[rollei_list] Re: More R and H price comparisons and production figures

  • From: Marc James Small <marcsmall@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:11:38 -0400

At 04:24 PM 3/27/2010, Richard Knoppow wrote:

>     I think what cut into Rollei sales was the general move
>to 35mm. One of the most influential cameras was the Nikon
>F-1. This was about the first "modern" single lens reflex in
>that it had an instant return mirror and other features
>missing on earlier SLRs regardless of format. Nikon
>displaced most other 35mm cameras until it was displaced in
>turn by Canon, who had a better sales organization. The
>German camera industry never caught up.

Richard

I suspect you mean the Nikon F. Canon came out with the F-1 (Old) a decade later.

There is nothing revolutionary on the Nikon F -- each of its features was available on other cameras before the F appeared. What the F did present was a BUNCH of features in the same package. Nikon is part of the Mitsubishi Zaibatsu, and Mitsubishi was looking to dominate advanced amateur and pro 35mm photography through Nikon, so they received huge subsidies. (When things go poorly for Mitsubishi, as when the sale of Battleships and ten-meter stereo rangefinders go down, then Nikon gets cut off. That is a primary reason for the Canon takeover of the market in the 1990's.)

Marc


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Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!

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