Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/01/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Howdy They may well have some trade secrets and hold a some patents. But I would guess they are mostly oriented towards low volume production. Their QC equipment is probably better than anything east of Zeiss but again it probably has better application in low volume production. Canon doesn't really need that sort of thing since they find other ways around those kinds of problems. For example: they solve lack of concentricity in an element or group on their zooms by by having eccentric adjustments. Of course it works out fine but if you want an elegant solution you start by cutting or molding the glass right in the first place even though it's more expensive and 99% of the users will never notice! I doubt Canon cares about that. It's starting to look more and more like pure trophyism! See Ya Javier >Not to sure about that Javier, >If I remember rightly, Leica, Schott and co still have some pretty secret >glass mixtures on the stove, I believe they are also front runners in the >production of cast (moulded) asphericals too, add this to their custom >built design/QA/QC equipment and their lens grinding/polishing equipment >with tolerances measured in angstrom units, there does seem to be quite a >bit of stuff worth having. >I see Canon digitals (SLR) with Leica glass in Leica barreled/Canon AF >mounts (replacing the L series), a hybrid Leica/Canon dual range of RFs >(digital and film with common components i.e. modular guts) possibly with >lower priced entry models under the Canon banner, and the death of the >Leica SLRs as we know them. And the selling off of the Sport Optics >Division to ???????? (Swarovski in Austria perhaps). >Douglas >Sitting here, just taking a break from translating VWs coming merchandising >catalogue, and >a lover of just about everything German (including my wife and son - Posy, >the cat, is a Somali, but I love her too) > >Javier Perez wrote: > >> >>Lastly, I doubt Canon needs any optical patents from Leica. Leica is able >>to produce the lenses they do by taking carefully thought out, often even >>conservativve designs and being extremely nitpickey about the glass they >>use and the tolerances they hold. Nothing patentable there! >>Javier > > >_______________________________________________ >Leica Users Group. >See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information