Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>In message <970621135313_75501.3002_GHJ42-1@CompuServe.COM> > ted grant <75501.3002@CompuServe.COM> writes: > >> Reg Ronaldson wrote: > >> <<<It's the type that attaches by the accessory shoe. On the chrome clip that >> fits into the shoe, just above the eyepiece aperture is the >engraving "Made in >> Japan". Can anyone shed any light on this. Thanks in advance for any >> info.>>>>>>> >> ted > >Well done Ted. Now why didn't I think of that <g>. Though, seriously, >I was just surprised it was made in Japan. Does anyone know wether >many Leica accessories at that time were made in Japan? ====================================================== Once upon a time the german family-controlled Leitz Wetzlar company had to admit, that the despised copy-cats in Japan had designed some interesting opto-electronic devices and reluctantly looked for offshore" work for hire" partners there. Alas some of these upstarts would not play with them until they found Minolta. The dowry was an electronic SLR with sophisticated metering and Seikosha/Leitz vertical metal-shutter, the Minolta XE 7 and economy XE5.The anglefinder with bracket for acc.shoe bracket was originally designed for XE 7, which with slight modifications reappeared as the R 3 (I own one and this anglefinder and got another bracket from Leitz to fit my R4). R3, a true hybrid was assembled in the Leitz Portugal plant. The rest is history: Minolta XD 11 and XD5 -Leica R4 and further Autoexposure R models. Lenses too: R fisheye 16 mm , 24mm, 80-200 Zoom, first 35-70 Zoom, Reflex 500mm and even a Minolta 800mm cat with R-mount. Leitz design- Minolta made "Volks-Leica" the Leica CL and some lenses: 90mm f4 C and 28mm f2.8 C. Lo and behold, those clever Minolta boys even improved Wetzlar's exposure-meter design and sold it under their own name and its still desirable. I often wonder who got the most benefit out of this mesalliance, but it's all recent history and the new Leica Solms company does appear to occupy their niche in the market-place. Tempus fugit and Digital is coming and this old boy has memories. -otto- otto w. rath, 504-633, northcliffe blvd. toronto on. M6E 3M3 canada (416) 783 5128