Re: [Leica] Re: Why are LTM versions so expensive

[John Collier <jbcollier@home.com>]

This going to sound sarcastic but I am not meaning it to be so please do not
flame me. Leica made their last LTM mount camera in 1962 or 3. Even then it
was a small run, the last large production run would be 1958 or so. You are
suggesting they should redesign their complete lens range to suit cameras
they have not produced in forty years? If we follow that logic, they should
also build every lens with the mount too short and a bag full of shims so
that the people with non-standardized LTM cameras can use them too. Leica
wanted people to buy M cameras, they wanted to discontinue LTM production
and this was a very reasonable corporate strategy. One gets the impression
on this list that Leica is completely incompetent. Possibly that they have
been blowing their money on new liederhosen (sp?) for their workers! Can we
not at least acknowledge that the M camera was a significant improvement
over the LTM cameras? Much has been said of the enormous success of the
Cosina/Voitlander LTM stuff but I have yet to bump into anyone on the street
using one, nor have the local papers dumped their Cankon gear for it. The
rangefinder market is VERY SMALL. Cosina makes this stuff because their boss
wants them too otherwise they would drop it for more profitable use of their
production equipment. Leica has limited production resources. If they expand
too aggressively during good times, they will be wiped out in the next
economic downturn (as they nearly were). Thus they have limited time that
has to be allocated as best they can. If they build something new that means
something else does not get produced period. OK. I have been sarcastic.
Flame away.

John Collier

> From: "M.E.Berube of GoodPhotos.Com" <MEB@goodphotos.com>
> 
> It would seem to me to Leica's advantage to make LTM as their default mount.
> Is there any image quality lost when using an LTM version with an adapter
> as compared to the M mount version of the same lens?
> By making LTM lenses default (sold with an M adapter standard), Leica might
> encourage a few budget minded folks to use classic or new C/V LTM bodies
> instead of buying an M body first, but they would also make their lenses
> more adaptable and desirable to a broader market without lessening their
> dedication to their current M clients or costing themselves huge amounts in
> retooling.
> If anyone sees a flaw in this logic please point it out.
>