Re: [Leica] M6 J and a new M camera!

[Emanuel-Temp_Lowi@READERSDIGEST.COM]

I think what Stephen is referring to is the outpouring, in the past few
years, of a significant number of elaborate and often convincing fake
Leicas - both screwmount and M. Anyone who's followed the Leica collectors
market for the past few years is well aware of this stuff being out there.
Regarding the comment about "Solms not understanding Leica," this is simply
(I think) his shorthand way of pointing out that when it stopped being a
family-owned company (i.e. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar), and became owned by a
Swiss businessman and part of a much larger optical equipment company, then
eventually became a public company first called Leica Camera GMBH and then
AG - adherence to some of the time-honoured design, quality-control and
authenticity issues visibly declined. This included the way the company rid
itself of older parts stocks, cut corners inside cameras and lenses,
cheapened packaging, etc. Those with a sense of nostalgia regret this
deeply. For the purposes of photography, however - not cult worship - much
of this is probably not so important. Best of all, the old values seem to
be returning: great new lenses, upgraded camera features, better quality
control, a well-organized service department, etc.