Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/02/22

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Subject: What If?
From: Jim Bielecki <"jbieleck@northland.lib.mi.us"@northland.lib.mi.us>
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 1997 19:56:26 -0500

Has anybody out there ever wondered if Leica would consider building
some future rangefinder Leica on a totally different chassis?  When you
consider that the current M-6 is derived from the M-3 of 1954 (and
designed years before that), you've got to wonder if some engineer at
Solms has an idea for a TOTALLY NEW Leica, one that isn't based on the
current M chassis (but keeping the M lens mount).  Heresy?  Or has years
of no competition (until recently) bred complacency among the Leica
design crew?  I tend to think that the M chassis Leica would have
disappeared years ago if Canon, Nikon and the old Contax hadn't given up
on rangefinders like they all did back in the 60's (competition usually
dictates constant improvement).  Comments?