Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/17

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Subject: [Leica] Voigtlander story
From: "Mikiro Mori" <arbos@silva.net>
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 22:47:40 +0200

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Hi, all.

An interview article in a recent issue of Asahi Camera tells us how
Cosina-Voigtl穫der Bessa-L was born.  I try to summerise it here.

- -------
Akagi (a Leica photographer): What made you develop Bessa-L?

Mr. Kobayashi (The CEO of Cosina): One of our engineers proposed it two
years ago.  We started the project a year ago.  There has been a Leica boom
in Japan.....

A: Why did you avoid rangefinder camera?

K: You know it is extremely difficult to make rangefinder cameras like
Leica.  I myself has been a Leicaphile for 28 years.  I use If's and Ig's
and came up with an idea of making bodies without rangefiders for wide-angle
lenses.

A: 33000 yen for a body is very reasonable.....

K: It has no mirror box.  It shoud be reasonably priced. ;-)  It is our
policy to provide long-life cameras for everybody at reasonable prices.

A: Did you buy the Voigtl穫der brand name?

K: I cannot tell you about it in detail.  We can use this name for our
products in Japan.  A German manufacturer owns this brand name, and the
brand name is also used with cameras made in Taiwan and China.

A: There is space for a rangefinder in the mout....?

K: I won't say we are not going to make rangefinder cameras.  But, we will
not make cameras that will be compared with Leica.  We try to be as original
as Voigtl穫der was.

A: Do you have any plan to release an AE version?

K: I cannot lie....;-)  It is not diffucult.  Spot metering is feasible.
But we have not decided in detail.

A: A Super Heliar is a super wide angle lens....

K: I have been a member of a Leica club since I was a college student.  In
those days all the member but I had Hologon 15mm.  It was so expensive for
me that it took ten years for me to get one.  I have been tenacious of
making a 15 mm lens!

A: The two lenses are very reasonalby priced...

K: "No cams" enabled us to cut the cost.

A:  I have heard the name "Snapshot Skopar" somewhere....

K: Leica produced Snapshot Elmar 35/4.5 for trial.  This lens did not couple
to rangefinders but had click-stops for setting aperture.  I wanted to make
such a lens...

A: Do you have any plans to sell new lenses?

K: Longer lenses.   But we have to think about rangefinders....

- ------

Sorry for my poor translation, but I hope this interest you.  ^_^

Mikiro
Strasbourg






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<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Voigtlander story</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=3D"#FFFFFF">
<TT>Hi, all.<BR>
<BR>
An interview article in a recent issue of Asahi Camera tells us how Cosina-=
Voigtl=1B$B3O=1B(Jder Bessa-L was born. &nbsp;I try to summerise it here.<BR>
<BR>
- -------<BR>
Akagi (a Leica photographer): What made you develop Bessa-L?<BR>
<BR>
Mr. Kobayashi (The CEO of Cosina): One of our engineers proposed it two yea=
rs ago. &nbsp;We started the project a year ago. &nbsp;There has been a Leic=
a boom in Japan.....<BR>
<BR>
A: Why did you avoid rangefinder camera?<BR>
<BR>
K: You know it is extremely difficult to make rangefinder cameras like Leic=
a. &nbsp;I myself has been a Leicaphile for 28 years. &nbsp;I use If's and I=
g's and came up with an idea of making bodies without rangefiders for wide-a=
ngle lenses.<BR>
<BR>
A: 33000 yen for a body is very reasonable.....<BR>
<BR>
K: It has no mirror box. &nbsp;It shoud be reasonably priced. ;-) &nbsp;It =
is our policy to provide long-life cameras for everybody at reasonable price=
s.<BR>
<BR>
A: Did you buy the Voigtl=1B$B3O=1B(Jder brand name?<BR>
<BR>
K: I cannot tell you about it in detail. &nbsp;We can use this name for our=
 products in Japan. &nbsp;A German manufacturer owns this brand name, and th=
e brand name is also used with cameras made in Taiwan and China.<BR>
<BR>
A: There is space for a rangefinder in the mout....?<BR>
<BR>
K: I won't say we are not going to make rangefinder cameras. &nbsp;But, we =
will not make cameras that will be compared with Leica. &nbsp;We try to be a=
s original as Voigtl=1B$B3O=1B(Jder was.<BR>
<BR>
A: Do you have any plan to release an AE version?<BR>
<BR>
K: I cannot lie....;-) &nbsp;It is not diffucult. &nbsp;Spot metering is fe=
asible. &nbsp;&nbsp;But we have not decided in detail.<BR>
<BR>
A: A Super Heliar is a super wide angle lens....<BR>
<BR>
K: I have been a member of a Leica club since I was a college student. &nbs=
p;In those days all the member but I had Hologon 15mm. &nbsp;It was so expen=
sive for me that it took ten years for me to get one. &nbsp;I have been tena=
cious of making a 15 mm lens!<BR>
<BR>
A: The two lenses are very reasonalby priced...<BR>
<BR>
K: &quot;No cams&quot; enabled us to cut the cost.<BR>
<BR>
A: &nbsp;I have heard the name &quot;Snapshot Skopar&quot; somewhere....<BR=
>
<BR>
K: Leica produced Snapshot Elmar 35/4.5 for trial. &nbsp;This lens did not =
couple to rangefinders but had click-stops for setting aperture. &nbsp;I wan=
ted to make such a lens...<BR>
<BR>
A: Do you have any plans to sell new lenses?<BR>
<BR>
K: Longer lenses. &nbsp;&nbsp;But we have to think about rangefinders....<B=
R>
<BR>
- ------<BR>
<BR>
Sorry for my poor translation, but I hope this interest you. &nbsp;^_^<BR>
<BR>
Mikiro<BR>
Strasbourg<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
</TT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

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