Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/14

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Trojan Horse
From: firkin@netconnect.com.au (Alastair Firkin)
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 98 18:41:37 -0700

Lucien wrote;
> I started in 1980 with exactly the same camera and lens.
>
> Wasn't the XD7 and the R4 sharing the same body ?
> And the 37-70/3,5 Minolta and Leica sharing the same glasses ?
> (But not the coating, if I remember well.)
>
> Minolta was the Troyan Horse !

The XD7 was indeed the R4 [in sheep's clothing ;-) ], and the zooms shared
the same formulae. Minolta also drew me in to Rangefinder's with their CLE,
so for me Minolta did represent the Leica "Trojan" Horse. My wife still
greatly prefers her R7 as it "feels" like the X700 [on steroids!!!]

The XD7 had a vertical titanium shutter, the first used by Minolta, and
heavily influenced by the joint venture with Leica. Minolta abandoned this
expensive and complex shutter in favour of their older cloth design in the
X700 at about the time the influences part company. You can however cross
dress some equipment. The data backs fit right up to the R7 and the winder
would probably work on the R4 [an extra pin stops it fitting to the R7.
Minolta flashes activate the Leica, but do not seem to allow TTL functions
[sad, as I have a Minolta ring flash ;-) ]

Cheers,

Alastair Firkin,

http://users.netconnect.com.au/~firkin/AGFhmpg.html