Has Voigtlander De assumed the reins from Cosina?

[lilmsmaggie]

While reading a Photokina related article on Shutterbug's website, I noticed the following link at the end of the article:

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_home_d.html

It would appear that Voigtlander De (Germany) has reasserted itself, or is this old news?

 

[lilmsmaggie]

Interesting legal info on the German site:

Legal information

Voigtländer is a brand of

RINGFOTO GmbH & Co. ALFO Marketing KG
Benno-Strauß-Str.39, 90763 Fürth
Tel: 0911 / 65 85 -0

www.ringfoto.de

 

[Roger Hicks]

Not so much old news as non-news. Ringfoto licenses the Voigtländer name to Cosina, and has done since the new Voigtländer cameras came out. The Voigtländer name has appeared on some distinctly indifferent stuff from Ring (a major German distributor), much like some of the (mis-)uses of Rollei by other manufacturers. Cosina has done a great deal to restore the prestige of the brand.

Cheers,

R.

 

[kshapero]

While reading a Photokina related article on Shutterbug's website, I noticed the following link at the end of the article:

http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_home_d.html

It would appear that Voigtlander De (Germany) has reasserted itself, or is this old news?

These guys are just distributors of Cosina's products. Not to worry, Mr K is still in charge.

 

[lilmsmaggie]

Not so much old news as non-news. Ringfoto licenses the Voigtländer name to Cosina, and has done since the new Voigtländer cameras came out. The Voigtländer name has appeared on some distinctly indifferent stuff from Ring (a major German distributor), much like some of the (mis-)uses of Rollei by other manufacturers. Cosina has done a great deal to restore the prestige of the brand.

Cheers,

R.

Is shutterbug just trying to confuse everyone? This link appears on there current website. The German site also lists Cameraquest and Photovillage as their distributers in the U.S. Makes ya wanna go Hmm ...

 

[CameraQuest]

Is shutterbug just trying to confuse everyone? This link appears on there current website. The German site also lists Cameraquest and Photovillage as their distributers in the U.S. Makes ya wanna go Hmm ...

What exactly are you trying to say?

Stephen

 

[lilmsmaggie]

What exactly are you trying to say?

Stephen

Not trying to say anything except today, while viewing shutterbug's website, if one were to read the "Report from Photokina" article and expecially the bottom of 2nd page

http://www.shutterbug.com/show_reports/0111photokina_c/index1.html

where it lists Manufacturers/Distributors it would be either confusing or misleading, ---take your pick.

 

[sevo]

Ringfoto (a large German association of independent camera stores) got hold of the name after Zeiss and Rollei dropped it in the late seventies, and used it as a store brand name for the OEM lenses and compacts they distributed.

Cosina more recently licensed the use of the name from Ringfoto, for their higher end film gear, while Ringfoto retain all other rights. They still distribute cheap digital point-and-shoots under the Voigtländer brand in Germany, but they also act as the exclusive Cosina distributor hereabouts. The latter can make it difficult to get hold of Bessas and lenses in many parts of Germany - most Ringfoto stores are mom and pop stores in laid-back rural or suburban settings which rarely or never have handled anything higher end than a basic kit lens DSLR.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Ringfoto (a large German association of independent camera stores) got hold of the name after Zeiss and Rollei dropped it in the late seventies, and used it as a store brand name for the OEM lenses and compacts they distributed.

Cosina more recently licensed the use of the name from Ringfoto, for their higher end film gear, while Ringfoto retain all other rights. They still distribute cheap digital point-and-shoots under the Voigtländer brand in Germany, but they also act as the exclusive Cosina distributor hereabouts. The latter can make it difficult to get hold of Bessas and lenses in many parts of Germany - most Ringfoto stores are mom and pop stores in laid-back rural or suburban settings which rarely or never have handled anything higher end than a basic kit lens DSLR.

I didn't know that, so thanks for clarifying matters. As for the non-highlighted part, thanks even more for stating that so clearly too.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Is shutterbug just trying to confuse everyone? This link appears on there current website. The German site also lists Cameraquest and Photovillage as their distributers in the U.S. Makes ya wanna go Hmm ...

Cameraquest and Photovillage are Voigtländer distributors in the USA. Both are excellent and honourable dealers: I've worked with both, but of course Cameraquest deserves special mention as the owner of this site.

Ringfoto owns the Voigtländer name; and licenses it to Cosina; and is the German distributor of Voigtländer. Sorry if that's confusing, but it's simply a description of how it is in the real world, which is sometimes confusing.

Cheers,

R.

 

[lilmsmaggie]

Cameraquest and Photovillage are Voigtländer distributors in the USA. Both are excellent and honourable dealers: I've worked with both, but of course Cameraquest deserves special mention as the owner of this site.

Cheers,

R.

Yes, yes - I know. But let's just assume for a moment that:

1. I wasn't aware of this and knew nothing about Cosina in Japan
2. I was similarly unaware of RFF
3. Happened to see this article today on Shutterbug's website
4. Visited the Voigtlander/Germany website

Think outside the box for a minute. What would I conclude? 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

Yes, yes - I know. But let's just assume for a moment that:

1. I wasn't aware of this and knew nothing about Cosina in Japan
2. I was similarly unaware of RFF
3. Happened to see this article today on Shutterbug's website
4. Visited the Voigtlander/Germany website

Think outside the box for a minute. What would I conclude? 🙂

That you knew very little about modern Voigtländer cameras? Sorry to be brutal to both you and Shutterbug, but anyone who is considering a Voigtländer RF camera really needs to do a bit more research than is afforded by a brief photokina review mentioning Voigtländer only in passing.

Cheers,

R.

 

[MC JC86]

I don't know... wasn't that Stephen's question?

(I feel dense)

 

[Benjamin Marks]

I must be getting more stupid by the minute, but I have no idea what the implication is supposed to be . . .

 

[MC JC86]

Is shutterbug just trying to confuse everyone?

To that end, success. 🙂

 

[lilmsmaggie]

That you knew very little about modern Voigtländer cameras? Sorry to be brutal to both you and Shutterbug, but anyone who is considering a Voigtländer RF camera really needs to do a bit more research than is afforded by a brief photokina review mentioning Voigtländer only in passing.

Cheers,

R.

I give up. Thinking outside the box isn't working. The obvious seems to be alluding you and probably most that have seen this thread. :bang:

It's not about me.
It's not about anyone considering a Voigtlander RF per se.

I don't belive the article even addresses Voigtlander RF's. But if the uninitiated, simply followed their curiosity based on the information supplied in the article they just might arrive at different assumptions than those of us who are familiar with the products in question, manufacturing, and distribution line of those products.


"Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking”

--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

[Zonan]

I give up. Thinking outside the box isn't working. The obvious seems to be alluding you and probably most that have seen this thread. :bang:

..........................

"Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking”

--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

All I can conclude is that Johann got it right 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

I give up. Thinking outside the box isn't working. The obvious seems to be alluding you and probably most that have seen this thread. :bang:

It's not about me.
It's not about anyone considering a Voigtlander RF per se.

I don't belive the article even addresses Voigtlander RF's. But if the uninitiated, simply followed their curiosity based on the information supplied in the article they just might arrive at different assumptions than those of us who are familiar with the products in question, manufacturing, and distribution line of those products.


"Thinking is more interesting than knowing, but less interesting than looking”

--Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Yes, they might. But ONE internet link doesn't amount to much, which is why I think you may be the one who is thinking 'inside the box'.

Come to that, I'd not place that much faith in J.W. von G. Have you ever tried to read Die Leiden des jungen Werthers. Even in translation (which is all I can manage)...

Cheers,

R.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

Come to that, I'd not place that much faith in J.W. von G. Have you ever tried to read Die Leiden des jungen Werthers. Even in translation (which is all I can manage)...

Cheers,

R.

I have. as opposed to the shutterbug article.

...so even if it's misleading... is that a new thing in the media?

 

[ferider]

Have you ever tried to read Die Leiden des jungen Werthers.

OT: And what would be wrong with Werther ? Very readable with huge influence in its time, proven by the wave of emulation suicides after it got published (still referred to today as "Werther effect", even in English).