Roger Hicks
Veteran
Please try to write more carefully before making sloppy responses: "Assemblies made in Portugal . . . I think only two of their lenses are actually made in Wetzlar along with the cine lenses".Um, so how does that make my original post not accurrate?' I said "finishing and packaging." Assemblies made in Portugal and finished in Wetzlar. Please try to read more carefully before jumping on someone's response.... Thanks
"Assemblies made in Portugal" and "actually made in Wetzlar" indicate to me that you have not, in fact, been to the Leica factory in Wetzlar or (before that) in Solms.
Cheers,
R.
DougFord
on the good foot
To date, certainly the finest Japanese camera Wetzlar has ever assembled. lol
Ranchu
Veteran
I thought top plates were the finest .8mm thick cast zinc...
k__43
Registered Film User
Wages in Germany are on the high site (actually low compared to other north european countries but anyway higher than in china, portugal etc) so assembling and testing that thing here would already add be the majority of value thus qualifying for "Made in Germany" but I guess they make some mechanical parts of it here too.
I also second that it doesn't matter .. I want that thing anyway, so in 5-6 years I'll get it second hand when it is affordable for me
I also second that it doesn't matter .. I want that thing anyway, so in 5-6 years I'll get it second hand when it is affordable for me
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Apart from the fact that they're CNC milled brass with different thicknesses in different areas, you're spot on.
Cheers,
R.
I think it would be embarrassing for Leica to disclose if the Q is really a foreign product assembled in Germany or not. It would show their lack of real innovation if they had to rely on another vendor to come up with an idea whether partnered or not. I am just trying to get to the source of the Q. If it is just a Japanese product like the $200.00 olympus viewfinder for the M240 that sells for 500.00 once relabeled with Leica markings, ( http://jorgetorralba.com/2014/11/22/ground-control-to-leica-where-is-your-mojo/ ) I would rather find or wait for the Japanese version of the Q it is exists. However, this is all speculation which is why I ask where its made.
kbg32
neo-romanticist
Keep waiting. I sincerely doubt that there will ever be a Japanese branded or version of the Leica Q like past Leitz products. Leitz wants to reposition itself. Leitz having a Japanese version certainly would go against itself.
kbg32
neo-romanticist
This is from 2014 -
Headquarters News
Sep 19, 2014
Panasonic Corporation
Leica Camera AG
Panasonic and Leica Camera Expand Partnership Agreement in the Digital Camera Sector
About Panasonic
Media Contacts
Osaka, Japan /Wetzlar, Germany (September 19, 2014) - Panasonic Corporation and Leica Camera AG today announced they have extended their partnership agreement and agreed to expand and strengthen their technological cooperation in the digital camera field.
The agreement includes the extension of license agreement for use of Leica's trademark on Panasonic's digital camera products as well as expansion and strengthening of technological cooperation between the two companies.
Based on this agreement, Panasonic will be able to commercialize digital camera products with Leica lenses over the next five years, from October 2014 to September 2019 while Leica will be able through the expansion and strengthening of technological cooperation to utilize Panasonic's digital technology in its own product development. The agreement will allow both companies to boost product competitiveness by combining Leica's optical technology and Panasonic's digital technology.
The companies had signed a cooperative agreement for digital audiovisual equipment lenses in August 2000 and agreed to cooperate in the digital camera sector in July 2001.
Since then, the companies have built up a cooperative relationship in optical technology and quality control, and brought high-performance and high-quality digital cameras to the market by fusing Leica's superior optical technology with Panasonic's digital technologies such as image processing.
The technological cooperation newly agreed upon in this agreement will reinforce the partnership between the two companies, enabling them to accelerate the development of excellent digital camera products with enhanced appeal to the global camera market.
Yoshiyuki Miyabe, President of AVC Networks Company, an internal company of Panasonic, stated: "It is a great honor to be able to strengthen our bonds with Leica as a strategic partner. Panasonic will continue to incorporate Leica's century-worth of optical technologies and camera traditions into the DNA of Panasonic's digital cameras to further expand our business."
Alfred Schopf, Chief Executive Officer of Leica Camera, said: "The signing of this agreement is significant for Leica as we seek further growth in the digital imaging sector. Strengthening our cooperative relationship with Panasonic is essential to Leica's continued growth."
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.74 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2014. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.
About Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualisation and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Wetzlar, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy, Australia and the USA. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company's positive development in recent years.
Media Contacts:
Panasonic Corporation
Public Relations Group
Tel: +81-(0)3-3574-5664 Fax: +81-(0)3-3574-5699
Panasonic News Bureau
Tel: +81-(0)3-3542-6205 Fax: +81-(0)3-3542-9018
Leica Camera
Corporate Communications
Tel: +49(0)6441-2080-143 Fax: +49(0)6441-2080-455
Return to Top
*The content in the following news releases is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice. Please note therefore that these documents may not always contain the most up-to-date information.
Headquarters News
Sep 19, 2014
Panasonic Corporation
Leica Camera AG
Panasonic and Leica Camera Expand Partnership Agreement in the Digital Camera Sector
About Panasonic
Media Contacts
Osaka, Japan /Wetzlar, Germany (September 19, 2014) - Panasonic Corporation and Leica Camera AG today announced they have extended their partnership agreement and agreed to expand and strengthen their technological cooperation in the digital camera field.
The agreement includes the extension of license agreement for use of Leica's trademark on Panasonic's digital camera products as well as expansion and strengthening of technological cooperation between the two companies.
Based on this agreement, Panasonic will be able to commercialize digital camera products with Leica lenses over the next five years, from October 2014 to September 2019 while Leica will be able through the expansion and strengthening of technological cooperation to utilize Panasonic's digital technology in its own product development. The agreement will allow both companies to boost product competitiveness by combining Leica's optical technology and Panasonic's digital technology.
The companies had signed a cooperative agreement for digital audiovisual equipment lenses in August 2000 and agreed to cooperate in the digital camera sector in July 2001.
Since then, the companies have built up a cooperative relationship in optical technology and quality control, and brought high-performance and high-quality digital cameras to the market by fusing Leica's superior optical technology with Panasonic's digital technologies such as image processing.
The technological cooperation newly agreed upon in this agreement will reinforce the partnership between the two companies, enabling them to accelerate the development of excellent digital camera products with enhanced appeal to the global camera market.
Yoshiyuki Miyabe, President of AVC Networks Company, an internal company of Panasonic, stated: "It is a great honor to be able to strengthen our bonds with Leica as a strategic partner. Panasonic will continue to incorporate Leica's century-worth of optical technologies and camera traditions into the DNA of Panasonic's digital cameras to further expand our business."
Alfred Schopf, Chief Executive Officer of Leica Camera, said: "The signing of this agreement is significant for Leica as we seek further growth in the digital imaging sector. Strengthening our cooperative relationship with Panasonic is essential to Leica's continued growth."
About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and engineering of electronic technologies and solutions for customers in residential, non-residential, mobility and personal applications. Since its founding in 1918, the company has expanded globally and now operates over 500 consolidated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.74 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2014. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company strives to create a better life and a better world for its customers. For more information about Panasonic, please visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.
About Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualisation and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Wetzlar, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy, Australia and the USA. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company's positive development in recent years.
Media Contacts:
Panasonic Corporation
Public Relations Group
Tel: +81-(0)3-3574-5664 Fax: +81-(0)3-3574-5699
Panasonic News Bureau
Tel: +81-(0)3-3542-6205 Fax: +81-(0)3-3542-9018
Leica Camera
Corporate Communications
Tel: +49(0)6441-2080-143 Fax: +49(0)6441-2080-455
Return to Top
*The content in the following news releases is accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change without notice. Please note therefore that these documents may not always contain the most up-to-date information.
I have no issue with Panasonic assisting in the making of the Q. It's probably why it is so well done. There won't be a panasonic version of this camera. Has Leica ever had its own version of a Panasonic prior to the panasonic version being released?
krötenblender
Well-known
There is a difference between where it is made (produced) and where the idea comes from. I am pretty sure, that the idea is genuinely Leica, but production only by economic value.
Ranchu
Veteran
I don't think having somebody else make it is embarassing or shows lack of innovation, that's a pretty tricky switch up in your insinuation there to somebody else having the idea.
edit:krotenblender beat me to it.
Jim Evidon
Jim
I read that the T body is machined from a solid billet in Portugal and shipped to Wetzlar for assembly. The lenses are made at an undisclosed optics maker in Japan (not Panasonic) to Leica design, manufacturing specs and QC. If it were all made in Germany, the costs would be up in the Q to M price territory.
icebear
Veteran
The bottom plate identifier plaque with type number, CE etc. on my Q says Made in Germany.
ferider
Veteran
You guys really think a deal signed in 2014 leads to a camera sold in 2015 ? Or if Panasonic could manufacture a FF sensor, they wouldn't put it in one of their own cameras ?
Pretty clear to me that the Q is assembled in Wetzlar, with European-designed, French manufactured sensor, and SocioNext/Fujitsu image processor, which itself is based on an American ARM core.
Now, most here don't care about the image processor, but in particular for the Q, it's the central heart of the camera - since the lens is designed with distortion-corrections in mind.
Pretty clear to me that the Q is assembled in Wetzlar, with European-designed, French manufactured sensor, and SocioNext/Fujitsu image processor, which itself is based on an American ARM core.
Now, most here don't care about the image processor, but in particular for the Q, it's the central heart of the camera - since the lens is designed with distortion-corrections in mind.