Re: [Leica] "basic" questions and some comments to "Japanese camera" arguments

["Robert G. Stevens" <robsteve@istar.ca>]

Tom:

For information on the M series Cameras, try Han Pahlen's site:

http://www.komvux.skola.mark.se/hp635.htm

As for your comments on the Japanese issue, well put. 

Regards,

Robert Stevens


>Hello, I am Tom Kumagai from Japan.
>
>I am a user of Leica IIIf (Nr. 5933XX). I use it with Summicron 5cm F2.
>
>Being an amateur M Leicas are very expensive, but all of us know how
>attractive they are. It is not
>unaffordable. I fell in love with Summicron Bokeh and how the light-source
>blurs when the apperature
>is wide open, and everyone knows where it is focused, it's very sharp.
>
>I would like to know more about Leica M's compared with its predecessors. If
>you would please tell me
>where to find out the differences. I am too isolated from the big cities to
>see the real M3,M2,M4 or M6.
>I understand the major difference is made by the state-of-art briteframe
>finder and "M" bayonette mount.
>but I know nothing else...
>
>----------------
>I would like to ask you why some of you are picking on my country, being an
>amateur I don't know much,
>but at least I can say that Nikon, Canon,and Pentax are one of the best 35mm
>cameras available.
>Not to mention Minolta. Some of you consider that Japanese manufactures'
>imitating Leica/Contax
>technologies are big deal, but I remember Russian, British, and even
>American manufacturers were
>manufacturing SM Leica copies like Fed, Reid, and KARDON. (At least I can
>say that today's Japan makes
>better 35mm cameras than these countries) Why you accuse just Japanese
>manufactures for it? At least
>Japanese manufactures utilized and improved(in their point of views, though)
>the Leica or Contax concepts, and
>that evolved to some incredible mechanism like  quick-return-mirror SLR's
>and copal square shutter unit. And
>Japanese manufactures are the ones who made photography available for
>ordinary mom and pops. Do you call
>Nikon F as an imitation of Exacta or Contax S? Or is it by any way close to
>SM Leica or even M3? Nikon F is
>also a state-of-art camera.
>
>I understand some Japanese don't know how to do the business or trading. I
>understand Japan itself has
>committed a crime and still denying it (We are working on changing the
>government's direction, and it's a
>time-consuming process - well it's not a good place to talk about it.), but
>please don't bring that up to here.
>Or are you becoming racial??
>
>We as consumers in Japan know what Leica is and what Leica means to
>photographers. We understand
>historical significance, we understand their natures of sharpness and
>bokeh(in fact it's a Japanese term), and
>we understand its durability and pleasure they offer us when we use them,
>smooth winding, feel of releasing the
>shutter, gentle noise, right weight, and its metalic feelings. And
>craftmanship. We understand Leica has the nature what our manufactures have
>lost and even more.
>
>BTW I use Leica and Contax(Hey, my another snapshooter prospect "Aria" is on
>market now...) because I like
>the lens. Plannar and Summicron are very different, but both are good.(and
>both are German...)
>
>
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