RE: [Leica] A Golden RF age

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Mark - Try to forgive me for being an s.o.b., but there're a couple of
references in your post that give me real pause...i.e.

"they caught us with our pants down in the 50's"
and
"we are way ahead of Nikon"

I agree that Nikon caught Leica with ITS corporate optical pants down in the
50s, and would also agree that Nikon is going to have to go a long way to
top Leica's current ASPH lenses...but "we" and "us."

Hey folks, Leica is a publically held corporation in business for one
purpose and one purpose only - make money for the share holders. "We" aren't
Leica. We are a bunch of persons who enjoy using the cameras this
corporation manufacturers. And "we" are much better off if we realize that
that corporation doesn't give a rat's rear about "us," except in so far as
we buy its products.

Okay, Mark...fire at will! :-)

P.S...Otherwise I enjoyed your observations and think they're right on
target...not that it matters what I think.. ;-)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Mark
> Rabiner
> Sent: Thursday, November 11, 1999 8:25 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] A Golden RF age
>
>
> "B. D. Colen" wrote:
> ><Snip> If someone else, say Nikon, comes out with a quiet,
> > reliable, rangefinder with features beyond those of the M -
> also with
> > magnificent glass - does one stick with Leica simply
> because it is Leica and
> > HCB used it, or does one say, 'it's sad, but the day of the
> Leica has come
> > and gone'?
> >
> ><Snip>
> Well if Nikon came back into the game again it would be with
> Nikon glass of course.
> And although they caught us with our pants down in the 50's
> with top photogs
> putting Nikon glass on their Leicas…
> this time around it's going to go differently.
> I'm sold on Leica M glass and what's happening with the
> ASPH's. I think we are
> way ahead of Nikon.
> Nikon has a whole different set of design parameters which
> are no longer my cup
> of tea.
> I would probably stick with my Leicas. If the systems were
> comparable I should
> consider some of the interesting options Nikon had to offer.
>
> But what if Nikon comes out with quality RF CAMERA with
> interesting design
> features that rivals the M6 or excels in it's own way?
> It's not impossible. It gets really interesting if my Leica
> glass fits on it.
>
> A Golden RF age of many RF bodies fitting many companies RF
> glass was predicted
> by Nostromdomis in the beginning of the second millennium of
> the second.....:)
> Mark Rabiner
>