Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/12/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 05:57 PM 12/26/96 -0500, "Charles E. Love, Jr." <cel14@cornell.edu> wrote: >OK, but you must remember that only a few of the Contax SLR lenses are >"European" (if your point is, as seems true for so many on this list, to >avoid Japanese equipment)--most of the lenses are manufactured in Japan, >and, despite Zeiss propaganda, it's doubtful if they really design them all >(the only ones you can be really sure about are ancient, superannuated ones >like the 25, which goes all the way back to bullseye days). Japan does keep >costs down better than Leica, even though the Contaxes have never been big >sellers (note, e.g., how much cheaper the Contax 15 is than the Leica >equivalent, even though it's the same glass). IMHO, the lenses are nice >physically, but not as nice as Leicas. In addition, the cameras are >Japanese designs. Well, Charlie, you are dead wrong on both these points. All Contax lenses are designed at Oberkochen: if you visit the plant, they SHOW you where they design them. The cameras are a co-operative effort between Kyocera and Zeiss with Zeiss determining the basic camera functions and features and Kyocera putting the package together. Most of the technology in the Contax SLR bodies is actually German; the WAY it is put together is Japanese, a neat mixture of melding opportunities from two continents to produce a fine camera system. Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!