Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/07

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] M thoughts
From: Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 11:46:15 +0200

On 07-07-1998 09:54 Alan Ball wrote:
>On a
>personal level, I try to refrain from supporting producers who
>delocalise production in countries where social protection does not
>exist or where child labour is considered normal.

I fully agree with you, Alan!

>So, as long as Leica maintains the adequate level of
>marketing hype around its roots and maintains the mystic link with
>Barnack, Wetzlar and all, there will be a niche market of very rich or
>very "crazy" (that's me) buyers that will pretend to see the Leica glow
>even in equipment manufactured by Minolta, Sigma or Kyocera.
>Nevertheless, I bet my unattractive salary that these buyers would frown
>at Leica M and R products if their packaging was too clearly stamped
>with a Made in Japan, Made in Korea or Made in Singapour logo and sold
>at a similar price level to that of the competitors. All of a sudden the
>"glow" will have vanished....

I am afraid you could have a point... but I'm bitten by the bug too :-)
When I bought the R anglefinder at "Leica" price, I was somewhat 
disappointed to note that is was "only" made in Japan... by Minolta 
undoubtedly as it is the same for all R cameras.
Funny thing is that on the box of the R8 motor-winder it is said "made in 
Germany", while on the motor-winder itself, it is said "made in Portugal" 
on the bottomplate. But it is a relief that it is still EU and not Japan, 
Korea or Singapore... I wonder why Leica did this. Maybe just an accident?

Pascal

- --------------------------------------------------------
Check out: http://members.xoom.com/cyberplace/
- --------------------------------------------------------
An Apple a day keeps greedy Microsoft away !
- --------------------------------------------------------
<<< PGP public key available on request >>>