[Leica] Re: Titanium lenses: Summicron ASPH low production

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 11/7/04 1:24 PM, "Jacques Bilinski" <jbilin@axionet.com> typed:

> 
>> I did check whether this new batch of titanium stuff was still a
>> coating or not. It states explicitly on the Leica website that the
>> limited edition is made with solid titanium not a coating.
>> 
> What are the advantages of Ti over brass and Al?  Is it used purely for
> marketing reasons or are there practical advantages?
> 
> 
Here in Portland they make Columbia sportswear raincoats out of Titanium.
One of my favorite metals but the Tim Woodman I ain't.

Turns out they are Titanium in name only.
Does have a nice ring to it to others than me it seems.

Kind of like the Titanium Leicas of old.
But they had Titanium flecks in the paint.
        ... For highlights.

A thing which always bugged me Titanium  being the nifty stuff that it is.
And Leica being the super cool classy company that it is.

And Olympus and Nikon putting some real hunks of Titanium into their
Titanium cameras. Making them lighter and stronger not the opposite.

Last week at the Leica Historical Society of America meeting in Williamsburg
VA about he first thing they told us was about how it turned out to be
faster, cheaper and more FUN to make a top piece out of a solid block of
Titianm or Brass or whatever for that matter than a cluster of an assembly
of stuff as before.

There were examples of these blocks on Rolf Fricke's display table for all
to hold and fondle which lured me.
I found even the brass blocks were so lightweight and thin that they didn't
feel notably lighter than the titanium.
This didn't ruin my day though.

There IS NO TITANIUM FINISH.
You are looking at the PURE TITANIUM ITSELF.
AND IT IS GORGEOUS!!

This puts us a leg up not down from the unwashed masses of Olympus Nikon
TITANIUM "cameras".

It will be interesting to find out what nifty other options of metals those
blocks can be made of.

Finishless finishes!!!!!!!

Mercury?
    (too squishy)
Magnesium?
    Best used as a sun block on your nose!
Aluminum?
    I'm just not fond of this stuff! No class! Ugly patina!
Chromium?
    Makes a great shiny bumper on a '56 Chevy!
 Nickel?
    Ah the old shiny metals of Leica lenses of old!
Copper!!
    A patina which just wont quit! Love this stuff! Knew a guy who made
furniture out of copper pipe!
Zinc
    Been there done that!
Arsenic
    better off with old lace.
Silver
    the official metal of photography as far as I go.
I love the feel of silver.
I hear it's gotten cheap!?
Platinum
    great stuff I hear.
    would love a Platinum Rollei 35 hanging from my rear view mirror with a
pair of booties.
Lead
    heavy and making for irritability, stomachache, poor appetite, diarrhea,
colic, distractibility, and lethargy.
Uranium
    Why evolve when you can just mutate?

I am under the illusion that I can often tell a metal by it's feel is that
like astrology or palm reading or can I really not be kidding myself?

But 500 blocks are really not worth discussing.

I asked Christian one of the nice German guys from Leica we see every year
about the obviousness of them continuing with this beyond the 500 as this
has been their pattern before when they come up with a good thing and he
would hear none of this.

But lets let them sell their 500 and pay next months rent first.

Then on the Leica al a cart you can pick the finish less one piece metal
block top to match your leather of another color.
And red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet red-dot.
I'll be a happy Leica guy with empty pockets.

And a Leica to match my Plaid Polyester Leisure Suit with white palm springs
shoes.

Or Armani Tux.




Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/