Re: [Leica] Copy Superiority/lack thereof?

[Dooley <dooley@iinet.net.au>]

Marc James Small wrote:

> You logic is infallible, but your grasp of the facts is weak.  The Nikon
> copies of Zeiss lenses and the Canon copies of Zeiss and at least one Leitz
> design were exact copies.  Even the threading on the internal fitments were
> identical to those from the originals.  In other words, it isn't just a
> bland infringement -- they COPIED the lenses, completely, down to the
> internal mechanical construction as well as the precise optical configuration.
>

He also referred us all to the archives - hey Marc, maybe you should change your
signature to "bhi me ann roimhe"

The type of glass used, and the manufacturing tolerances applied are two aspects
of lens construction which could easily make an "identical" copy perform very
differently from the original.  Leica themselves state "Only specially selected
materials are used for manufacture: special alloys and optical glass melted
according to original Leica formulas."

I doubt very much whether the Japanese materials were from the same source, or
that their manufacturing techniques were identical, so I am sure the optical
performance of the lenses was different.  Whether this means better or
worse.....well, you know what they say about beauty.


Yours,
Sean Dooley