Minolta meters reborn?

[Oren Grad]

http://www.thkphoto.com/news/news-pr-kfm-3100-0407.html

http://www.thkphoto.com/news/news-pr-kfm-2100-0407.html

http://www.thkphoto.com/news/news-pr-kfm-1100-0407.html

[JW Dewdney]

What the HECK happened to light meter pricing?? I guess the light meter mfrs got greedy along with all the bike mfrs, etc... all during the 90s...!


I remember buying my NEW Gossen Lunasix 3 when it was a current model for $80 CDN...!! I mean - it was a long time ago - but not so long ago that prices should be 10x what they were!

[Bob Bell]

I'll stick to my Minolta flash meter. $400 is crazy considering a sekonic 358 is just over $200.

[Walter Calahan]

Only speculation on my part, but the a percentage of the price of these Kenko Meters is probably covering the cost of aquiring the Minolta technology on which they are based.

[Eric Woodbury]

I remember when I could buy yyy for $xxx. What a bunch of crap. There was a time when photography was a big market. No doubt meter manufacturers sold thousands of pieces per year. How many meters can you sell today? And all that engineering has to be paid for. And money just is not worth what it was. I used to be able to buy gas for 23.9 cents per gallon. We all know what gas is now. True, everybody complains about it, but they seem happy to buy it, too.

If we large format photogs want the technology, we will have to pay for it. Be happy that it is available and that you aren't out in the garage trying to figure out how to make you own light meter.

[Oren Grad]

What Eric said. Check current pricing on the Sekonic and Gossen counterparts to these specific products.

[JW Dewdney]

I remember when I could buy yyy for $xxx. What a bunch of crap. There was a time when photography was a big market. No doubt meter manufacturers sold thousands of pieces per year. How many meters can you sell today? And all that engineering has to be paid for. And money just is not worth what it was. I used to be able to buy gas for 23.9 cents per gallon. We all know what gas is now. True, everybody complains about it, but they seem happy to buy it, too.

If we large format photogs want the technology, we will have to pay for it. Be happy that it is available and that you aren't out in the garage trying to figure out how to make you own light meter.

That's not at all true. It's entirely greed driven. Do you think that the price of gas is driven by per-barrel oil costs? God no! It's driven by pushing the consumers to pay more! Steady increases in pricing to consumers haven't resulted in a significant decline in sales - so guess what happens?? It keeps going up. that's called capitalism! My point was simply that price increases were completely out of proportion to production costs. That's also why bank and health care provider profits are at record highs now. Because there are no controls. My point is that it's not acceptable. If we stop buying altogether then sure, most or all product lines will drop off. But that's going to be necessary for someone to eventually pick up the reins and start producing a cheap but good meter. I'll bet you'd see the price of gas drop like a rock if consumption dropped to 20% of what it is now.

[Marko]

I'll bet you'd see the price of gas drop like a rock if consumption dropped to 20% of what it is now.

If we had a choice in it, that would certainly be the case.

But how would people in our fair city alone go to work if they stopped buying gas? It might not be such a big deal for you or me, but most people here have to go to work every day, the average commute being 20 miles one way. Ditto for health care - people do get sick and then they have to see a doctor, no choice about it. Unless they're among those 47 million Americans without health care.

But that's a topic for the Lounge, not the light meters, so let's stay on topic and, like Oren suggested, check the prices on Sekonic and Gossen...

Sekonic L-558R can be had new for $400 these days, as the discontinued model. It looks so much better and sturdier than any of the THK models that I don't see why would the price be double.

[JW Dewdney]

Well- I suppose what I would propose for a solution to this - is to 'recycle' - i.e. buy used off ebay, or wherever. There are still MILLIONS (well, almost) of perfectly great light meters going unused. why the heck not ?

PS - Marko - I don't know - a gas AND a job strike might be just what this country needs! Whatever happened to consumers unions? (oops! there I go again - another 'whatever happened to...'!! LOL)

[Scott Davis]

those prices are INSANE!

And there was no redesign/re-engineering of those things either... the form factors are identical. Only difference is the sticky-labels on the front.

[Ted Harris]

It's an apples to oranges argument folks. All you see so far for the Kenko meters is a Suggested Retail Price v. the street selling price for Sekonic and Gossen meters. When they do reach the market here they will be somewere in the range of 50% to 70% of these suggested retail prices.

[evan clarke]

Hey everybody, The dollar is toilet tissue right now, imports (especially oil) are expensive..EC

[Eric Rose]

Prices seem to be in line with current pricing.

Maybe if people didn't want to be paid the bucks necessary so they could buy every friggen toy they can cram into their garages (ATV's, boats. trailers, fun cars etc etc), or 4 and 5 bedroom houses when they have no kids and don't intend on ever having any then maybe prices could go down.