Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/09/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Did Kodak at one time beat Leica in terms of lens quality???
From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2001 20:32:25 -0400

At 07:12 PM 9/4/01 -0400, Emanuel Lowi wrote:
>I'm not surprised that the Kodak lenses for the Ektra performed so well.
The Ektra
>was Kodak's great attempt at making a camera in the Leica/Contax
rangefinder league.
>A bit gadget-festooned, yes, and today usually not reliable, it was still an
>admirable "Made in USA" attempt at a pro caliber 35mm camera. Bell &
Howell also made
>the "Foton" camera during the same era, superior to Kodak's Ektra, also
with its own
>set of lenses.

The Foton was a decade later, Emmanuel, than the Ektra.  Its prime lens was
a fine Taylor Taylor Hobson Amotal;  when the Foton was discontinued, the
remaining lenses were sent to Italy to be remounted into LTM and Contax RF
mounts.  The mount for the Leica was crude but functional.  This lens has
become a desired collectable of late, alas!, as I sold my two some years
back, before they went up in price.

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir!