Do (does?) Leica make money licensing the M-mount

[daveleo]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I mean, does L have a patent on the mount design, so that it collects some income by licensing it to lens makers (e.g. Voigtlander) ?

[ho_co]

I think the patent rights have long since expired.

[daveleo]

Yes, of course. Silly me

[adan]

They have a new patent on the optical lens coding (from 2006) - which is why Z and C/V can copy the mount, but not provide coding on the lenses.

[erl]

Thinking laterally, could Z or CV mill the mount but NOT paint in the coding? Leaving the easy bit for the user to fill in (ie. the coding), knowing the positioning is correct.

[cbretteville]

Possibly not, as the intent is a clear breach of the patent. The trick CV has done on the mounts now with the slightly thinner rim around the full circumference of the bayonet is a brilliant patent evasion move.

Carl

[Anasebi]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Possibly not, as the intent is a clear breach of the patent. The trick CV has done on the mounts now with the slightly thinner rim around the full circumference of the bayonet is a brilliant patent evasion move.

Carl

 

Amen, I thank them for that as it works quiet well. When I am making enough to buy lots of better Leica glass cash without dipping into my savings I will, but until then I thank CV for not forgetting the little people.

[ismon]

I have long wondered why Leica didn't continue LTM lenses, and sell coded adapters. They could capture both old and new markets.

[mjh]

Even if it was legal for other vendors to sell coded lenses, all they could do were to have their lenses masquerade as Leica lenses with similar behaviour. This would have worked quite well with the M8 where the main factor for internal corrections was the focal length, but with the M9 things have gotten a bit more complicated. Opening lens coding to third-party vendors would only make sense if Leica were to assign unique codes to third-party lenses and would work with their manufacturers to integrate correction matrices for these lenses into the firmware. I don’t think that’s very likely to happen.

[Xmas]

I have long wondered why Leica didn't continue LTM lenses, and sell coded adapters. They could capture both old and new markets.

 

Leitz did do lenses in both mounts for a long while as they were still selling IIIf to '57 and later IIIg. Leica occassionally do small batches (special) in LTM.

 

Cosina did the same initially only LTM now only M, except for special small batches.

 

The LTM lenses are usable on both types of cameras and it is easy to get an eng. shop to mill grouves for lens coding, buy one get one 'free'.

 

But then you need not buy a new lens to use on the M, so not in anyones interest except the 'mug punters'.

 

Noel

[ismon]

My kit evolved into the M system, solely to use the Mandler lenses. Forty years later, I have reverted to Berek's creations (nothing later than the 1930's). If I could mount the latest Solms has to offer on my Barnacks, life would be sweet.