Re: Leica RF Competitors

[gmrobinson@mmm.com]

A
>Argh.  To storm and struggle against the storms of ignorance.  CARL ZEISS
>gave up nothing.  ZEISS IKON -- a totally different company -- switched from
>the Contax RF to the Contarex SLR during the period 1958 to 1962.
>
>Marc
>
>msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
>
Carl Zeiss is the owner of Zeiss Ikon, the camera body manufacturer.  Carl
Zeiss made the lenses for Zeiss Ikon cameras.  Cameras have always been a
small part of both E. Leitz's and Carl Zeiss' businesses.  Historically,
microscopes were the leading products for both companies although both
produced other optical products such as binoculars, military optics, and
various scientific instruments. I have research microscopes from both
companies; they are much superior to microscopes made by Olympus, Nikon, etc.

E. Leitz was broken up a few years ago.   Hughes and Cambridge are two of
the current owners.   I am currently using Cambridge's Leica image analysis
system for quantitative analysis of microscope images.  In the past, I used
the image analyzer made by Zeiss. Carl Zeiss continues to make a very
extensive line of optical instruments and microscopes for scientific,
medical, and manufacturing needs.  They produce other interesting products
such as rifle scopes, surveying equipment, electron microscopes, and large
telescope mirrors.  About fifteen years ago I had the pleasure of giving a
seminar to their laboratory on my research in optical interferometry.
Their R&D facilities are first-rate.

Now does this sound like the storms of ignorance?

Glen M. Robinson, Ph.D. 
gmrobinson@mmm.com