Have you ever wondered?

Well have you? Have you ever wondered how people can afford their dream cameras, computers, cars etc, etc? It really amazes me when you hear reports from the press how some expensive consumer items have sold so fast that availability and waiting times to get hold of the item for some is almost impossible. This happened to me when I decided to buy the Panasonic LX3 to use as my candid street camera. One photographic store had me on their waiting list for months because they just couldn't get them in stock. I got so fed up that I purchased from a large Department Store - one who didn't specialise in photographic equipment I might add - simply because they were Panasonic's main buyer in the UK. Yes, the store were box shifters and obviously selling a lot of boxes.

This state of affairs meant being subjected to full retail price. There wouldn't be any deals because there was no competition. John Lewis, the offending store (and where I bought mine in the end) had more than 10 units in stock while everyone else couldn't get them. This, so many blogs revealed, was a world-wide phenomenon. Some had them in stock at inflated prices, and others didn't.

This is now happening with my dream camera - the Leica M9. As soon as Leica revealed the for- sale date, these things apparently sprouted wings and flew off the shelves. It was reported that pro DSLR users were selling up their heavy Canon and Nikon gear to put their investment into the M9. Now, Leica may be rubbing their hands with glee as the old M series collectors begin to mothball the first few batches of the camera, and pros ditch their old manufacturers for this new baby, but where does that leave the rest of us?

There is a good few months wait for an M9 if you join the list. Leica will be in no rush to supply the stores either. Leica have always had a policy of exclusivity, and that means keep the people waiting. It's a carrot and stick philosophy. And one that works every time. Anything percieved as exclusive will have a matching a price tag to go with it, so make it scarce, make it expensive, and you're onto a winner. Panasonic have recently learnt this trick from Leica with their LX3 no doubt. If you have one, and others can't get one, then you will feel quite secure and snobby about owning one. That's the name of the exclusive marketing game.

If Leica needed to compete in the real world of photographic commerce and sell to the ordinary man on the street, they wouldn't last five minutes. Their street cred would disappear at a stroke. At one point however, it was nearly game over for them. What is admirable about Leica is that they pulled themselves back from the brink of disaster to produce a digital range of cameras that we all believe we might die for to own - or so the marketing men have led us to believe. They have expertly convinced us photographers that their cameras beat all other competition hands down and are the ultimate picture making machine to own. One that we should all aspire towards. Yes, even I, the biggest cynic on the face of the planet earth believes this to be true. It goes to show you just how powerful clever marketing can be.

The big question of course is, would I buy into one of these cameras? The big answer is, YES. Only two small things are holding me back from doing so: money and availability. I know envy and coveting are mortal sins, but how I envy those who use one already, and had the dosh to part with without fear of a pending divorce. I must have done something wrong with my life not to be able to have one. Perhaps I just don't deserve it.