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Schneider Xenon FF Prime Lens Set Group Buy?

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Mr. Kanzer from Schneider Kreuznach is now enjoying his holidays. As soon as he's back, he will discuss the group buy with his colleagues and will contact me about it. So don't expect any news in the next two weeks.

Cheers
David
 
Additional Photos

Additional Photos

I got to spend a good bit of time with the new Xenons, and posted some under glass photos I took during IBC on our Facebook page.

They are really lovely and I know that our shop already has commitments to the earliest lenses that arrive from the factory. I feel like they are a no brainer for Epic (in particular Dragon) shooters as well as those with 5D2/5D3 due to their FF optimized image circle.

First lens sets (35, 50, 75) are inbound next month and the 25 & 100mm will touchdown on our doorstep in Q1 2014.

It's not a secret that HRC is a long time Schneider lens dealer. Way back when other dealers were shoving the original C-X lenses aside, I flew to Portland and hand carried a set of C-X lenses with me for the Indent/Ryan Walters lens shootout.

What is much less known is that last year Hot Rod Cameras became a Red Element dealer, and we have been stocking and selling many Element accessories ever since. Also, back in February we opened a showroom within walking distance of Red Studios in Hollywood. Redusers who would like to stop by and play with the new Xenon lenses, or Red Element accessories to kit out their camera, are welcome to do so.

Give us a call in about 3-weeks to confirm, when we expect the first lenses should be in hand. If your Hollywood local and you bring your camera, you can do a test shoot in house, of course we've also got more than 40 different Red Element products on display- all available for building/testing on your camera.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
Another approach for a group buy would be to go to one of their dealers instead of direct through Schneider. Perhaps a dealer would be willing to give a discount knowing that they're going to be able to sell a good number of sets in one shot.
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I don't think anyone has committed to more sets then HRC. I'll discuss this with the top dogs this week and see if it's feasible.
 
Nice Illya. Gah. I've been meaning to visit since NAB. I'll try to swing by during the week.
 
Illya Friedman said:
I don't think anyone has committed to more sets then HRC. I'll discuss this with the top dogs this week and see if it's feasible.
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No offense, but the whole point of a group buy is to cut out the middle-man / dealer, to get the highest possible discount. If HRC is willing to make this deal without earning a dime, I would be exited. Otherwise, it's kind of pointless.
 
None taken.

It's no secret most professional cine lenses have a between a single digit to barely double digit dealer margin, depending on brand.

Not sure what you are expecting, but having spent most of my adult life in this industry I can tell you that for a variety of reasons it is sometimes easier for a manufacturer to say yes to a higher margin for a dealer than an end user. VARs (value added resellers) like HRC spend a lot of money with the manufacturers they represent. And usually manufacturers and their dealers/distributors have an excellent rapport.

A lot of comments are made about "factory direct" pricing, but it is sometimes (perhaps not always, but definitely sometimes) in your best interest to buy through a sales channel for the best price, in many industries. Manufacturers know and remember who are the boots on the ground day in and day out for their products.

As a somewhat vague example, I happen to know a dealer that get's one particular brand at an everyday discount below the "once a year employee discount" of the manufacturer. This is not that uncommon of a story.

I can't say who in the manufacturer is, or what products they make (so as to not evoke their ire,) but I can tell you that when a manufacturer is set up primarily for dealer/distributor sales, and their customer (in this case a dealer) spends 8-figures in $$$ with that manufacturer every year- I assure you that a manufacturer wants to maintain the best working relationship with their customer, who is not directly the end user, it is their dealer or distributor.

David, you know a GB takes work/effort to set up and administer. If I can't get you as good or better deal as you were going to get in this instance, there's no hard feelings on my side, I'll happily bow out.

It maybe an old fashioned notion, but our whole business model is based around long term business, not quarterly profits. Most of our earliest clients were people I've known for the past 20-years. I just read Jeff's post and it made me think I could possibly help speed up the process for some. We have been doing a lot of work with members of the Red community lately, and also with Red directly. While I don't get to check out what's happening on Reduser all that often, when something right in our wheelhouse arriives in my inbox I don't mind offering up my time to try to do something good for all involved.

It's worth noting that HRC already has a handful of pre-order customers, so assuming that this could happen, any group buy would start the line behind those who've already committed. I just know that we stand to receive the largest number of lenses the soonest, so I thought it was at least worth a phone call to see if this could be a win-win.
 
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Phil Holland said:
Nice Illya. Gah. I've been meaning to visit since NAB. I'll try to swing by during the week.
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It would be great to see you!

We are open 9:AM-6:PM M-F. I usually arrive a little before lunch time, and stay till close (or later). Give me a ring to make sure I'm available. When you swing by I'll show you the 23-460mm Century lens we have in stock :-)
 
I met with Schneider last week and I'll echo what Illya's saying here. I'm fairly certain that the first batch of glass from Germany is going out to dealers. Like 99.9% sure.
 
Phil Holland said:
I met with Schneider last week and I'll echo what Illya's saying here. I'm fairly certain that the first batch of glass from Germany is going out to dealers. Like 99.9% sure.
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No doubt about that! As I wrote earlier, the group buy lenses will not ship before NAB 2014.
 
David Kellermann said:
No doubt about that! As I wrote earlier, the group buy lenses will not ship before NAB 2014.
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I'm hoping to get my lenses I pre-ordered months ago by NAB 2014... Still no official statement of production or finalization of pricing yet. And I know Schneider is not rushing this, they are trying to get it right. These lenses are going to be great.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
I'm hoping to get my lenses I pre-ordered months ago by NAB 2014... Still no official statement of production or finalization of pricing yet. And I know Schneider is not rushing this, they are trying to get it right. These lenses are going to be great.
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If you're first on the list at Duclos you'll have the first 3 of the set before that for sure.
 
Thanks for the add guys...

PCG
 
Phil Holland said:
I'll do my best to at least get my hands on the prototype 25mm and knock out any tests I can.
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Thanks Phil, I'm right now without a workable wide angle cinema lens for the dragon ... so the 25 is critical for my decision for which lens set I should move to in 2014.
 
I don't know. I wouldn't be too sure that a dealer-brokered group buy couldn't be just as successful as a direct one. For one thing, it means that the manufacturer doesn't have to risk pissing off the dealer network - something I am sure they would think very deeply about before committing. Personally, I'd love to get good pricing from wherever it might come. :smiley:
 
Phil Holland said:
If you're first on the list at Duclos you'll have the first 3 of the set before that for sure.
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I'm sure you're right and Matt seems to think so too, but then again, even if they announce today that official production has started, we're 30+ days out. I'm just hoping to have them by the end of this calendar year. If I don't have them by NAB, then something went horribly wrong. ;)
 
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