Re: [Leica] Re: Old Leicas and better than the new "Junk" Cameras

["Guido Soprano" <guidosoprano@hotmail.com>]

Don,

ever try thinking?

statistical samples of one?
"even looked cheap"

you might be funding the Krauter "anything made after the 50's is krap" 
manifesto, but it ain't so

get a life

GS

>From: DonjR43198@aol.com
>Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Old Leicas and better than the new "Junk" Cameras
>Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 19:20:39 EDT
>
>In a message dated 08/11/1999 5:37:34 PM Central Daylight Time,
>msmall@roanoke.infi.net writes:
>
><< For all of the many reasons pointed out by myself and others for so many
>  years >>
>Just because something is said over and over does not necessarily make it
>true.  I have yet to see any hard evidence that the current M cameras are
>better made than the M-3 and M-4 cameras.
>
>I finally bought an M-6 so I could compare it with my M-3's and after five
>(5) months put it on the market and sold it.  From that sample, it was 
>clear
>Solms did not have a quality control program in place and some of the parts
>even looked cheap.  In checking with the mentioned repair person, I learned
>my opinion was supported by others.
>
>In the "Leica M Guide" the author states:
>"Bucking this trend is the worthwhile but very expensive M6J.  It's a M6 
>made
>to the higher standards of the M3, with a beautiful chrome finish and
>engraved top.  Besides its $9,000.00 price tag, perhaps its most noteworthy
>feature is its finder. " (Emphasis added.)
>
>So nowadays it costs $9,000.00 to purchase a Leica M camera that is as good
>as the M-3's that we bought for $273 in the 59-60 era.  That's really
>progress!
>
>Did someone report that Solms stock has hit the skids?  Maybe the investors
>are concerned with competition from Japanese camera body manufacturers.
>
>The problem may not be the entire fault of Solms but of the evolution of 
>the
>German political state that has to require manufacturing to employ everyone
>and fund the huge social programs mandated by the German electorate.  Kind 
>of
>like manufacturing something in the US; calculate the manufacturing cost 
>and
>then multiply that by a large percentage to satisfy Uncle Sam.
>
>We are probably darn lucky that the people at Solms are innovative enough 
>to
>manufacture M cameras to their current standards at the current price.
>Craftsmanship is a lost art; just ask those who need tool and diemakers in
>this country.


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