Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/09/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 9/3/03 10:15:18 AM, owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us writes: << Actually there are. Photo District News did a professional survey some years ago for 35mm cameras and it was ranked: Nikon at number one, Canon came in second and Leica was third (with 12 percent of pros owning one. >> Many pros may own a Leica. After all, a rarely used camera will last forever. But according to Leica's own figures, the last year Leica was the choice of most pros was in 1965. The Nikon F took over at that point and hasn't looked back. Except for the readers of the LUG, few pros of my acquaintance use the Leica as their "money" camera. The self admitted big mistake Leica made was diverting its resources to the M5 instead of producing a decent SLR. My source is "The Leica Years, 1945 to 1980" by Emil G. Keller. ISBN 09622612-1-1. This slim book is not only a good read but is replete with patent drawings, photographs, and inside information about Leica's attempt to recover from WW2. How many Leicaholics know, for example, that the internal competitor for Willi Stein's M series Leica design was the much more technically sophisticated 1/2 frame Leica "H" designed by Adam Wagner. Wagner was so disappointed that Leica produced Stein's more conservative design that he resigned and lived out his years as a bitter old man. Leica's conservatism reigns to this day. Larry Z - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html