Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/12

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Non-Leica M-mount cameras
From: pcb@iac.co.jp (Paul C. Brodek)
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 23:52:33 +0900

Hi Peter,

Marc usually chimes in with the answer to this one.  I guess I'm
either saving him the trouble or crowding his turf!  Leica's patents
on the M mount expired in 1973 (LTM in '51 and R bayonet around
'83---did I get that right?).  Anyone who wants to make an M-mount
body can, and there's no need to license the design from Leica.  That
the only non-Leica M-mount body produced and sold since the patents
expired was the Minolta CLE tells us something about the perceived
size and profit potential of the market.

Best,

PB


On Tue, 12 Jan 1999 14:40:47 +0100 (MET), Peter Niessen
<niessen@ifh.de> wrote:

>I'm referring to the non Leica M mount camera topic. Is there really a
>real chance for other companies to produce an M mount camera?
>
>	Scenario 1: A company produces an M mount camera. Leica says:
>no good, you used our patents -> Leica wins
>
>	Scenario 2: Like IBM with the PC, Leica licenses its M
>bayonet. M6 sales plunge, Leica goes bancrupt. -> Leica looses.
>
>>From this point of view, I think any talk about M bayonet compatible
>PCs, eh, cameras are not in sight.


Paul C. Brodek
Kobe, Japan
pcb@iac.co.jp