[Leica] Leica AF

[wal@phadfa.ph.adfa.oz.au]

> From: "christian becker"  <chribeck@orion.rz.mdc-berlin.de>
> Date: Mon, 2 Feb 1998 10:37:02 +0100
> 
> Maybe, but if Leica doesn't come up with AF in the near future it's days are 
> counted. 

Dear LUG

I'm a new subscriber, and this my first contribution.  The LUG is
interesting, but I just wish a few of you would exercise a little
more care when replying to messages, eg, if you only have a line
or two to contribute to a reply, why attach the full original
message that might run to 30-50+ lines?  Just a little gripe...

I went to a Leica seminar here (Canberra, Australia) last year,
given by a Leica PR rep.  He talked at length about Leica's work 
on AF, saying that Leica had to have AF because they recognised 
a demand for AF in the marketplace.  He noted the poor quality 
of current AF lens mechanisms; that they had to be very light 
for the motor to move the lens, and these got sloppy after a 
while.  He first said that Leica was close to solving this 
problem, but as the talk went on, said that Leica had solved 
the problem through careful engineering.  I don't think a 
Leica R AF is far off.

He also said to expect something 'special' in the M lens series
early this year.  I got the impression he was talking about a 
new 50mm, like maybe a ASPH.   Also concerning lenses, he said
that the future unavailablity of traditional lead-based glass
(because of environmental concerns) would mean that Leica would 
have to redesign many of their lenses.  I suspect this would mean 
all designs older than a few years.

regards to you all

Warrick Lawson