[Leica] Bessa T

["Emanuel Lowi" <mano@proxyma.net>]

What is it with all this enthusiasm for the Cosina stuff? 

The price of the body plus three accessory finders on Mr. Gandy's most excellent
list, $825 (without shipping), equals the cost of the user Leica M2 or M4-2 that is
waiting for you on the shelf of your local camera store or at one of the photo shows
or even here on some blessed Friday. A far superior choice if one is interested in
taking pictures, not just playing around with gadgets.

Why would anyone want to point an oddball item like the son-of-rapidwinder-equipped
Bessa with one big finder eye on top and blinking red lights at the back at some poor
subject in this day and age? Are you trying to scare people away or take a picture?

I was amazed to see that even the inside front cover of the LHSA Viewfinder recently
was basically an
advertisement for this stuff. As for the claim that Kobayashi doesn't wish to compete
with Leica, how does one explain the 28/1.9, 35/1.7. 50/1.5 etc.? Those surely are
designed precisely to attract attention away from Leica. 

For me, the only Cosina items of any real value are the 75 mm and maybe the 35mm
finders, which Leica does not make now. There may be some special occasions for the
15mm and the 12mm. Very few, I'll wager.

Emanuel Lowi
Montreal