Re: R vs Zeiss lens prices

[eesyliu_at_eenw02po@smtpgwy.polyu.edu.hk]

I'm a Contax fans also. Ihave being with my Contax IIIa and 167MT for ten years.
However, I'm so disppointed by the present strategery of
Kyrocea and Carl Zeiss. First of all, the camera bodies are now covered with
some soft plastic.(I'm not blaming the plastic but it relieved the problem 
existed among the leather used before. Almost every contax user known what's 
going on with the leather for three or five years of use. It just get off from 
the camera body.) However, in the case of my 167MT, the plastic is the same
as the old leather and it detached from the metal body after three years of 
use.) 
        Secondly, Kyrocea is now cutting down the variety of lenses being 
manufactured, especially for the medium price lenses.(e.g. Sonnar 85f2.8)

        The most serious problem is that most of the lenses are now manufactured
in Japan and only a few expensive lenses are made in Germany. I don't meant that
Japan lenses are no good, but there is a visible difference between them. As a 
result, the old second hand lenses made in Germany become much expensive and
the price is now unreasonable. 

        In contrary, since the nineties, many Leica products are being 
manufactured in Germany.(Many of them are made in foreign countries before,
such as Portugese, Canada etc.) Their qualities, in my opinion, is not as good
as the old Germany products, but it is still superior to many other competitors.
So, why don't we choose Leica R/M.

Michael

eesyliu_at_eenw02po@smtpgwy.polyu.edu.hk
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: R vs Zeiss lens prices
Author:  leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us at SMTP
Date:    12/27/96 8:48 AM


>....if I did want to sell off my Nikon gear for some reason, a Contax system 
was all I was really >interested in until now. This gives me more options. 
>Godfrey - Cupertino, CA, USA - ramarren@apple.com
     
Godfrey,
     
I did just that about five months ago, trading in my Nikon F4 system for 
a Contax RTSIII.  After years of comparison with my less used but much 
loved M6 system, I decided that I definately could see significant 
differences between the Leica and Nikon produced images, particularly in 
16X20" Ciba exhibition prints which I was producing for a show that was 
about to be hung.
     
Working on the assumption that R lenses are as good as, if not superior 
to M glass, I tallied up the cost of the 1 body, 6 lens system that I 
wanted.... about US $20,000.  Groan.  My only alternative was Contax, 
and a similarly configured system came to about $10,000 -- half the 
price of the Leica R system.
     
As well, the RTSIII body was far superior in features to any R body (the 
new R8 possibly excepted).
     
I had tested the Contax G1 when it came out, and while I was severely 
underwhelmed by the camera, I was blown away by the lenses.  On the 
basis of that positive experience with Zeiss glass (and from years ago 
with a Hasseblad system when I was a working pro) I went for the Contax 
RTS system.
     
I am totally impressed.  Though the Zeiss glass has a somewhat different 
"look" to M glass, the images I've produced so far are completely 
satisfying.  The 60mm Makro Planar and 180mm are particularly wonderful, 
and the 28mm is one of the most distortion and vignetting free wide 
angles I've had the pleasure of using.  Mechnically, the build quality 
and feel of the Zeiss lenses is superb -- in every respect on a par with 
Leica.
     
This raises the issue mentioned in a message here the other day about 
why R lenses may not be selling well.  Someone, with their tongue not 
firmly in their cheek said, could it be the price?  In my case the 
answer is emphatically yes.  I've used and loved M glass for more than 
30 years, but when it came to buying a large number of lenses to equip a 
complete SLR system, I was blocked, and I'm fortunate enough to be able 
to usually afford most things that I want.  The $10,000 differential 
though was just too much to swallow. Pitty.
     
Regards,
______________________________________ 
Michael H. Reichmann
E-mail: michael.reichmann@alphanet.net 
______________________________________