Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/29

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: Autofocus & Leica- Reason For Rom
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 11:21:39 -0600

At 05:14 PM 3/29/99 +0200, you wrote:
>This would enable
>to market 2 lines of lenses: 1 line of Solms manufactured lenses based on
>the current concession-free architecture and an outsourced line of
>mechanically simplified AF lenses manufactured according to Leica
>stipulations (by Minolta, Kyocera, Sigma, or whoever else) that would only
>work with the future AF bodies.

But Leica has made it clear they have no intention of marketing a "lesser" 
line. I too see them outsourcing to produce an AF system, but mostly the 
technology to put in the cameras made at Leica. The R8 is a fabulous camera 
that is only missing a few things. I wish it had the equivalent of D in the 
D series Nikkor lenses. Best way to handle dedicated TTL flash. It would be 
great if they had the 3-D color matrix metering of the F5. And I think the 
USM motors in Canon lenses would be the best way to go for a Leica AF 
system. They wouldn't have to change the mount - Nikon has proven that. 
Update it, yet. But a camera that can take both MF and AF lenses is easily 
executable.

Maybe they'll use a body like the Maxxum 9 pro camera that Minolta just 
brought out as the basis of the R9. Who knows? Only Leica's designers at 
this point.

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO
http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

As far as I'm concerned, treachery will sometimes bring loyalty into question.