You have access to Leica's sales figures? What I'm hearing is there's a waiting list for it at most dealers.
Same for the S2. It's a market niche that was un-filled until the S2. Waiting lists at most dealers.
If number of pixels is your measure of image quality, then get a new 21MP or 24MP camera. I look at prints, and the gallery owners & curators I've met with have been bowled over by the DMR's image quality.
Doug,
I know what you last pointed, and many serious R users are saying the same, I trust them in that. The DMR delivers outstanding IQ, more than its 10MP would let us think. Yes. But it is overpriced nowday. It is a simple as that.
By the way I loved your work with nature, specially the birds.
In terms of IQ, I ask myself if the very high IQ you obtain is not a combination between this back AND some fantastic Leica high-end lenses also.
I'd like to see these lenses with an adaptor on any modern FF dslr, that would be nice to see, but I'm pretty sure they play an important role and not so much the DRM.
Number of megapixel is not the only parameter of an image quality, that is why I was considering the Leica, but the Sony Alfa 900 ALSO has been applauded worldwide for having a very good image quality, and not by unexperienced users, so I guess that 3000euros for a used 10MP back (no gear, no lens) that is not in production any more, even if IQ is exeptional is IMO a little whim. No, in fact it is a big whim. If I had the money to allow myself such a whim? fine.
But 3000 euros is also the used price of an Imacon 16MP Hassy back, and there, we are also talking about really really good IQ.
If this back would have been sold at 1500euros used then it is another story.
Also, the R users where claiming a digital successor of the 9, and the DMR was available. There has been international petitions (that I signed) to put pressure on Leica by their own users that wanted a digital R10. Many where not happy with the current solution because it is simply too expensive.
I must say that I've been very surprised how expensive is still the DMR, and gave up the idea when I realised the state of the market. It is like when the red dot appears price are rising uncontroled whatever the product is. Quality has a price, yes, but speculation is when prices are unrealistic regardless of the quality.
The X1 can be find in any shop here for 1500euros, even really mass orientated shops have it and they do not sell at all units, while they are selling like hot-dogs the Olympus Micro-four-third. An X1 is available everywhere in any shop here. You put the 1500euros on the table and you go with it.
Why they don't sell? the price.
There is as you said a waiting list for the S2, I saw it and asked, and the waiting list is actually long: they don't know, at least several months. No news, no time-list, nothing just "you have to wait".
There was a desert land, it is true, in this particular design when they released the S2, but now there is that Pentax at 7000euros disponible NOW. (well in august). When the Pentax will be on sale in Spain, you go to shop and buy it. I doubt they will tell you: you have to wait months before we will call you if maybe...
I love Leica, I wish they do things with more strategy, not praticing the ostrich politics and stop thinking that a red dot is enough. Nowdays it is not.