$29,000 24K Gold Leica Anyone?!?

[Tappout]

Leica MP Golden Camera Limited Edition for 60th Anniversary of Peoples’ Republic of China

by Sze | Filed under Camera and Camcorder

2009 marked the 60th Anniversary of Peoples’ Republic of China (PRC). In order to celebrate the moment, Leica introduces its MP Golden Camera Limited Edition, which includes the Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 Gold lens.

Both the camera and lens are coated by 24k gold and the camera body is convered by Leica Red Box Calf leather. They have Mao Zedong’s front type 中華人民共和國萬歲 (Long Live The People’s Republic of China) red calligraphy and Tiananmen Square pattern.
Only 60 sets are available and special serial number starts from the year 1949 to 2009. The Leica MP Golden Camera and the Gold lens are contained by a luxury wooden box. Each set is price at 199,900 Chinese Yuan (US$29,284) and is sold in China.

 

[Formatted]

I wonder if the pictures are any good.

 

[PhotoXopher]

Uh, yeah... the camera is GOLD, hellooooooooooooooo!

 

[TJ K]

Damn! How many cameras come in a wooden box???

 

[icassell]

Wow, it even looks like it comes with a lens cap ... I'll take 2 ...

 

[Josh66]

I guess we know where the red dot comes from now...lol.


meh- It's only gold plated. If it was solid gold, I might consider one...

 

[gl600]

If it had some diamonds I would consider it...

 

[Dominantly]

Stupid.

The only place gold looks good is in bar form.

 

[TJ K]

Even he thinks gold is stupid :lmao:

 

[usayit]

I agree dumb....

Ranks up there with the noctilux f1 special. Which is the same exactly lens but with a wooden box and a 400% markup:
Leica Special Edition Noctilux-M 50mm f/1.0

There are more examples.... of these special edition Leicas
Gold has been done at least two times already:
Golden Thailand Jubilee Celebration
Leica M6 Gold Thailand
Gold M4-2
Leica M4-2 Gold

One modeled after the car manufacturer, Jaguar. A few to celebrate weddings of some royalty or something...

Camera quest has a few listed on their website with pictures.


There are three special versions I would like:
1) M6 Titanium classic. Looks nice and the finish is difficult to scratch.
2) M7 Titanium. Similar to the M6 but looks better and the to half is solid titanium instead of the M6's coated titanium finish.
3) The Leica M6J. 1994 40th Anniversary of M cameras. The insides and operation of the camera is all from the modern M6 BUT the outside looks like the 50s M3. A very sharp combination. Unfortunately, very rare and expensive.

Of those, the only one I own is the M6 Titanium. Its been through a lot of abuse by the previous owner (and me) but still looks fairly new. The titanium bodied lenses that supposedly were made for the camera are actually more expensive than the camera itself.

Speaking of gold editions. Practically every manufacturer has done one:

Nikon FA Gold
Nikon FA Gold
Nikon F Gold
Nikon F Gold - Index Page
Canon F1n Gold
Canon Original F1n GOLD Edition Model
Pentax LX Gold
Pentax LX Special GOLD Edition, 1981 - Prelude

Out side of Leica, one of the most handsome "special edition" cameras I have ever seen is the Pentax LX 2000 limited. Also difficult to find:
Pentax LX Millennium 2000 SLR Camera Model - Index Page

 

[c.cloudwalker]

$29,000 to help the Chinese government rape its people on a daily basis. I would understand this post better if you were calling for a boycott of Leica. Sorry.

 

[usayit]

I'm sorry.. I fail to see the Chinese political connection to a camera product made by a German company. Who are you trying to send a message too?? China or Germany?? because a boycott of Leica would just impact a country/company that has absolutely no political involvement to the government of China.

If anything, you should boycott all the CHINESE MADE projects if you want to make a real statement.. That would actually send the message to the appropriate recipient. Oh wait... almost everything we buy is made in china... DOH! You, I and all of U.S. are the biggest supporter of the Chinese Govt. Shall we be held accountable for their political actions?

 

[Dominantly]

Speaking of China, anyone hear of their incredible $1million donation to Haiti? The country of Brad and Angelina barely was able to match them.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I'm sorry.. I fail to see the Chinese political connection to a camera product made by a German company. Who are you trying to send a message too?? China or Germany?? because a boycott of Leica would just impact a country/company that has absolutely no political involvement to the government of China.

If anything, you should boycott all the CHINESE MADE projects if you want to make a real statement.. That would actually send the message to the appropriate recipient. Oh wait... almost everything we buy is made in china... DOH! You, I and all of U.S. are the biggest supporter of the Chinese Govt. Shall we be held accountable for their political actions?

I don't buy Chinese! Period.

Ok, I probably do because a lot of chinese stuff is showing up in the assembly of other products without being identified but I don't do it knowingly. And it is not that hard. Most of what comes from there is crap and I don't like crap.

Vote with your money is very simple.

 

[usayit]

Vote with your money is very simple.

I've tried... I know its hard... practically impossible. (That is part of the issue right now.. lack of options). My point is, if you vote with money.. targeting a German product does ZERO for the cause.

Its good to take a stance and act on it... just do it with some sort of logic/reason to your actions.