Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]B.D. I think you dishonour my description in order to overstate your perspective. The Yasuhara is a sincere attempt to create a modern leica screw mount camera at an affordable price by a minute manufacturer who cannot easily hope to recover his costs, he neccersarily has to cut corners. I will be surprised if the camera is ever a success and this ispart of what makes it 'interesting', not neccersarily 'good' and certainly not better than a Leica, but nowhere near 'crap'. I 'tested' both the 15mm and 25mm lenses from Cosina (Voigtlander) a while back and found the 25 surprisingly useful with its click stop focusing. Like you, I have a coupled lens in that focal length ( I can't justify a Leica 24mm though) and prefer to keep that, however it quickly became apparent that setting the clickstop positions established a very useful focusing procedure and was more than adequate for most situations. The non rangefinder version of the Bessa, was again an item I couldn't wish to purchase but then if you want to have a cheap LTM body with a built in meter that's its niche, you can't find one elsewhere. I'm not trying to sell the camera to you, only pointing out its unique selling points (USPs). The last sentiment about hoping that Konica will be better than these other opportunists is unsettling. If they do truly make a much better camera than other previous and present 'Leica copies' we are in real danger of seeing the r/f camera market leave Leica high and dry. It's unlikely of course, in the history of the last 75 years or so the remarkable thing is that Leica has stayed at the top through quality, lets hope it stays there. Jem ================= B. D. Colen wrote: In other words, it's a piece of crap. No need to explain to apologize. Crap is crap, and the fact that it can take LTM lenses doesn't make it any less crap. I have to say I don't understand all the "raving" on the list about the "voigtlander" with its 15 and 25 mm lenses. But the 25? And as for the bodies - forgive me please, those of you who love them, but they strike me a real junk. No rangefinder of any kind. A kludge version of an FM10? Come on. Why give that up to save money? Let's just hope the Konica is a far better product than these other bodies, particularly considering the price.