Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Frank Dernie wrote: > > I have a certain of sympathy with your point of view Marc, but sadly we live > in a world where image is increasingly more important than content. People > pay $50 for a $3 teeshirt because it has the correct label on it. Companies > like Nike and plenty of others have cunningly marketed cheaply made > exploitative products and sold them at 1000% markups. At least the Cosina > Voigtlander branded products are interesting, different and IMO brilliant. I > am reliably informed that the lenses sell in huge volume allowing > photographers who want to use rangefinders not to be forced into SLR use > for economic reasons. I can imagine that at the price there is likely to be > sample variations particularly with decentering but my 15mm is stupendous, I > never go anywhere without it. > Loads of "designer label" brands exist out there. Most of them just to rip > us off! At least the Cosina product is genuinely good! > cheers Frank > > ---------- The point is getting made here by Frank and others that Cosina is an excellent company as BMW is. The fact that they buy other companies glossier names is a business decision. Probably with a huge precedent and based on sound marketing research. I don't think its right. I think on the long run it looks bad because it is bad. It's deceptive in most cases. The way some people see it all you've got is your name. You don't want it messed with. You don't want it disparaged or trampled. I knock out a print i sign my own name to it. Shall i call the estates of Minor White or Bill Brandt or Robert Frank and see if those names are for sale? Perhaps i could learn to sign their name just like they do under a print or on a mat? I'm sure it would look better than my name the way i sign it. Might do wonders for my print sales. No i don't' call the buying of other companies names sound business advice. It stinks. It stinks on the long and short run. Tom's friend the Cosina fellow KNEW he had the moxie to take the world by storm with rangefinder photography products much in need. The decision to buy the Voigtländer name was a very poor one. It soured me on it. It stinks. My first Camera was a Voigtländer. A Cosina is not a Voigtländer. IF i wanted a Cosina I'd buy another Nikon. (the new 45mm pancake i just might well buy) Putting a good word in for Tom is stupid because Toms basic integrity is not in question that i can see. Not by Marc James Small who i know has the highest respect for Tom. He just knows what a Voigtländer looks and feels like. Mark James Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.rabiner.cncoffice.com/