The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - I Don't Think I Buy The "Too Expensive To Make Colt DA Revolvers" Arguement Anymore

micromontenegro · October 5, 2012, 08:01 AM

There is a full blown, small but very profitable market of niche, luxury items. Leica cameras seem a perfect comparison. Some years ago it was a struggling company, offering some of the best (and most expensive) lenses and cameras extant to the wrong market: the serious photographers that could get similar quality (but not luxury, or snob appeal) from top-of-the-line Nikon and Canon. Notice that collectors were (and still are) paying insane prices for used Leicas.

Than, it dawned on them: let us cater to our real market, the ones who use the cameras not only as superb picture taking machines, but also as status symbols, as jewelry if you will. And the company took off. Not only they could continue hand building their cameras straight from the 50's, but they made enough money to pay for the R&D so now they can offer fully modern digital cameras made with mechanical-optical rangefinders à la 1950. And they sell like hotcakes at $6.500 without a lens http://www.amazon.com/Leica-M9-Digit.../dp/B002NX13LC- which is absurd when you think about the whole lot of $1000 cameras that perform the same- but without the legend, the tactile pleasure, the snob appeal if we go harsh.

I used Leica as an example because I know it well. Of course I oversimplified the story, but you get my drift. There are many luxury brands that make excellent profits with tiny, hand made productions based on nostalgia, image and legend. Of course, quality is a must.

Colt could do the same. A small but very profitable business for those willing to pay for the legend. They already do that with the SAA, so they must know by now that it works.

October 5, 2012, 08:01 AM	#15
micromontenegro Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2010 Posts: 647	There is a full blown, small but very profitable market of niche, luxury items. Leica cameras seem a perfect comparison. Some years ago it was a struggling company, offering some of the best (and most expensive) lenses and cameras extant to the wrong market: the serious photographers that could get similar quality (but not luxury, or snob appeal) from top-of-the-line Nikon and Canon. Notice that collectors were (and still are) paying insane prices for used Leicas. Than, it dawned on them: let us cater to our real market, the ones who use the cameras not only as superb picture taking machines, but also as status symbols, as jewelry if you will. And the company took off. Not only they could continue hand building their cameras straight from the 50's, but they made enough money to pay for the R&D so now they can offer fully modern digital cameras made with mechanical-optical rangefinders à la 1950. And they sell like hotcakes at $6.500 without a lens http://www.amazon.com/Leica-M9-Digit.../dp/B002NX13LC- which is absurd when you think about the whole lot of $1000 cameras that perform the same- but without the legend, the tactile pleasure, the snob appeal if we go harsh. I used Leica as an example because I know it well. Of course I oversimplified the story, but you get my drift. There are many luxury brands that make excellent profits with tiny, hand made productions based on nostalgia, image and legend. Of course, quality is a must. Colt could do the same. A small but very profitable business for those willing to pay for the legend. They already do that with the SAA, so they must know by now that it works.