New Leica M lenses Not made in Germany!

Many people in this forum seem to like the Zhou camera cases. Previously we had the factory case, and a couple of others. Now there's the Chinese-sourced case which seems to be good enough quality for it to be the RFF Zhou case and it's at a good price too.

This afternoon I bought two pairs of Chinese silk pyjamas from a Chinese shop nearby. Exquisite quality and only €5 each. I do not know how they can make silk fabric and manufacture garments and ship around the world and sell for such a small sum.
 
Ara Ghajanian said:
I apologize for offending anyone, but I hold fast to my opinion and it is based on experience with countless vendors over the past 8 years. The whole reason to source out of China is cost. Quality plays no part in the decision for any company to go to China.

Go ahead, prove me wrong. Name one product whose quality has improved since its was sourced to China. Name one.
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Vox amplifiers .
better made than the italian 1980s ones, although the 1960s and late 1990s english ones are the best.
 
Chavo said:
I have some very reliable information that has told us that the NEW M lens elements are coming out of a factory in Asia :eek:.
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Though this is an unconfirmed rumour, it might be true. If Leica is offering a new, competitively priced M lens range, it's likely these lenses have not been fully handcrafted in Germany.

But I can not follow your anti asian prejudice. Olympus, Nikon, Pentax, Sigma, Canon and many others are able to produce excellent optics. Cosina is manufacturing the ZM lenses except the 15mm and 85mm, and nobody here at RFF ever complained about any lack of quality.

There were times, and it's not so long ago, when Leica was facing it's own bankrupcy. Collaborating with asian companies is a chance for them. Realizing western engineereing in asian factories is nothing unusual these days.

Didier
 
Ara Ghajanian said:
Go ahead, prove me wrong. Name one product whose quality has improved since its was sourced to China. Name one.
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For instance mountainbikes from Specialized, Trek and Cannondale. Compare their late 80ies, US-made bicycles with the actual ones (engineering in USA, frame and assembling in Taiwan or China, components from Japan). The newer are lighter, safer, faster, better, cheaper.

Didier
 
raid said:
The Singapore made Rolleiflex 35mm SLR cameras have much worse quaility control problems than their German counterparts. Accordingly, the made in Germany Rolleis cost more these days. My German made Rollei SLR does not function but my Singapore made Rollei does. Oh well. There goes my theory! :D
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Raid, you make me laugh! Send your german Rollei to Singapore maybe?
Didier
 
Ara Ghajanian said:
Let me tell you something about orient vendors. I've been working with them for the past 8 years. They all suck. They all try to cut every corner possible.
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Funny. Last time I heard, Japan was still in Asia (or the Orient if you must.) Somehow I don't think Ara has an aversion to Japanese-made stuff. :rolleyes:

I doubt anyone here (including Ara) does not own or never buys anything made in China or the rest of Asia.
 
My VW Passat Wagon is engineered and made in Germany - it's wonderful 6 speed auto trans with paddle shifters is Japanese. The new VW Touareg is assembled in Slovakia. Does all this matter - not to me.
 
Exerpt rom Leica's website on the new Summarit lenses--

"Leica's high-performance optics, which are all made by hand at Leica's main factory in Solms near Wetzlar, Germany are the fruit of many years of experience in optics and precision mechanics, unique technologies, high-quality materials and the commitment and craftsmanship of competent staff."

So that settles it...Right?
 
The Leica company has told that the new M Summarit lenses has made in Germany, and i believe to Leica.
Many LTM and M or R (from 1964) Leica lenses are made in Leica Mid Ontario - Canada: this factory is estabilished from 1951. From 1973 many Leica M and R cameras are made in Leica Portugal plant.
In Asia, actually there is only the Cosina/Voigtlander company that made a complet line of M lenses, but wotk in exclusive joint venture with the Zeiss company. The Zeiss Ikon ZM lenses are designed and produced in Germany, then the barrels and lenses are sended in Japan, for the assemblage. Only the Distagon T* 15 mm f/ 2,8 ZM and the Planar T* 85 mm f/ 2 ZM are entirely design and produced in Germany.
The Zeiss, Leica or Schneider lenses that equipped the digital compact cameras of Sony, Panasonic and Samsung are designed in Germany and made in Asia, from the respective companies.
Ciao.
Vincenzo
 
Hi Vincenzo,

thanks for the summary. Please allow me some additions. M-Cameras were never build in Portugal only in Germany or Canada. ZM-Objectives are completely build in japan except the 15 and 85 which are build in Oberkochen.

The flood of Zeiss, Leitz or Schneider-Kreuznach lenses in even more digicams are very often labled OEM-Lenses and have nothng to do with those companies!! Even selling licenses for using some brands brings money!
 
Berliner said:
"Leica's high-performance optics, which are all made by hand at Leica's main factory in Solms near Wetzlar, Germany are the fruit of many years of experience in optics and precision mechanics, unique technologies, high-quality materials and the commitment and craftsmanship of competent staff."

So that settles it...Right?
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They buy the glass. They make the optics out of the glass.

If you bought marble from Italy, and a Swedish artist brought it to Sweden, and sculpted it in Sweden...is the sculpture made in Italy?
 
Chavo said:
Hi All,

I have some very reliable information that has told us that the NEW M lens elements are coming out of a factory in Asia :eek:. .....

Anyone else heard similar?

Cheers Chavo
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I did not hear anything about that. If it would be so, no surprise, because the "hightech" technologies are forwarded to the east on a mass scale.
 
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