Those are some addition images to my previous post from 10 days ago about the "60th Anniversary of People’s Republic of China" limited edition Leica MP camera. The model will be available only in China. 161 pieces are produced with a price tag of 199,900 Chinese Yuan ($29,300). The overwhelming red color this time represents something else (not Leica's logo).
Via PDNGearGuide
Related posts:
- Three new Leica limited editions: 60th Anniversary of People’s Republic of China
- Leica M7 Xinhai Revolution limited edition launched in China
- Gold-plated Leica MP camera unveiled in China
- Leica Cultural/Photographic China Tour – April 2009
- Two more pictures of Leica M7 Hermes limited edition
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17 Comments
I am sorry but that is just not attractive to me, at all . . . and I am Chinese!
Awesome… a camera the Chinese proletariat can’t afford.
Nice going!
The Chinese proletariat cannot afford 95% of the non-food items for sale in a typical, non-counterfeit department store. The PRC economy depends on a very small percentage of the wealthy Chinese. Capitalism has returned with a vengeance.
David, you’re just not the right kind of Chinese
Bling for a party official! I think it looks kinda cool.
I don’t understand the point of making these cameras! Why not invest in more digital technology to get a M10? Or how about a Leica digital CL? I know Leica is making a bunch of collectible cameras, but they need to focus more on digital.
@Lainer “I don’t understand the point of making these cameras! Why not invest in more digital technology to get a M10? Or how about a Leica digital CL? I know Leica is making a bunch of collectible cameras, but they need to focus more on digital.” Where do you think the R&D money comes from? making these cosmetic special editions is very, very profitable. Do the math. 161 x $29,300 = $4.7M for a bunch of 161 cameras and fancy boxes.
@M!
Amen.
@Everyone
Yet another worthless piece of junk, errr, camera equipment that only the rich and stupid, errr, appreciative can afford.
Anonymous : please, tell us, which camera do you use ? And which camera should we dream of (if different) ?
@regular
I only use a Canon 40D with BG-E2N and pair it with either 70-200 f2.8L IS, 300 f4L IS with 1.4x II, 180 f3.5L IS with MT-24EX, 10-22 f3.5-4.6 IS USM, Zeiss 35-70 3.4 with EOS adapter for land pictures or an Ikelite underwater case with 8″ dome, port and strobes for underwater pictures.
Dream whatever you will, it’s free for all.
yewwwwwwwww……………..the ugliest leica I ever seen. I thought the Thai was ugly but this one just is trumped without hesitation !
I don’t get it. Why all the hatred? If you don’t like it, move on. Personally its really not my cup of tea, but I wouldn’t call it a piece of junk and go all angry about how only the “rich, stupid and appreciative” would buy it.
I don’t see the point of the Leica making a special edition for the China’s 60th Anniversary with a price that’s so unreasonable. Leica must be living in their past glory! I don’t think Leica has the capability to continue making cameras in the digital era. Look at their M8 and their R9 reflex camera. Leica might be better off if they sell themselves to Japanese camera makers–if the Japanese would be interested and attracted. HAHAHA.
@Frankie Lagniton
You raise an interesting question, can Leica survive as a camera manufacturer? One has to believe that the market for their products is shrinking virtually by the day. Despite their pricing (and price increases) which are probably both a reflection of outdated manufacturing processes and charging whatever they think someone will pay (which is OK), considering the few people who will buy their products at all, it does seem as though the company is in a downward spiral. Just how long can they remain viable? Perhaps it would be best of the company were sold to someone else who has greater technical (and R&D) capability to bring the company into the current era in terms of technology and design. Let’s face it, the collector crowd would be thrilled if they went out of business because it would make their collections even more exclusive, but the company needs to change. It is a lot like Cadillac was a few years ago. They made cars catering to a customer base that was dying off and they needed to change their offering if they were not going to die off with them.
What is wrong with the Leica design now (assuming you are in the market for a range finder)? By that logic, shouldn’t the likes of Mamiya and, indeed, film, been extinct a long time ago? Personally, I don’t think film is going away anytime soon. For similar reasons, I think the M design is good to go for a while yet. As for technology improvement, isn’t the M9 a step in that direction?
For David, 1/28/10
There’s nothing wrong with Leica’s design. I think everyone can agree on that. It’s the ridiculous pricing Leica asks for its products that are so behind in the digital era, hinting as if people are so stupid to buy a product that’s low in value and extremely high price. Don’t get me wrong. I grew up shooting with an M4 and still does in addition to a D3. But I have lost my respect with Leica being behind in digital camera technology and for taking advantage of loyal followers. They can’t even offer VR, IS or OS on their lenses and bodies, brushing aside AF. Leica needs to live in a real world with great advances in digital camera technology and to show respect to its patrons worldwide.
There is always a camp of folks who believe that Leica cameras are over priced, and that people who buy them are stupid; this argument has been around as long as Leica. I grew up subscribing to the theories of invisible hands by Adam Smith and assume that Leica can keep up the pricing because of demand. With the prices as high as it is, the M9 is still not readily available. And, at $30K, people still buy the Hass H3D. To lower the price when there is adequate demand to meet the existing supple, in my humble opinion, would be to act irrationally economically. And, behaving irrationally economically is a sure way to go out of business, in my humble opinion. Some people prefer advanced digital technology for their needs, some people prefer simple but superior optics, who are we, really, to judge what people should and should not spend their own money? Again, my humble opinion.
That said, I still think the PRC edition is ugly, and I would not spend my own money on it. But I have no problem with someone who does believe it is worth their value; I wouldn’t be as bold to call them “stupid.” People have a right to buy and spend their resources on what they want; that’s capitalism. On that front, my girlfriend is absolutely in love with the white edition of the M8, despite me telling her that it is an outdated camera. Her response: it’s pretty . . .