Leica M9-P Edition Hermes

If you’ve ever wondered if designer names alone can send a product’s price tag through the roof, this should suffice as confirmation. Hermès, the Parisian fashion giant, has teamed up with Leica for some creative marketing. Two special M9-P editions will be available — a total of 300 Edition Hermès digital rangefinders will ship beginning in June for $25,000, while 100 “very special” (even more exclusive) Edition Hermès – Série Limitée Jean-Louis Dumas models will be available in July for, ahem, $50,000 (that’s fifty thousand, in case you assumed it was a typo).

Likely realizing that it would be insanely absurd to unload the M9-P for either price without lenses included, Leica has opted to offer both as complete kits. The less expensive version uses some fancy calfskin leather with a silver chrome finish, and ships with a Leica Summilux-M 50 mm f/1.4 ASPH. optic. The “very special” version, on the other hand, includes a Leica Summicron-M 28 mm f/2 ASPH., a Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/0.95 ASPH. and a Leica APO-Summicron-M 90 mm f/2 ASPH — all finished in anodized silver. It also comes with a bag and a book. Due to the incredibly limited production run, you’ll probably want to pitch a tent (or have your assistant park their assistant’s Maybach) outside the Washington DC Leica Store, beginning sometime later this month.  -engadget.com