Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/11

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Subject: Re: [Leica] 35-70/2.8 out of production ???
From: Pitak Chenkosol <pitakc@ee.pdx.edu>
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 13:12:37 -0700 (PDT)

Ok, I am going to take another poke at this.

We'll never know what are real reasons behind this "limited edition"
lens. Leica seems to operate and run their company the "Leica's way".
It looks like they are challenging the "Murphy's Law" any which way
they can.

They can design and produce exotic lenses like the above lens but somehow
decide that 200-300 pieces are just about the right number to produce.
If this was indeed their decision, they don't mention this in their products
catalog. You must be a member of the "Leica's High Council" to know about this
and even qualify to place an order.


Let see what could actually happen:

(speculation mode "ON")


They ran out of exotic glass elements that they had to import from the
outer ring of the galaxy? They must know about this before they finished
the negotiation with the glass supplier. Again they went ahead with it.
They tried to phone the glass supplier to order more glass. Nope can't do that.
There is no more.

They don't have enough skilled technicians or assembly personnels to build this
lens. Train some more. If you have enough back order to justify this, what is
the problem? I don't know if Leica plant even operates 24hrs/day.

(speculation mode "OFF")

Don't get me wrong here. I love my Leica gears but sometimes wish that there
exists at least one competent competitor that Leica has to seriously worry about.

Pitak

PS: Andre, you can look at sample shots at Pascal's site. The address is
    http://members.xoom.com/cyberplace



> 
> Pitak wrote:
> [ snip ]
> 5-6 years back order? Perhaps, if all the orders are prepaid,
> Leica can afford to build another wing to the existing factory
> just to build this lens.
> . . .
> 	--> Perhaps is it that it requires highly qualified
> 	and experienced technicians to manufacture this zoom
> 	to Leica standards ?
> 	     If it was only a matter of capital equipment, Leica
> 	has a factory full, then another, yet another . . .
> 
> 	-->This zoom must be one wonderful piece of equipment
> 	to use . . . Do you know of on-line places we could go to
> 	and appreciate its performance ? The color photos Leica used
> 	in their "Programme" catalog are quite remarkable Nature
> 	photography .
> 
> 	     A J Q
> 
> 
> 
>