Leica and Zenit: A marriage made in Heaven or Hell?

[asparis]

<Snip>
I owned (sold) a very expensive piece of electronic hardware. The maker (Japanese) ,knowing that the chipsets for this unit would not be made after their production runs, warehoused sets of replacement circuit boards for repair of this unit. The warehouse, located near salt water, was flooded in a storm and all the replacement parts were lost. When hearing of this, the value of the unit on the used market dropped. Many were quickly sold. This is the nature of unique chipsets with limited production runs.

The lesson there, which seems obvious in hindsight, is "Don't build your warehouse in a low place by the ocean."
(Or your nuclear reactor either.)

 

[DougFord]

If they're going to use common parts among the two companies...
Also, maybe we'll see Putin posing with a gold plated Zenit SL someday.

 

[jaapv]

Unlikely. The Russian top dogs are already well stocked up on Leicas.

 

[valdas]

Unlikely. The Russian top dogs are already well stocked up on Leicas.

They are never "stocked up" 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

The Zenit/Helios lenses are great. I have many.
The cameras suck. I have two NOS ones (a 12sd and a TTL)
But of course I still enjoy using the cameras!

Hmm, the trouble with new old stock is that they've been sitting on a shelf and that can cause problems that are not really anything to do with the makers. I've seen stuff on display a few inches under spotlights (pointing at other items) and have put my hand up to see / feel if they were getting baked in the heat and they were. So I guess the lubrication will have liquidised well beyond the spec. and run or, worse, dripped elsewhere and so on.

I've even seen bottle of wine and Champagne sitting and simmering on or near spotlights. You'd think they'd know better.

Anyway, spend as much time and money on a FED, Zenit or Zorki as you do on a more precious camera and the results will surprise you. And you don't get those dreadful copper carbonate messes on the old USSR ones, which is more than I can say of others who should know better but ...

Regards, David

 

[Spanik]

I don't see why not. Zenith has made slr's and lenses for a long time but they don't have any experience with sensors, processor and the associated colour knowledge. Leica can provide that and as a bonus the prices for common semiconductors can lower because of higher volumes. And as both formfactor and lensmount are different they stay out of each others market. Looks sensible to me.

 

[Michael Markey]

A cheap body for your Summilux SL 50mm?

Well there is that 😀

 

[David Hughes]

Why not? They already do exactly that with Panasonic, and some people still pay over the odds for the exact same camera with a red dot on it.

Hi,

FWIW, some time ago due to a chance comment I managed to get my hands on a digital Leica whilst I still had the Panasonic version.

Please bear in mind that I have no interest in the package of software on the CD and never touched it from either pack. Try as I may - once I'd set the things up as I liked them - I could not see any real difference.

But, just one point, the case with the Leica was a lot better quality than the Panasonic one. OTOH, I've used it once in a long time as the cameras were my slip into the pocket ones like the Olympus µ - V (a 35mm film one).

Regards, David

 

[David Hughes]

Over a decade ago I saw several Leica mount lenses online that were obviously prototypes. Copies of The Summicron 40mm and 90mm. They were Kaleinar-branded.

Not sure if KMZ or Zenit were involved with that, but the interest in Leica has been around for a while in the former USSR

Hi,

That is very, very interesting, thanks.

Regards, David

 

[jsrockit]

Based on M9?

https://photorumors.com/2017/10/01/...eica-m9-new-zenitar-lenses-for-leica-m-mount/

 

[Ko.Fe.]

They already have Jupiter-3, Minotar-1 and Russar lenses made locally for it.

If they will keep their pricing promise to be in mobile phones pricing, I'll take my number in the waiting line. But Russian bureaucrat who was mentioned it most likely has phone made with gold...

 

[xayraa33]

30% less than the price of a new Leica is still much more than a top of the line currently made cell phone. And the M9 is old technology by now in the digital camera world.

 

[vytasn]

I think this is the latest ... Zenit D1 will be based on M9.

https://leicarumors.com/2017/10/01/...m9-new-zenitar-lenses-for-leica-m-mount.aspx/

 

[Huss]

"For example, the time of manufacturing the "top cover" is 19 minutes. "

Not 18, not 20, but 19!

As is it a limited run based on the M9, I have a feeling this is a way to clear out old inventory/parts.