Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/07/17

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To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: Leica's USA price list
From: Eric Welch <ewelch@cdsnet.net>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 20:48:00 -0700

At 12:32 AM 7/17/96 -0600, you wrote:

>At least Leica is still around. Kyocera is a fine company in its own right
>and should not be using the Contax logo.

Why? Contax is a licensed name from Zeiss in Germany. Wasn't it started up
to produce Contax cameras in Japan beacuse they thought it woud be too
expensive to do it in Germany? There were lots of technicians in Japan
making sure that Kyocera was building them to Contax standards. From the way
Blake Ziegler describes the arrangement, the quality factor is still there,
and Kyocera now owns the Contax name. And Zeiss only makes a few exotics for
the line now, and licenses the formulas for the lenses to Kyocera, but only
becaue they build them to their high standards to bear the Zeiss name.

I know, many might be queasy with that kid of arrangement if Leica were to
move the works to Japan. I would just wait and see if they kept the quality
up, and the lens designs "honest." I wouldn't care where they are made.

I've said my peace on any other peripheral issue. I won't say any more. No
offense meant.

===================
Eric Welch
Grants Pass (OR) Daily Courier
NPPA Region 11 JIB chair

"I think not," said Descartes, and disappeared.