Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/09/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dan, The Hexar 2 is not a flash in the pan ( TTL flash!). Konica has already made at least 3 of the lenses in screwmount and I know that they have a 85 or 90 on the board. The 28/2,8 has been seen as a prototype, the 35/2 has been reworked from the initial offering of the Hexar lens. The first try was not that good and it is now a priced collectible in Japan. The 50/2,4 collapsible is a very creditable lens, sharp, contrasty and quite well made. The ones I have seen have all been in LSM, but the word in Japan is that the final version will be M-mount. I would not be surprised to see this camera released later this year or at PMA. Minolta has released a 3 asherical surface 28/2,8 non-retrofocus lens in Tokyo in LSM mount. Very small and probably quite good. Priced at about US$ 700 without finder. Only 1000 earmarked for export and 2000 for domestic market. The japanese are far more adventerous than the european manufacturers. They will make small production runs and sell these, often only in Japan. Remember the "retro" cars that they made, The Figaro, The S-Cargo minivan and the current version of the Nissan, looking like a shrunken Jaguar 3,4 ltr Mark 2. They must have more confidence in the publics acceptance of these products and rely on short series. Both the Minolta and Ricoh lenses are taken from the P/S cameras. All that was needed was a helicoil and appropriate manual aperture ring. With modern computer technology and CNC machining it can be done in small series at a reasonable cost. Tom A