Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/20

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Subject: Re: Contax, Minox, Rollei, Konica Why are they discussed here.
From: dlevy@worldy.com
Date: Wed, 20 Nov 1996 17:09:24 -0500

In case you haven't heard, Leica owns Minox and therefore discussions about
Minox is as closely related to Leica as discussions regarding their plastic
labeled cameras produced in the Asian plants owned by their competition. If
you haven't followed the thread the discussion was and is related to issues
related to the Mini Leicas at first addressing a request from a writer who
appeared to be interested in one. Responses have been revolving around why
it the Leicas do or don't fit individual's tastes and what alternatives were
chosen and why. 

There probably has been more real relavent discussion going on with this
thread than several others on this group. If the entire thread were
monitored by Leica, maybe they could produce a photographer's p&s rather
than having to rewarm existing competitor's designs. Additionally, the basic
design of the Minox was designed by a Leica employee for a Leica prototype,
it turns out that the 35mm lens for the Minox may have been supplied by
Leica and the last two 9.5mm Minox lanses were designed by a Leica employee
on loan to Minox and then went to work for them. 

It is amazing what can be learned when you keep your mind eyes, and ears
open. Leica goes far beyond SM, M and Minolta/Leica cameras. And this
information IS both informative and interesting to some of us and is the
difference between flare characteristics may be for others of you. 

Additionally, several of the current cameras such as the Hexar and G series
seem to have some link design wise to the CL/CLE series. Much has been
discussed in theory about the future impact on both the Leica and Minox
minis now that the relationship is more clearly defined. Not surprising, it
seems that the Minox is a better executed design and fits the niche it was
designed for than Leica's models. We who do use Minox (also Leica owners by
the way) seem more concerned that Leica will screw up a good design (Minox),
than think that they will improve upon it. 

If you don't like to view Leica without rose colored glasses, by all means
just delete the messages. If you want to see what and how others view and
use Leicas, read all the threads as I do, even though issues of which lens
is better don't really turn me on. It isn't like Leica has produced any lens
which is equal to a Kodak disc camera lens and the world should know about
it. I would be proud to use any Leica lens on any of the M bodies, or even
SMs w/ adaptors or with SM bodies. Sorry, I'm not into SLRs, and if I were
it would be the AX, unless Leica comes out with one which will use the
current line in AF mode.



00, you wrote:
>What is happenong to this list, I thought that it was the Leica list not
the COntax, 
>ROllei, Minox list.  With the multiple threads about High-end P&S cameras
maybe someone 
>could start a group about them.  Maybe there ought to be a Contax and Minox
groups and 
>there already is a Rollei group.  IMHO, this list should try to stay more
focused on the 
>topic of Leica's and their use in Photography.  
>
>
>John
>
>
Brian Levy, J.D.
Agincourt Ont.
dlevy@worldy.com