Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/16

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Bessa T
From: "Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 11:42:16 -0500

> Steve LeHuray wrote:
>> 
>> > What is it with all this enthusiasm for the Cosina stuff?
>> >
>> > The price of the body plus three accessory finders on Mr. Gandy's most
>> excellent
>> > list, $825 (without shipping), equals the cost of the user Leica M2 or M4-2
>> that is
>> > waiting for you on the shelf of your local camera store or at one of the
>> > photo shows
>> > or even here on some blessed Friday. A far superior choice if one is
>> interested in
>> > taking pictures, not just playing around with gadgets.
>> >
>> > Why would anyone want to point an oddball item like the
>> son-of-rapidwinder-equipped
>> > Bessa with one big finder eye on top and blinking red lights at the back at
>> > some poor
>> > subject in this day and age? Are you trying to scare people away or take a
>> picture?
>> >
>> > I was amazed to see that even the inside front cover of the LHSA Viewfinder
>> > recently
>> > was basically an
>> > advertisement for this stuff. As for the claim that Kobayashi doesn't wish
>> > to compete
>> > with Leica, how does one explain the 28/1.9, 35/1.7. 50/1.5 etc.? Those
surely
>> are
>> > designed precisely to attract attention away from Leica.
>> >
>> > For me, the only Cosina items of any real value are the 75 mm and maybe the
>> 35mm
>> > finders, which Leica does not make now. There may be some special occasions
>> for the
>> > 15mm and the 12mm. Very few, I'll wager.
>> >
>> > Emanuel Lowi
>> > Montreal
>> >
>> Emanuel,
>>
>> As far as the Cosina editorial presence in the LHSA's Viewfinder every issue
>> for the past couple of years all written by Tom A, (and at the same time
>> always being editorially critical of Leica) one has to wonder if Tom A is a
>> paid consultant for Cosina. And I am a little shocked that the powers at
>> LHSA go along with this. If I find out that Tom A is in fact a Cosina paid
>> consultant I will be dropping my LHSA membership.
>>
>> Steve
>> Annapolis
>
> This is a joke, right? Or are we about to see similar statements about
> EP? Naw, it has to be a joke!
>
> B. D.
>
B.D.

Please keep my above post in the proper context of the LHSA and its
Viewfinder magazine. Personally I do not care if somebody is making money
off this, but, if somebody is a paid consultant for a company and then
writing stories as a "Contributing Editor" promoting a product in a
publication I think it reasonable for people to know why the 'glowing'
reviews.

Also bear in mind that for me as a Publisher/editor editorial integrity is
important. I am suspicious of Tom A's motives for the every issue raving
reviews for Cosina in a Leica enthusiasts publication, not to mention all
the free stuff he is getting from Cosina. I do not think this passes the
smell test.

Steve
Annapolis