Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/11/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 11/11/99 7:13:00 PM, andrewsjordan@worldnet.att.net writes: <<Folks: Where is the market for all these suddenly emerging rangefinder cameras? The world is saturated with P&S, SLR, 21/4, and electronic cameras. If you look at the gigantic B&H ads their $ volume is most likely coming from the expensive video recorders, professional scanners, etc. and not from selling $100 camera bags. I can see the justification for Cosina in view of its relatively inexpensive line of lenses offered. But as for as Konica is concerned: Have they studied the Leica and Contax G2 sales to conclude that there is a need for an additional rangefinder system at G2 prices?>> Excellent point. I would conclude that some of these new systems (should they all appear; at least, Bessa L, Konica) are because the designers and other people involved really love cameras and photography, including the long-lost except for Leica interchangeable rangefinder camera. What with the tons of Konica ink-jet paper going through home printers (etc.), the company, as one example, can actually do something for fun and perhaps prestige. Look at the many post-World War II Japanese firms. Among them, Konica, Ricoh, Olympus, Mamiya, Fuji, Pentax, Nikon, Minolta, Canon, (Yashica) are all still potent, innovative, quality imaging, optics and related electronics firms. The point of any new high-tech RFs is not to dispute the virtue or appeal of a traditional camera like Leica (although metering is now on board). Instead, the great advances that companies like Minolta, Nikon, Konica and Ricoh (supposed new RF manufacturers) have made in focusing, exposure, fill-in flash, film wind, even lenses allows them to conceive of new types of RF cameras and bring them to market rather quickly. How long would it take Leica to clean-sheet what Konica is apparently offering; or for Carl Zeiss and Rollei to clean sheet the new Contax 645. I use manual focus, manual exposure cameras for about 75 percent of my photography, but I still admire what these companies are working on.