[Leica] The Chinese Leitz lens factory

["Lee, Jonathan" <Jonathan.Lee@hrcc.on.ca>]

Bet the subject line got your attention! :-)

The objectives (lenses) for my brand spanking new Leica micorscope (DM1L)
are all made in China! I know Leica Camera is different from Leica
Microsystems but I was a little dissapointed that my lab Leica stuff is
third world manufactured.  In fact, the microscope itself is made in China.
Not exactly what you expect from an $8,000 cdn bit of equipment (lens cost
$200-900 each)!  The only Wetzlar thing are the veiwing eyepeices and one of
the mechanical stages. I hope Leica Camera never farms out any of its lens
work.  

On the whole the microscope optics are superb, they blow the pants off the
competing Nikon stuff and are at least as good as the Zeiss mciroscopy.  The
fit and feel of the microscope mechanical components pales in comparison to
my 30 yr old Leitz Wetzlar scope, although the modern optics are light years
ahead.  Sigh...if only I could put the modern optics on the old scope. I
can, however, put my M6 on both the old and new scopes!

Jonathan Lee