[Leica] Re: Cosina new lenses

[Mikiro Mori <arbos@silva.net>]

At 8:31 AM +0200 24/5/99, Nathan Wajsman wrote:

>As I have stated before, I am with you in this argument most of the way.
>However,
>I have just realized another benefit from these Cosina lenses. I am happy to
>see
>that other manufacturers think that the Leica system is important enough (in
>commercial terms) to market lenses for it. The fact that cheaper alternatives
>are
>available will also provide competition for Leica and that is a good thing for
>us
>as customers.
>
>Nathan


At 8:25 AM +0200 24/5/99, Alan Ball wrote:

>I sincerely believe most of us are not in that position and have no wish to
>choose the same photographic subject matter as you. I think the Leica
>hardware I am using is an overkill for my style of photography. I love
>using it though, and feel absolutely secured (and often humbled) by knowing
>that failure in a picture will never be hardware related. But, objectively,
>a large percentage of my good Leica pictures could have been shot with a
>2nd hand 50 USD Cosina SLR with 2nd hand PK mount fixed lenses. I am really
>looking forward to using some of those rogue new lenses. Might even buy a
>sm body for them...
>
>Alan

I will add my humble opinions.

1. There are already some user-groups for Cosina such as Cosina Research
Society whose members are for the most part Leicaphiles.  Some of them are
even famous collectors of vintage LTM lenses.  They get excited about Cosina
because NO-BRAND ("Voigtlander" means little to them) lenses have *enough*
performance for taking pictures without emotional factors.  Being tired of
snobbishly raving about Leica, they now feel it cool and in to play with and
talk about Cosina.  This may be a complex fan ("Leica fan") psychology.

2. As was pointed out in some previous posts, not all those who admire Leica
or Leica-M photography can afford or dare to justify the price of a Leica.
However, "cheaper (and compatible) alternatives" will eventually increase
the number of Leica users.  Leica should have made such a Leica-Junior by
themselves even with OEM from Cosina.  As a potential Leica user, my son
will probably have a Bessa-L as his first camera .

Leicalement,

Mikiro Mori
Strasbourg, Europe
http://members.tripod.com/arbos3/cigogne/index.html