Wetzlar/Solms Quality

[Leikon35@aol.com]

     Please take into consideration that this only my opinion, but an opinion
based on
the fact that I presently own over a hundred Leica camera & 146 at one time.
 
Where-as I have never been a professional repairman but simply a Leica user &
collector, I have dismantled & repaired dozens of Leicas.
      First of all, I dont consider any Leica not made by Leitz Wetzlar or
Midland - 
to be really of Leitz Quality.  Many of us dont even consider the CL or Mini
- - to be
Leicas at all.  Remember that to graduate from the Leitz Schul at Wetzlar,
one had
to build by hand a modified UR camera body.
      Solms quality is not synonymous with Wetzler quality.  The Leicas made
today
are simply high quality German cameras with features better than most & not
as good as others.  The conglomerate that bought the company, did not by the
family
name - Leitz, only the reputation of Leica.  Many Japanese companies have
bought
American HiFi component companies only to obtain the name & reputation, ei:
Fisher, Scott, & Marantz.  I am speaking only of bodies, not the superb
lenses.
      The 2 Leicas that I trust & use today, are the M4 and R6.2 but I also
use
Nikon & Canon cameras for special purposes like Telesope & Microscope
photography,  For sports photography, you cant beat the Canon, with its hugh
&
expensive long lenses but for street photography, I like a M2 with a 35mm
lens.
Marvin Moss