Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/22

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Subject: Re: Leica Lens Patents
From: Dennis Painter <dwp@deltanet.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 20:29:45 -0700

Frank Filippone wrote:
> 
> The subject concerns the use of LTM on newly made lenses like the Ricoh 28
> MM lens.
> 
> Marc Small offered:
> "The patent on the LTM expired in 1952.  The patent on the M bayonet mount
> expired in 1973."
> 
> Is it possble that there is an International patent that is blocking the
> independent manufacture of M mount lenses by companies like Ricoh?
> 
> Marc and any lawyer types out there, what is the situation with foreign
> patent time scales?
> 
> Frank

Frank,

Making it in LTM seems like a sound marketing decision to me.  If only
made in M mount then you exclude any LTM sales.  In LTM + an adapter you
get both markets.  Making both LTM and M mounts just causes an inventory
hassle.

Dennis


- -- 
Experience is a tough teacher. It gives the test before the lesson.
- -unknown