Re: [Leica] Lens wt vs finish->Now question about titanium

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

I wonder if, since we all agree that titanium is hard to fabricate into so
many things why there is this sudden turn toward the metal for camera parts?
Brass, or as I was told years ago, it really is a phosphor-bronze alloy, has
been used for almost the entire history of photography, and has seemingly
held up quite well. I had read somewhere that the expansion co-efficient was
similar to optical glasses, and that it made for secure mounts that did not
stress the lens elements. Is the swing to use titanium just a marketing
ploy, or something to give the items a unique finish?
Just my opinion, I cannot see spending extra money and R&D to re-invent the
wheel with another metal when the NET effect- the quality of the image, that
is, is not part of the equation. I can see them experimenting with lens
designs on a 24 hour a day basis, if it made a better product, but
considering the stresses made on the brass/bronze alloys since about 1839 to
date in the manufacturing of camera gear, I have never read where these
metals failed to perform the task for which they were used.
Any thoughts on this?
Dan
dwpost@msn.com