Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/08/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]That's interesting. Five years behind Nikon on SLR matters? May I remind you of a number of sketches and ideas in the patent literature in Barnack's times, suggesting that Barnack seriously considered the idea of building a SLR. Ten years behind in AF? Leitz were first with the Correfot, but lacked the technology of miniatuirsation the Japanese so artfully mastered. Leca at the moment is considering AF for a long time, as I have been told in private conversation with Dr Kölsch, Head of the Optical Design Department of Leica Solms. The problem is not being behind the times technologically speaking. The problem of Leica Solms is the production quantity. They produce about 20.000 cameras a year. But the minimum quantity you can order from a Japanese factory (or German one) is about 100.000. Consequently you buy for at least 5 years production, losing your flexibility and investing your money in possibly obsolete equipment or you throw it away with again a big loss in investment. Leica's problem is not a design issue, but a economy-of-scale problem. Erwin Puts