Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/16

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Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: Leica glass
From: "Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" <peterk@lucent.com>
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 15:42:09 -0800

Robert,

No one smelters their own metal.  But there are camera and lens makers that
do melt their own glass, for example:  Nikon, Canon, Konica, Cosina, Minolta
(the orginator ofthe R camera), and others.

Peter K

- -----Original Message-----
From: Robert G. Stevens [mailto:robsteve@istar.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, December 16, 1998 1:30 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: RE: [Leica] RE: Leica glass


I guess all that matters is that the glass is made  is to Leica
specifications.  I assume they don't smelter their own metals to make the
bodies either ;-)

Regards,

Robert Stevens

At 08:22 AM 12/16/98 -0800, you wrote:
>Jim,
>
>Thanks.  That confirms all I have read too!  (Although I would not call
Hoya
>glass "mundane" as noted in the text considering they are the world's
>largest glass manufacturer and supplier to more lens companies than most
>realize, Leica included).  With Leica being a small company, it makes sense
>that they would not have the resources to melt their own glass, but spec it
>out and buy it leaving Leica resources to focus on Lens design and
>manufacturing.  BTW, Pentax, Sigma, and many others DO NOT make their own
>glass but buy it.
>
>Peter K.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Alan Ball [mailto:AlanBall@csi.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 9:54 PM
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Re: [Leica] RE: Leica glass
>
>
>Jim,
>
>>>From the few litterature sources that I have, it seems that Leica does
>not produce any glass, though it has used a very small scale in-house
>production unit in the past, mostly for tests. Nothing in thoses sources
>ever stipulates that the glass supplied to Leica by makers such as
>Schott and others (Hoya's name usually pops up here) is glass made to
>order for Leica alone. I would suppose that Leica buys glass using
>specifications that are in the current catalogue of the maker...
>
>You can catch on an earlier LUG thread on the matter through:
>http://lq.corenetworks.com/lq/view.cgi?o=0&s=1&b=1&q=hoya+AND+glass&sp=&mid
=
>40261&ln=leicausers
>
>Alan
>
>Jim Brick wrote:
>> 
>> I'm under the impression that Leica formulates, mixes, melts, and makes
>> almost all of their own glass. They farm out what they do not have
>capacity
>> for.
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>> At 04:13 PM 12/15/98 -0800, you wrote:
>> >I don't believe Leica does its own glass melting.  Even companies like
>Sigma
>> >and Pentax buy their glass from outside sources.  This is fact.
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: Jim Brick [mailto:jimbrick@photoaccess.com]
>> >Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 1998 3:06 PM
>> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>> >Subject: [Leica] Leica glass
>> >
>> >
>> >I was told, by the Leica folks, that all of the glass that they receive
>> >from other companies (such as Hoya) is Leica glass, made to the Leica
>> >formula, and that the supplier (Hoya) cannot in any way use the Leica
>glass
>> >that they supply to Leica. Leica's glass making capacity is overstressed
>> >and they farm out the manufacturing to others. But using the Leica
>patented
>> >formulas. So it all is Leica glass. Just "cooked" in another facility.
>> >
>> >Jim
>> >
>> >At 05:39 PM 12/15/98 -0500, you wrote:
>> >>At 01:02 PM 1998-12-15 -0800, Peter Kotsinadelis wrote:
>> >>>OUt of curiousity, does anyone know if it is Schott that provides the
>> >glass
>> >>>for Leica lenses?
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>Yes and no.  Hoya provides some glass for a couple of the R lenses.
>> >>
>> >>Marc
>> >>
>> >>msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
>> >>Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>> >>
>
>
>
>
>