[Leica] Kyocera und Oberkochen

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

>>>I've never noted any difference between Kyocera and Oberkochen, and,
given
Zeiss's industrial practices, would be most curious how such could
be.<<<


Marc,
I heard it was because much of the production machinery at Kyocera's
Japanese plants is newer than the equivalent equipment at Oberkochen,
some by as much as 15 years or so; indeed that in some cases production
of specific lenses was shifted to Japan as the tooling of the German
machinery wore out.

I do not have this information firsthand; I'm remembering it as part of
a lecture given in NYC in 1997 or 1998 by Kornelius Fleischer of Zeiss,
whose title at that time, if I remember properly, translated to
something like 'Head of 35mm Optics.'

Sorry I can't be more specific, but I can't seem to find my notes from
that lecture, and I can't seem to get a response from the only e-mail
address I have for Herr Fleischer.

- --Mike