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T Lens Manufacturer


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The Japanese company may have insisted on anonymity as part of the deal.

 

If I had to guess, Sony... They look like Nex lenses :rolleyes: and Sony is big enough to be able to do this comparatively smaller project.

I doubt Nikon or Canon are involved. Pentax? Maybe but defiantly not Olympus.

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I am quite disappointed that a Japanese company manufactures the T lenses. Didn't Leica build a brand new factory? Why should I pay a premium over Zeiss and Voigtlaender if they are possibly made in the same factory? I'm not saying that lenses made in Japan are necessarily inferior to those made in Germany, but I still felt like I was supporting a small company with the M system.

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I am quite disappointed that a Japanese company manufactures the T lenses. Didn't Leica build a brand new factory? Why should I pay a premium over Zeiss and Voigtlaender if they are possibly made in the same factory? I'm not saying that lenses made in Japan are necessarily inferior to those made in Germany, but I still felt like I was supporting a small company with the M system.

 

The lenses are still designed and manufactured under the approval of Leica. Today, there is nothing wrong with a lens made in Japan...especially one designed by Leica.

 

Leica also manufactures a set of Summicron-C Lenses made for motion picture cameras. The lenses sell for $17,000 each and can only be purchased in a set of 6. These lenses are stunning and some of the best made today. They are also made in Japan. More than likely by the same partner.

Edited by digitalfx
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I am quite disappointed that a Japanese company manufactures the T lenses. Didn't Leica build a brand new factory? Why should I pay a premium over Zeiss and Voigtlaender if they are possibly made in the same factory? I'm not saying that lenses made in Japan are necessarily inferior to those made in Germany, but I still felt like I was supporting a small company with the M system.

 

This matters precisely ZERO. None. Nothing. Unless you are German or have some kind of economic interest in German manufacturing... the location of manufacture is a fetish that is completely impossible to find one bit of sense in.

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When you look at the USP of Cosina as a third party manufacturer (Zeiss), and manufacturer of high quality M mount lenses in their own right (Voigtlander), it may be them.

 

It doesn't bother me that some of my Zeiss lenses are made in Japan. It doesn't bother me that some of my Leica lenses were made in Canada. What matters is the absolute quality of the finished product, and that the design was not compromised by lower capabilities at the manufacturer.

 

For the prices being charged, the quality will have to be at least Zeiss ZM, or Leica Summarit quality mechanically and optically.

 

Of course, given these have AF, they are going to feel quite different.

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Manufacturers very often these days outsource manufacturing to cheaper locations. Even if the product is manufactured in Japan or China you can be rest assured that Leica would put a lot of focus on engineering quality and process control.

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Initial reports from reviewers state that the manufacturer is not Panasonic, nor is it Cosina. There can't be that many other manufacturers of lenses in Japan:

 

- Sigma

- Ricoh Imaging (formerly Pentax/Hoya)

- Sony (do they actually make their own lenses or are they constructed by a third party?)

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Who cares as long as they are of high optical and mechanical standards and are reliable?

 

And there are no problems with manufacturing/calibration standards of the uber-M-lenses shipped out of Germany.

Edited by MarkP
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I suspect some people would rather not know how many of the R lenses were "Made in Japan." Or designed there (remember the Minolta connection!). Or made/designed in Germany - but not by Leica.

 

(Hint: 15, 16, 24, 28PA, 35 PA, 28-70, 35-70, 70-210, 75-200, 80-200, 500 mirror)

 

Nor how many M or R lenses were made or designed (or both) in Canada. With the exception of the 135 f/4, ALL of my lenses from the 21 f/2.8 to the 180 APO are Canadian...

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This matters precisely ZERO. None. Nothing. Unless you are German or have some kind of economic interest in German manufacturing... the location of manufacture is a fetish that is completely impossible to find one bit of sense in.

 

Exactly. And yes, I am German, and I also do have a romantic relationship with hand-assembled things like Swiss watches, high-end race cars etc. even though they are not cost-effective. So my criticism is that when you sell a 23mm f2 lens with APS-C coverage as a German company, do you really expect I have much understanding when you cry about manufacturing cost in the country you built your brand new factory. Nope. I grew up in Germany, my father was a machinist, and I am glad he didn't live to be replaced by a Japanese robot. $1,950? Leica, quit your whining about production cost.

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May I take the liberty of quoting from the rather nice brochure produced for the T?

 

Well I'm going to anyway - like it or not - so what they say regarding T lenses is :

"Engineered and designed in Germany. Made in Japan." ...... "To assure this quality special QA tools were developed to maintain the exceptionally tight production and testing tolerances, and Leica engineers based in Japan constantly monitor ........... etc etc."

 

Now taking away the flowery language it seems to me like the best of both worlds in action here. Leica like eveyone else are not immune to production costs.

 

Oh and even a German factory has limits as to how many products can be made in it!

 

At the end of the day it all comes down to quality control and human frailty vs a precision robot.

Edited by spylaw4
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And there are no problems with manufacturing/calibration standards of the uber-M-lenses shipped out of Germany.

 

Sorry, should have read:

 

And there are no problems with manufacturing/calibration standards of the uber-M-lenses shipped out of Germany?

 

Most of my German designed and manufactured Leica M lenes have needed to go back for adjustment/calibration whilst still under warranty!

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My question was quite different from a discussion on the merits or demerits of German vs Japanese goods.

 

Why won't Leica reveal the maker?

 

There is quite probably some form of NDA clause in the contract, but other than your curiosity does it really matter?

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This matters precisely ZERO. None. Nothing. Unless you are German or have some kind of economic interest in German manufacturing... the location of manufacture is a fetish that is completely impossible to find one bit of sense in.

 

On the contrary, it matters a great deal if you are someone who prefers to support manufacturing closer to home – whether that is within the EU, a specific country or even a region of a country. Not everyone has bought in to the "globalisation" mantra hook, line and sinker.

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Why won't Leica reveal the maker?

 

I suspect that Leica will have looked at Zeiss and their openness about their relationship with Cosina and taken the view that this hasn't been entirely of benefit to Zeiss (I think many see ZM lenses as Cosina lenses branded as Zeiss rather than simply Zeiss lenses manufactured in Japan). It may also be that the manufacturer is Sigma, a company unfairly perceived by many as a bit "second tier".

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Leica also manufactures a set of Summicron-C Lenses made for motion picture cameras. The lenses sell for $17,000 each and can only be purchased in a set of 6. These lenses are stunning and some of the best made today. They are also made in Japan. More than likely by the same partner.

 

I thought all the cine lenses are made by CW Sonderoptic in Wetzlar.

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