[LRflex] Comments on Keith's musings.
- From: David Young <telyt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2007 09:31:22 -0700
Keith Longmore wrote:
>Motor Drives: David, the R-E MD has a 'switch' with one spot and two
>spots. It refuses to set to the one spot position; however, I seem
>to remember that this has nothing to do with single shot. I'll find
>the handbook and check!
The one dot/two dot switch is for normal/double exposures. The double
white dot allows the motor to wind the camera mechanism but the
clutch disengages the film advance sprockets and take-up spool so the
shutter gets wound but the film remains in place. IIRC, if your
press and hold the camera's release, you will get single
exposures. If you press and hold the motor or grip releases, you'll
get continuous frames until you let go.
>Leica spectacle glasses: H'mmm, there's a thought! I think that
>might be counterproductive. Let Pentax and Nikon make their
>offerings, but it's not necessarily good to follow - much better to lead.
Agreed.
>A Leitz product that used to be incredibly good was the Correvit
>speed measuring system, which used random reflection from a road
>surface to measure speed. This system wasn't affected by ride
>height, tyre size, or yaw angle; it just indicated what speed that
>point on the vehicle was doing, and in which direction. I believe
>they sold that technology -
>presumably because money was tight - but selling the 'family silver'
>is NEVER a good idea. Once it's gone, it's gone, never to return.
Agreed. My understanding is that at the time of the breakup of Leitz,
the Correvit system was sold to CORRSYS-DATRON GmbH (Wetzlar). See:
http://www.corrsys-datron.com/optical_sensors.htm I understand that
at the time, the managers felt that technology did not fit in with
Leica Geosystems... which might have otherwise been it's home. I
have not, however, been able to find any supportive date for this.
>What about their microscopes and electronic inspection
>equipment? They used to be leaders, but are they still? I very much doubt it!
Sorry Keith, but you got that one wrong! Leica are very much leaders
in these fields. However, when Leitz was split up, three companies
resulted. Leica Camera (Solms), Leica Microsystems (Microscopes -
Wetzlar) and Leica Geosystems (Electronics, Heerbrugg,
Switzerland). The Heerbrugg site is the former home of Wild
Instruments, before it became Wild-Leitz, before it became.....
History: Wild bought Leica in 1986 to form Wild-Leitz. The Leica
Group was formed when Wild-Leitz merged with the UK's Cambridge
Instruments, in 1990. Leica Camera was spun off in 1996. The
remainder was slit into Leica Geosystems and Leica Microsystems, in 1997.
So, they are now three separate, independent firms, all sharing the
Leica name. I understand that Leica Camera must pay a royalty to
Leica Microsystems (as does Leica Geosystems) for the use of the
Leica name! (It might be the other way 'round ... I'm never sure.)
This, in itself, may by why the new industrial complex, coming soon,
to Wetzlar, is to be called the Leitz Park and not Leica Park. They
may be planning to resurrect the Leitz name, in order to [a] achieve
independent branding and [b] avoid the royalty payments. This last
bit is just another random thought.
I find it interesting that Leica Camera uses the "Red Dot" roundel,
as their logo .. while Microsystems and Geosystems use the long
established Leica script in their logos.
See: http://www.leica.com/ It may or not be significant that when
Leica Camera print out the Leica name, they use a modern, sans serif
face to distinguish themselves from the other two.
>When I have been using my R-E, I have had other photographers ask me -
>'what's the camera?' So I tell them.
>In reverent tones 'Leica? Really? Is the lens Leica, too?'
>'Yes'
>'My God, wish I could afford that kit!'
You are lucky! Most people I meet, when told my camera is a Leica,
say "What's that? ... is it as good as my Pentax?"
>My view is ... Price needs careful positioning to ensure that a lot
>of the would-be Leica owners can be persuaded to pay a bit more for
>the best, so as to increase potential sales, whilst not detracting
>from the exclusive image. Maybe a reduced price range based on
>reduced functionality - but NOT quality
Been there, done that. The M2, the CL and your beloved RE were all
intended as reduced function, lower cost alternatives. I don't
believe that Leica ever found them that successful in drawing the
lower price crowd into the Leica fold.
> - as well as the premium range; maybe some form of finance scheme
> to aid people to buy the product, maybe some form of 'trade-up'
> scheme. Or refurbishing used lenses/bodies, to sell at a lower
> price than new ones, but with a proper Leica guarantee.
As Doug pointed out,
>They have been doing this for selected bodies (privately-owned) for
>some time now. The SL and SL2 are included, I believe the Leicaflex
>Standard and R4 and possibly others are excluded from the program.
I can only add that the R3 is also excluded from that program.
Just my two cents worth.....
Cheers!
---
David Young,
Logan Lake, CANADA
Wildlife Photographs: http://www.telyt.com/
Personal Web-pages: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt
Stock Photography at: http://tinyurl.com/2amll4
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