Eric;
Point taken - much of the poor quality product coming out of China is built to
a price-point, not quality absolutes:
However, let's be frank - you can specify tolerances all you want, but
unless there is on-site Q.C., with random inspections, and a culture of
excellence, contractors will cut corners to shave costs; as many companies have
discovered dealing with Chinese suppliers.
I would argue that, as you say - "highly specialized production with highly
specialized tooling and assembly requirements," definitely includes a
Rolleiflex TLR or Leica M:
So what businesses do you know, and what are their products? I'm not aware of
Leica or Manley equivalent examples sourced from China - not yet, anyway.
There was one Chinese microphone company manufacturing for a number of 3rd
party brands; they were building to a price point, and acknowledged the product
(and their workforce's) shortcomings - but they had a longterm plan to
gradually improve their in-house tech and manu, with a goal to eventually
producing Neuman or Brauner quality condenser mics under their own brand: Not
sure how that panned out.
"...There is nothing exceptionally demanding about producing pro audio gear ..."
The term "pro audio" gets thrown around a lot to describe product that really
isn't:
In my experience, producing truly pro audio gear - the handmade kind with very
tight electronic and mechanical tolerance - is exceptionally demanding;
which is why so few people do it. Like anything handbuilt, it costs.
From: egoldste@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2015 13:13:57 -0400
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Rollei Insolvency...
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
You are confusing capability with specifications.
If a manufacturer specifies production with a certain level of quality, high
tolerances and low failure rates, AND PAYS FOR IT, many chinese manufacturing
facilities are capable of producing with high precision, about as high as you
can find anywhere. This unless you are talking about highly specialized
production with highly specialized tooling and assembly requirements; then it
depends on the category.
If they do not specify it and pay for it, then they do not get it.
I know several businesses who use china for their high quality production and
have been very please with what they get year after year.
There is nothing exceptionally demanding about producing pro audio gear and I
have no doubt that it can be done in China or most of Asia given that what I
just detailed is in play...
Eric Goldstein
On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 1:04 PM, tom rogers <jtomrogers@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Smartphones are not handmade precision instruments assembled one at a time by
highly trained and skilled workers carrying on a centuries old tradition.
They are mass-produced on assembly lines staffed by 20-something peasants in
China.
The Seagull is a piece of junk.
The Rollei Singapore factory Q.C. was hit and miss.
Outside of Japan and Germany, few other countries have a historical
knowledgebase needed to manufacture something like a manual film TLR.
I work in the pro audio field - Chinese made equipment is junk.
The microphones are notorious for their poor tolerances, finish, and sound
quality; but they look just like a $4000 German made mic, and are dirt cheap.
From: dsadowski@xxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2015 08:06:40 -0500
Subject: [rollei_list] Re: Rollei Insolvency...
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
We live in an age where quality products can be made anywhere, China included.
We have come a long way from the time 30 years ago when I purchased a Pearl
River TLR and discovered that it was junk.
Nowadays, there is quite a lot of interest in classic cameras in Hong Kong,
China and other places in the Far East. I discovered that recently when I sold
a few things.
This was an area where Rollei was ahead of their time with their Singapore
plant. I got a Singapore-made 35SE brand new and found the quality to be
excellent.
Nowadays probably half the people in the US are walking around with a smart
phone made in China and the quality of these items is excellent.
On Thu, Apr 23, 2015 at 7:55 AM, Brett Rogers <rogersbretta@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Personally I would rather see the Rollei TLRs end forever, than have production
moved to China and be tainted by an association with the quality many of that
country's products, rightly or wrongly, have become well-known for.
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2015 15:57:16 -0400
From: jdecher@xxxxxxx
To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [rollei_list] Rollei Insolvency...
Very sad news indeed. I was also hoping there would at least be some
solid Chinese bid for the whole lot, which would then be put
dismantled and put back together in China.
This thing purportedly happened with whole steel works when they
closed in my home region (Westphalia) 25 years ago.
Too bad I did not make it to Braunschweig to visit the factory before
this happened...
Jan
(shot my SL66 this evening in brilliant sunlight)
2015-04-20 17:09 GMT-03:00 <Dirk-Roger.Schmitt@xxxxxx>:
Unfortunately,
I have very bad news.
The Insolvency Sale starts on Tuesday.
I hoped, there would be somebody found who would take all items in a batch
to continue, but this did not happen.
I take numerous of photos which I will display later on.
...........................
Best regards, and God bless some people from former DHW which still want
to continue.
Regards
Dirk
Dirk-Roger Schmitt
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