Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Eric, the botched attempt at AF I referred to (also mentioned in another recent post) was that by Leica Portugal (where the main chassis for Leica M and R are still made) to do a deal with a Japanese camera maker in 1995 to supply part or all the guts for an AF SLR for the R series. I suspect the Japanese supplier was Kyocera. In any case the latter was not interested in the low volumes anticipated and nothing came of it - except the R8 design went half way towards accommodating the technology in the electronics and the first step transition of the lens mounts - hence the ROM business. >The Leica was the first commercially successful 35mm camera. There was a >35mm camera a year before the UR Leica, but it didn't use the same size frame. I believe there were more than one earlier 35mm still cameras - I saw a selection illustrated by Van Hasbroek in the leaflet advertising his Leica book (perhaps someone who bought the book can check this???). I recall his comment that the Leica was not first but was the most elegant and ultimately most successful commercially. Hence its adoption by 35mm pioneers and ensuing historical significance. Rgds Adrian