At 07:29 PM 5/26/05 -0700, Richard Knoppow wrote: > I don't know why the Germans, or the US for that matter,=20 >fell down so badly about SLR cameras, both 35mm and MF.=20 >After all the first 35mm SLR is the venerable Exakta. Its=20 >just that the Japanese were the only ones to see the=20 >potential market of a really well designed SLR camera.=20 I will dissent a bit by point out that the Contax S was the first mass-produced 35mm SLR of real quality; Herb Keppler frequently comments that it was his acquisition of one such that converted him, in his early pro days, to 35mm work. And the Praktina was a magnificent camera and a magnificent system which was even more of a financial bleeder for the East Germans than the Contarex was to the West Germans. Marc msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx=20 Cha robh b=E0s fir gun ghr=E0s fir! NEW FAX NUMBER: +540-343-8505 --- Rollei List - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org - Online, searchable archives are available at //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list