[Leica] Leica made in Germany

[Mikiro <arbos@silva.net>]

Hi all.  I was surprised to read a report in a March issue of Asahi Camera.
This is a report on a visit to Leica factories in Germany and Portugal.
What surpises me the most is the fact that M6TTL is now assembled in the
factory in Portugal with a lot of the parts made there (ranfider prisms,
shutter membrane, etc).  Some M lenses are also made and assmebled here.  A
picture shows that every "almost-completed" body is packed with a label
signed by a person that assembled it.  In Solms, they do not have lines to
assemble rangefinder blocks, internal mechanisms, shutter systems, etc.
They give the final touch (putting top plates) and check.  This is what
"made in Germany" actually means. ;-)

Mr. Ulrich Ehlmes, the president of the Leica Portugal, says "M cameras are
made here and then adjusted, checked, and packaged in Germany.  R8s were
made here and checked up and packaged in Germany until June 99.  Now we are
making and completeing them here."

I am not an observant worshiper of "made in Germany" and prefer "made by
Leica", although I know "made in Germany" still has special value to quite a
few people.

Cheers,

Mikiro
Strasbourg, Europe
http://arbos.silva.net