Re: [Leica] Leica factory, and following comments!

["Dan Post" <dwpost@email.msn.com>]

Elliot-
Good post, and I appreciate your take on Leica. It seems that Leica is not
just a 'brand' but a phenomenon! It is a marque synonymous with quality,
durability, and a tradition unmatched by most businesses.
I have always felt that having a Leica, particularly an older one, is like
owning a bit of history- the Summar and Elmar-90 from 1937 seem almost
magical! I can well imagine them recording the press conferences about the
disappearances of Earhart and Noonan, photographing some scenes of the Great
Depression on a camera wielded by a WPA photographer, recording the burning
of the Hindenburg, maybe photographing Pearl Harbor, or being at some place
and time in history!
Was my 1939 IIIa sent to Leitz of NY or was it a war trophy? It is in
amazingly good shape- I got it through the help of Paul Scheimer- and he
told me it was donated to an art center for sale by an old gentleman who may
have had it for 40-50 years! What stories it could tell! What sights it may
have seen and photographed!
I have a couple of LIFE magazines, from 1939 and 1946 on my camera shelf ,
and a 1937 National Geographic- Did some of my stuff make the images in
those magazines? Back when a Kodak movie camera was $34.50, and you could
get a sectional bookcase for $11.50!
I hope you got some images there- do they allow photographs to be made
there? and that you will possibly share them with us! It is always good to
hear posts such as your! I am continually fascinated! Thanks!
Dan
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Elliot M. Puritz, MD <drpuritz@li.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 1999 11:50 PM
Subject: [Leica] Leica factory


> Would like to briefly comment on my trip to the Leica factory in Solms as
> part of the recent Leica M Seminar in Wetzlar.  I am sure that members of
> the Historical Society would have much more knowledge and insight as to
> what they observed during their recent trip, and for those of us who
cannot
> come to Illinois, perhaps such members might amplify and extend my
> comments.
>
> The factory is a modern one story building with myriads of computer
> guided grinding, polishing, cutting, and other tools.  Part of the factory
is
> off limits...some type of work going on that the Leica people do not want
> casual vistors to see.  One is impressed with the details that go into
making
> a Leica lens...from the shaping and honing of the glass to the development
of
> the barrels...very interesting and reassuring.  Our lenses are built to
> withstand lots of punishment....thus, disheartening to hear of the
"failure"
> of some of the lenses from members of the LUG. Hard to gather any
> impression as to the "level" at which the factory is operating i.e., how
> busy they are(were).  There certainly were M cameras being polished and
> calibrated, but I did not see R cameras being completed.  Not to spread
> rumors...just perhaps not in the tour.  One of the highlights, of course,
was
> the exhibition case in which a large number of the Leica models made were
> exhibited.  To those who are waiting, the 90Sumicron M Asph is now being
> made in Solms, having been moved from Canada where there were
> production problems.  The group was told that an adequate and sufficient
> number of these lenses will very shortly be available.  Ahmen!  As has
> been well pointed out by other LUGGERS, Leica no longer makes every part
> for every camera, but the company does exercise rigid quality control on
> every piece that is put into each camera.  One cannot help but wonder just
a
> bit about such an all encompassing statement, but, nevertheless, the
> feeling I got was that the cameras are made to very high and exacting
> standards. Don't yell at me about the problems that some have had with
> certain of their Leica cameras...only reporting...I had nothing to do with
the
> manufacture!
>
> Imust admit that I am proud and happy to be able to use an instrument that
> has been developed by an unbroken succession of skilled individuals, and
> that, in the main, when my pictures are poor, I am to blame, certainly not
> the camera.
>
> Best,
>
> Elliot