Anonymous
You are certainly not the first, nor the last I suspect, person who complains about the prices of Leica. But as Sven says, to each’s own. The First Amendment allows all of us to speak out mind, and the free country we live in allows us to spend our money however we wish so long as the spending is legal. to have the choice is better than to not have a choice; this is why Americans, not the Soviets, won the cold war. And, I can confidently say there have certainly been worse investments out there than Leica lenses
This price increase was cause by the “weak performance of the US Dollar vs. the Euro”. Same thing for the pound in the UK. This explains why there are no price increases in other countries. The Leica M9, X1 and S2 price will stay unchanged.
Yes the dollar has been a real dog this year and the price disparities between the U.S. and the rest of the world has been great. Though, Leica increases their prices SOMEWHERE around the world each year, so I have been told. Nikon does the same thing. I purchased my AF-S 70-200mm VR I for $1,649 from BH Photo Video in July of 2008; I was able to sell that lens just this week for $1,550 due to Nikon’s price increase. I actually made a tiny profit ($100) with my Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8 after two years of use! Ken Rockwell believes good lenses are safe investments; I tend to agree, especially in an inflationary environment which I would not be surprised if we enter.