Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hello, I am Tom Kumagai from Japan. I am a user of Leica IIIf (Nr. 5933XX). I use it with Summicron 5cm F2. Being an amateur M Leicas are very expensive, but all of us know how attractive they are. It is not unaffordable. I fell in love with Summicron Bokeh and how the light-source blurs when the apperature is wide open, and everyone knows where it is focused, it's very sharp. I would like to know more about Leica M's compared with its predecessors. If you would please tell me where to find out the differences. I am too isolated from the big cities to see the real M3,M2,M4 or M6. I understand the major difference is made by the state-of-art briteframe finder and "M" bayonette mount. but I know nothing else... - ---------------- I would like to ask you why some of you are picking on my country, being an amateur I don't know much, but at least I can say that Nikon, Canon,and Pentax are one of the best 35mm cameras available. Not to mention Minolta. Some of you consider that Japanese manufactures' imitating Leica/Contax technologies are big deal, but I remember Russian, British, and even American manufacturers were manufacturing SM Leica copies like Fed, Reid, and KARDON. (At least I can say that today's Japan makes better 35mm cameras than these countries) Why you accuse just Japanese manufactures for it? At least Japanese manufactures utilized and improved(in their point of views, though) the Leica or Contax concepts, and that evolved to some incredible mechanism like quick-return-mirror SLR's and copal square shutter unit. And Japanese manufactures are the ones who made photography available for ordinary mom and pops. Do you call Nikon F as an imitation of Exacta or Contax S? Or is it by any way close to SM Leica or even M3? Nikon F is also a state-of-art camera. I understand some Japanese don't know how to do the business or trading. I understand Japan itself has committed a crime and still denying it (We are working on changing the government's direction, and it's a time-consuming process - well it's not a good place to talk about it.), but please don't bring that up to here. Or are you becoming racial?? We as consumers in Japan know what Leica is and what Leica means to photographers. We understand historical significance, we understand their natures of sharpness and bokeh(in fact it's a Japanese term), and we understand its durability and pleasure they offer us when we use them, smooth winding, feel of releasing the shutter, gentle noise, right weight, and its metalic feelings. And craftmanship. We understand Leica has the nature what our manufactures have lost and even more. BTW I use Leica and Contax(Hey, my another snapshooter prospect "Aria" is on market now...) because I like the lens. Plannar and Summicron are very different, but both are good.(and both are German...)