Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/14

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Subject: Re: [Leica] rumours from the east
From: John Coan <jcoan@alumni.duke.edu>
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 13:03:39 -0400
References: <200008141633.JAA01364@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>

Contax has finally introduced an autofocus 35mm SLR, and will have a
digital version of that same camera ready next year.  They had to drop
the old Contax/Yashica lens mount though.  If Leica wants to update
their SLR line autofocus seems to be the way to go.  I haven't heard any
rumours or sugestions that this will happen.

Contax of course will make a lot of present users feel left out by
switching mounts, just like Canon did a few years ago.  However, the new
mount will be all electrical just like the 645 lenses are now, which
gives great flexibility.  In fact, they have already announced an
adaptor that will allow the use of all Contax 645 mount medium format
lenses with the new 35mm, keeping all features inclulding autofocus.

And, since you can use both Hasselblad and Pentacon Six mount lenses on
the 645 with the appropriate adaptor (minus autofocus and auto
aperture), you have a very wide range of excellent Zeiss lenses to use
on the new 35 autofocus as well.  The Pentacon lenses are Carl Zeiss
Jena and very cheap.  Also, the Kiev Ukranian lenses will work too and
they are even cheaper.

I wonder what Leica would do on a new autofocus camera, if they
introduced one?  Same lens mount, like Nikon?  Or, new mount like Canon
and Contax?

Pascal wrote:
> 
> On 14-08-2000 12:12 Mikiro wrote:
> 
> >Hi, sorry to disturb you with R_U_M_O_U_R_S. A Leica freak in Tokyo just
> >mailed me that a CL2 is just behind the curtain (at Photokina, perhaps).
> >Another tells me about a 75-year anniversary camera....  The two may be the
> >same one....  Are there similar rumours around there? ;-)
> 
> and what are the rumours about *new* R developments instead of backward
> looking items?
> Am I right in suspecting that these "memorabilia" are intended to divert
> attention away from the lack of new developments in the R system?
> 
> Pascal
> no archive
> 
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In reply to: Message from Pascal <cyberdog@attglobal.net> (Re: [Leica] rumours from the east)