Re: [Leica] M and R Future

[Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>]

At 09:17 PM 9/5/99 -0700, you wrote:
>.   The
>Konica Hexar M has long been rumored, and prototypes made.  Cameras are 
>more of
>a hobby with Konica, and their dedication to putting the camera into 
>production
>is questionable.    Canon is also said to have made a M prototype, though
>production is very unlikely.   Perhaps most interesting is Nikon.  Though they
>did not make a camera prototype, they did produce the most important component
>which no one else supposedly has so far:  a  combined zoom rangefinder / 
>finder
>with parallax correction.

Let's see. Cosina's new Voightlander introduces a couple lenses, and a body 
with no viewfinder and Leica is in trouble? Hmmm...that's some confidence 
there.

I have been told by the Leica/Konica rep. here that Konica is going to have 
an M mount body with aperture priority automation and three lenses this 
fall.  Canon? Not likely. Nikon? I have it on good authority (the head of 
NPS) that they did the research and decided that any rangefinder they could 
produce to compete with the M6 would cost MORE than the M6. Why? The 
zoom/rangefinder you mention. They would have to make the tools, and the 
market would be too small for them to do it otherwise and make money. 
They're too small a company to take a loss to compete.

Anyone who takes on Leica is going to have a whole lot more trouble doing 
it than you seem to think. Leica is already established in pro circles at 
THE rangefinder. Anyone else is going to have to do a lot to knock them out 
of first place among the hearts of those of us who already know and love 
Leicas. The rangefinder system anyway. The R system? Well, it depends. I 
hope they keep it.

Eric Welch
St. Joseph, MO

http://www.ponyexpress.net/~ewelch

    My best work is often almost unconscious and occurs ahead of my ability 
to understand it. -Sam Abell; "Stay This Moment"