Would be fascinated to know: How many new Leica MP film bodies are sold, worldwide, each day?

[AgX]

Sirius, the official german term for these cameras is more similar in practical meaning to "disposable camera" than what you say in English. On this etn's joke is built up.

 

[Arklatexian]

My next M will be a brand new chrome MA for £3800. That's under £32/month for 10 years. Hardly breaks the bank if you think it like that, I spend more than that on film per month.

The problem with buying used stuff is that unless someone makes new ones the used stuff runs out, ie becomes rare, ie expensive. We should all thank Leica for making new film cameras. It is the only thing keeping the used ones from selling for $4000. Just look at the price creep for things like Nikon F3s, Hasselblads, etc. I bought a 501CM kit for £1000 in 2010. Nowadays that's £1500+. Soon those things will be more than what they cost new. That F3HP I bought for £150 a few years back I sold for £300 last year and good luck finding one for under £350 today. Do you want a Hexar? Ha. Maybe a Contax G2? HA HA. Or maybe you want something a bit more common like a Nikon F5. That's gone up too. I don't know if it is demand picking up, stock going down or both but overall the prices I see are not what they were 5-10 years back. So we can laugh about rich people, sense and money but rich people buying new Leica is the only reason I got my M4 for £800 and not £1800.

Here we are in a film forum talking about rich people and money when we flush a tenner down the toilet every 36 clicks of the shutter...

I not only thank Leica, Linhof, Hasselblad for making cameras that I can't afford but I also thank people with enough money for buying them. I certainly don't call them names for doing so. I have known some rich people who BOUGHT new Leicas, etc. and the only thing that I found wrong with them was that I was not one of them. Yet to some in this group they are not only ignorant but stupid for paying new price. As mentioned above and as I have said here before, these stupid, ignorant, "rich" buyers are ultimately where our "used" equipment comes from. That is not "rocket-science" friends. By the way, my used Hasselblad 500CM cost the same U.S. dollars today as the camera sold for "new" back when. I do know all about the dollar being worth more in those days........Regards!

 

[Huss]

I bought the M-A over the M-P because it has much nicer frame lines in the VF.

 

[BradS]

I bought the M-A over the M-P because it has much nicer frame lines in the VF.

Can you elaborate a little please? I would have assumed they were identical.

 

[Ces1um]

Indeed. I wonder how these numbers compare to Ondu, Zero image, Harman and other pinhole camera makes.

From the ONDU kickstarter page they only had 612 backers for their new ondu mk iii (all models included In that figure). Not sure how many additional ones they would sell in a year. Suffice it to say, the numbers are low. I bought their new model 35mm camera. It's beautiful but I'm not sold on the current version of the "shutter button". I think it introduces a fair amount of shake. Pinholes are never that sharp but I feel my camera is producing blurrier than expected results. Still, it's a beautiful camera.

 

[miha]

Thanks for the update. ONDU would be my first choice neverthelss. These cameras are produced in my country which makes them the first and only Slovenian camera manufaturer despite the fact that my nation pioneerd in photography: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Pucher

 

[Ces1um]

Thanks for the update. ONDU would be my first choice neverthelss. These cameras are produced in my country which makes them the first and only Slovenian camera manufaturer despite the fact that my nation pioneerd in photography: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Pucher

Well, if you purchase one you'll be extremely happy with the construction. They are very well put together. Having purchased the 35mm variant, I would suggest that you look to one of their 120 film varieties. It's not that I'm unhappy with the 35mm camera, it's just a bit compact to get at the shutter. That and the fact that there are 3d printed plastic parts to wear out.

 

[Huss]

Can you elaborate a little please? I would have assumed they were identical.

The M-A has unbroken frame lines making for a very nice and clean viewing experience similar to an M4. The M-P has only a partial bottom horizontal frame line as it has to accommodate the meter readout.

 

[BradS]

The M-A has unbroken frame lines making for a very nice and clean viewing experience similar to an M4. The M-P has only a partial bottom horizontal frame line as it has to accommodate the meter readout.

Ah, yes. The meter read out...I hadn't thought about that. Thanks.

 

[alentine]

We should all thank Leica for making new film cameras.

Yes indeed, film_man.
Leica introduced photography( in the form of 35mm cameras/format) to the public and professionals since more than 100 years.
Nikon introduced the 1st complete modular professional SLR system 60 years ago.
Both companies still making photography cameras.
That's really magnificent not less.

 

[Henning Serger]

What I wanted to say is, that we do not know if the Hy6 still would be offered if no sensor back would be available.

You don't know it.
People from the industry do know it. The current production of the Hy6 Mod. 2 is mainly for film photographers. They are by far the biggest user group. Digital backs play a minor role for this camera.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

Does making new film Leicas mean that spares for old models are made? I inquired in this thread about the spare parts situation for Leicas. No answer....

If you are really interested in that topic, you would have come to the "Leica Experience Days: Analoge Fotografie" at the Leica Headquarter at the end of September. Then you could have asked Leica directly. This event was 100% for film photographers. Perfect possibility to get in contact and ask such questions.

Linhof was mentioned. But they lack some essential spare parts though still are busy with manufacturing film cameras.

You could have asked Linhof directly at the first October weekend: They were there presenting their products at the "fineartforum" in Paderborn.
But you avoid visting such events like Photokina, analogueNOW, fineartforum etc. You avoid talking to the relevant people in the industry.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[AgX]

Why should I got to Leica? As you for sure will tell us anyway what is going on at the industry.

 

[AgX]

You don't know it.

I wrote "we don't know". That obviously includes me.
No reason to stress that.

 

[Henning Serger]

Why should I got to Leica? As you for sure will tell us anyway what is going on at the industry.

You should go there and to other manufacturers to get correct information instead of giving here permanently rumors, speculation or wrong information.
Is that so difficult to understand?

Best regards,
Henning

 

[AgX]

Which rumour did I start at which place??
Where did I give wrong informartion?

With about 20.000 post and a lot of respective PMs mainly on technical terms I guess I provided quite some useful information and my rate of telling nonsense seems not larger than those by other members.

You are the one telling us all the time how great the industry is doing, even in a cases of insolvency and collapse.

 

[miha]

You are the one telling us all the time how great the industry is doing, even in a cases of insolvency and collapse.

True indeed!

 

[BradS]

You should go there and to other manufacturers to get correct information instead of giving here permanently rumors, speculation or wrong information.
Is that so difficult to understand?

Best regards,
Henning

Which rumour did I start at which place??
Where did I give wrong informartion?

With about 20.000 post and a lot of respective PMs mainly on technical terms I guess I provided quite some useful information and my rate of telling nonsense seems not larger than those by other members.

You are the one telling us all the time how great the industry is doing, even in a cases of insolvency and collapse.

Seems like its getting kinda personal. Why don't you guys take it outside.
You both appear to be Germans...maybe meet somewhere, and celebrate October with a beer?

 

[Ces1um]

Seems like its getting kinda personal. Why don't you guys take it outside.
You both appear to be Germans...maybe meet somewhere, and celebrate October with a beer?

I've always found that the civility found within a thread on photrio is inversely proportional to it's page count.

 

[logan2z]

Seems like its getting kinda personal. Why don't you guys take it outside.
You both appear to be Germans...maybe meet somewhere, and celebrate October with a beer?

Despite their differences, I think that both posters are correct to some degree. I think it's pretty clear to anyone paying attention that there is something of a film revival going on. We're seeing the introduction of new film/paper products and the return of some classic films from big players. And a company like Leica continues to produce a couple of film cameras - in what numbers we can only guess, but presumably there's enough demand to make it worthwhile. Young people seem particularly interested in trying film for the first time and that will serve to create higher demand for film products. That said, I think it's also pretty obvious that film photography, while continuing to survive and perhaps slowly grow, will never again dominate. And that's ok. Much like the vinyl revival that began some years ago and continues to keep vinyl lovers going with new LPs, turntables, tonearms and cartridges, it appears that there will be plenty of film related products to keep the analog photographer happy for many years to come. A niche market for sure, but a market nonetheless.

 

[Henning Serger]

You are the one telling us all the time how great the industry is doing, even in a cases of insolvency and collapse.

And that is again wrong. I have never done that. You will not find any evidence for that!

Regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

Why don't you guys take it outside.
You both appear to be Germans...maybe meet somewhere, and celebrate October with a beer?

Excellent idea, Brad!
I will do that immediately!
But AgX will definitely not come to such a meeting. I have made such a suggestion years ago.
We will never see him in real life. I have been on almost all regular film photography events in Germany for many years. It is so extremely easy for someone in Germany to meet me and to talk to me.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[Henning Serger]

And a company like Leica continues to produce a couple of film cameras - in what numbers we can only guess, but presumably there's enough demand to make it worthwhile.

Again, we don't need to guess at all. Leica has given the numbers and I have given this official information here to you. The facts are there! I can only give them to you!
More than 1,000 film M cameras are currently produced, and the demand is increasing for years. In the last 12 months demand increased by 20%.
And the production of their Instax camera 'Sofort' is in the five digit range. It is their currently best selling camera model.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[macfred]

Seems like its getting kinda personal. Why don't you guys take it outside.
You both appear to be Germans...maybe meet somewhere, and celebrate October with a beer?

I would offer my services as a second in case of duelling ...

 

[logan2z]

Again, we don't need to guess at all. Leica has given the numbers and I have given this official information here to you. The facts are there! I can only give them to you!
More than 1,000 film M cameras are currently produced, and the demand is increasing for years. In the last 12 months demand increased by 20%.
And the production of their Instax camera 'Sofort' is in the five digit range. It is their currently best selling camera model.

Best regards,
Henning

I must have somehow missed the numbers you posted. A 20% increase is great to hear! Maybe the M-A will still be in production by the time I save my pennies to buy a silver companion to my black chrome M-A