Re: [Leica] Cosina vs Leica (glass)

[Mikiro <arbos@silva.net>]

Ken,

The article shows several pictures of an assembly line in Obuse Nagano
(checking rangefinder parts one by one with hands, then adjusting the
rangefinders using laser rays, paralax and finder frame)  Three pictures
show the processes of melting glass material and molding lenses.  Lenses are
coated and assembled at Nanase factory in Nakano, Nagano.  They also
manufacture high-end lenses for liquid crystal projecters and other
professional equipment (sometimes with 30 to 50 layer multi coating!).

In the interview with the Cosina people, one of the engineer told that they
designed the rangefinder on the basis of Leica CL because Bessa-R should
have a limited base length.  They first designed an Albada (? I do not know
the proper spelling) prototype and then shifted to "real-image" once they
succeeded in designing one with an eyepoint of more than 13mm and 0.7x
magnification (requirements given by Mr. Kobayashi, CEO of Cosina).  I would
assume that Cosina independently designed and assemble the machanism.

I have heard that the rangefinders of Hexar RF are assembled outside Konica.
It is reportedly a "shita-ukeh" work.

Mikiro

At 7:53 PM +0100 20/2/00, Ken Iisaka wrote:
>Interesting.  I am only vague aware of the alliance among Cosina, Kenko
>and Hoya, but what I understand is that Hoya is a glass manufacturer
>(like Schott), Cosina is a lens designer/assembler, and Kenko a
>marketter.  Hoya has a big factory making everything from stemware to
>optical components in western Tokyo.  However, Cosina does melt its own
>glass at its laboratory that was built in 1968.
>
>So, Mikiro's translation states that Cosina made all the optical
>components of the rangefinder.  I wonder whether they designed and
>assembled the mechanism, too.