Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/30

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Subject: [Leica] View Magazine
From: 4season <4season@boulder.net>
Date: Sun, 30 May 1999 01:25:56 -0600

Maybe it has something to do with the new Leica CEO, but after going for
24 months without hearing a peep from Leica in response to my warranty
cards (except to get the Passport stuff), I got an issue of Leica View
Magazine today. Nothing dramatic inside, just astute marketing,
including rebates on the R and M bodies and a calendar of upcoming
Leica-related events.

What most caught my eye were the 3 new Minox binoculars, which look like
little more (or less) than badge-engineered Leica binocs. The 8x32 looks
familiar to me, except for it's lack of the very handy single-knob
focusing of the Leica 8x32BA. But with a list price of $439, the Minox
should prove very tempting indeed, if it's optical performance is
similar. It also suggests to me that Leica's profit margin on the
binoculars is probably very substantial, and these "Minox" offerings
seem like a cautious concession in the name of greater sales volumes.
They'd best be careful not to canabalize their Trinovid sales though.
What next: "Color Minotar" lenses in M and R mounts, for half the usual
price? One can always hope!

I also see that there's a workshop in Bodie, CA, under the auspices of
Keeble & Shuchat on August 1: Are any fellow LUGers attending or
conducting this thing?

Jeff