Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/29

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Subject: Re: RE: [Leica] Canon 135/3.5 chrome lens (non-Serenar).
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 12:43:42 -0400

At 09:11 AM 7/29/99 +700, David Young wrote:
>It is my understanding that the Nikkor
>lenses are copies of the Carl Zeiss optics and that they are as good as the
>Zeiss lenses if not superior. 

I really do not want us to wander off into this minefield again, but a
copy, by definition, can never be superior to the original.  "As good as",
arguably, but never "better".

The original Nikkor lenses are pretty much direct thefts of the superb
Zeiss Contax lens line.  And they were dirt, dirt, dirt cheap:  some of
these puppies sold for as little as $15 in Tokyo when a German Zeiss lens,
if it could be had at all, would sell for over $300.  The success of Nikon
and Canon were based on producing well-made cameras and good lenses for a
fraction of what the Leitz and Zeiss originals cost.  Then, as now, pecunia
omnia vincit in the marketplace.

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!