Re: [Leica] Leica lens still superior???

[Andre Jean Quintal <megamax@abacom.com>]

At 08:00 -0500 22/08/98, Eric Welch wrote:
>At 12:19 PM 8/22/98 +0200, you wrote:
>
>>prices, they don't have to engineer any "economy" lenses into their lineup.
>
>That is the case, and the reason for the "error" in that person's thinking.
>Like it should apply to Leica's competitors that they only have to argue
>from their few "best" lenses while comparing to Leica's full line. It
>doesn't shake. Most people buy one system for all their needs, or the M and
>R in Leica's case. No other camera maker makes as comprehensive a set of
>lenses that cover so many bases so well - optically.

	Let me tell you what REALLY happened to me:

	I had dreamed of Nikon from childhood (i did not read,
	i ATE every photo magazine and book that came my way,
	in and out, even the price lists and whatnot,
	(47th Street Photo comes to mind as a fond memory).

	A Nikon F4 was the ultimate dream (i was 11-14 then ...).

	Turned out i mowed enough lawns and done menial jobs
	to trade in my Yashica Lynx 14 rangefinder for a Nikkormat FTn.
	The lens on it was a REAL LEMON ! Even my Yashica was
	much superior though only a "consumer" camera
	(but it (the Lynx 14) turned some remarkable shots).
	I eventually met a Nikon HIGH level executive who told me
	that this was "business" and "though luck" (the first Japanese
	person to be a let down i ever met ! ). To the extent i think they
	go out of their way to "find a good one" out of the lots produced
	when a prestige photographer "goes Nikon". Bullshit !
	No wonder Canon took so much of their market away !
	It would have cost Nikon next to nothing to provide a
	replacement that met their advertised "quality".
	I must say the FTn body itself was a tank, though
	it eventually got stolen with my audio gear (QUAD
	Acoustical   :+(    ), not such a good day.

	I don't think you ever would hear such a bad trip story
	from a Leica customer in 100,000 ! In a 1,000,000 even !
	LEICA stands by it's "customer base", people doing their best !

	Color saturation, contrast, acutance, fine highlights,
	grey scale extension, right gamma,
	long-life mechanical quality: the works...
	Experienced photographers would probably call such
	"the LEICA intangibles " . . .

	And something more than mediocre "spot check" quality control !

	Now, if LEICA ever decides to come out with a 35mm - 105 mm
	APO-zoom, i'll run to the store; it's the only "hole" i find in
	the LEICA-R lens range as everything is so "real life photography"
	oriented. This Photokina has hot LEICA stuff coming our way !
	And it's not a TTL Leica M6K, . . . just yet. Or is it not just
that ? ? ?
	A solid Minox made "LEICA Supralux AW" f/2.8 28mm ASPH
	high quality microwave-cavity auto-focus, flash bracketing capable,
	3 fps ultra-compact with apo-summarit (totally new rear focus ASPH
	"patent pending" lens design, same famous name used),
	with full manual over-ride functions, 1/2 meter close range capable,
	collectible "point and shoot" that DELIVERS ? ? ?

	" . . . very interesting ! " says the guy in the bushes at Solms.

	Andre Jean Quintal
















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