Re: Contax G2 Home Page

[Charles E. Dunlap <cdunlap@rupture.ucsc.edu>]

I spoke to the local (N. Calif.) Leica rep. yesterday about Leica's plans 
to compete with the Contax G series. Leica has no such plans. He made 
several points:

1) M6 sales increased substantially after the introduction of the G1. He 
had six people in his region trade their new G1s for M6s. In his opinion 
this was due to the G1s squinty viewfinder and lack of true rangefinder 
focussing. He also thought that the G1 lenses were not optically or 
mechanically as good as the Leica equivalents. In addition the G series 
has no fast lenses.

2) Leica believes that producing something akin to the G would involve 
too many compromises. In their opinion it would never be as durable and 
precise as the M6.

Obviously the Leica rep. is not going to criticize Leica's decision to 
only produce a mechanical rangefinder. He is right about the fast lenses. 
He is right about the advantages of the rangefinder and the viewfinder. I 
can only assume that he is right about the sales increase and the trade 
ins. I've never heard anyone claim that the Contax lenses were optically 
inferior to the Leica lenses, however. I suspect that in practice that 
they are different but equally excellent. I do not know, however, how 
neutral and consistent their color response is. This is something Leica 
takes pains to assure.

I think that if sales of the M6 continue to be strong then Leica is not 
harmed by their decision not to compete with the G. I would not part with 
my M6. While taking pictures of my friend's 3 year old last weekend I was 
very thankful for the M6s quiet shutter and quick release. If I hadn't 
been able to prefocus and act unobtrusively I would not have caught the 
sudden flash of his smile while dangling a pint-sized fishing pole in our 
goldfish pond. The Contax would not have been as responsive.

I have known times when the Contax would have been useful, and the G2 is 
an impressive and desireable camera, but given the choice of only one 
I'll stick with the M6.

-Charlie

>It seems that the M cameras constitute the bulk of Leica sales nowdays.
>There were only about 6000 new R cameras sold last year. Yet, Leica just
>came out with the R8. It seems to me that they better put some resources
>into developing the M7 or they will be history.
>
>Best regards,
>
>Chris
>
>
>At 08:51 PM 9/18/96 -0700, you wrote:
>>check out the competition--or make that the leader as far as I am
>>concerned for RF type bodies--at http://www.kyocera.com/cameras/g2.html.
>>
>>the camera is amazing.  if only Leica made it.  
>>
>>its vulnerable point seems to be its relatively few lenses.  
>>
>>If they ever make fast lenses, it will likely bury the M6 in the
>>marketplace.  but then I am not sure their AF system will correctly
>>focus fast lenses...perhaps that is why they have not already made
>>them.   a built in motor to 4 FPS and a shutter to 1/6000 are just some
>>of the features.
>>
>>perhaps this is what is needed for Leica to bring out a modern M7.   
>>
>>Stephen Gandy


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            Charles E. Dunlap
            Earth Sciences Dept.
            University of Calif.
            Santa Cruz, CA 95064

          cdunlap@earthsci.ucsc.edu
408-459-5228 (office)    408-459-3074 (FAX)
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