albert Posted August 14, 2018 Share #1 Posted August 14, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) albert's Photoalbert Today, 10:15 I just noticed that my 18-56 was made in Japan. Is this the NORMAL? Is my CL camera body also Japanese? “Not that there’s anything wrong with it” I spent two years guarding atomic weapons near Wetzlar and was hoping that some of my CL was manufactured in my old stomping ground. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 14, 2018 Posted August 14, 2018 Hi albert, Take a look here What? Made in Japan.. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
earleygallery Posted August 14, 2018 Share #2 Posted August 14, 2018 Yes, entirely normal. TL/CL lenses are made for Leica by a 3rd party. Leica are secretive about who they use but I would guess it's Panasonic or Kyocera who they have/had other dealings with. The body is assembled/checked in Wetzlar (the parts will come from various sources). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
microview Posted August 14, 2018 Share #3 Posted August 14, 2018 Only two all-German, I believe: the 35 Summilux and the 60/macro for TL/C cameras. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBird Posted August 14, 2018 Share #4 Posted August 14, 2018 If Leica is putting its name on the lenses, they are going to meet the quality standards. So the lens being made in Japan is not an issue with me. I have spent a lot of time working in Japan. One thing that I have learned about the Japanese culture is if you are going to do a job, do it right the first time. One thing that I have noticed all of my "Japanese" Nikon equipment, was manufactured in Thailand. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert Posted August 14, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted August 14, 2018 My VW Golf was made in Mexico. My FIAT 500 POP was also made in Mexico. My Newfoundland Dog was made in Minnesota. Such is Life. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott kirkpatrick Posted August 14, 2018 Share #6 Posted August 14, 2018 Leica's Peter Karbe drops hints that he was very involved in the TL lens development with a Japanese partner, and learned a lot from it. And all of the TL/CL lens set do seem to outperform the APS-C lenses from other manufacturers. So I wouldn't worry about where they are made or designed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert Posted August 14, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted August 14, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) I’ll survive the shock. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert Posted August 14, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted August 14, 2018 Just took off the case. It says: “made in Germany” Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 14, 2018 Share #9 Posted August 14, 2018 Doesn't mean much any more these days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ayewing Posted August 14, 2018 Share #10 Posted August 14, 2018 The CL is made, or at least assembled, in Germany though many of the parts may be manufactured at the Leica factory in Portugal and the electronic components may well come from the far east. The TL lenses are made in Japan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 14, 2018 Share #11 Posted August 14, 2018 Leica don't make sensors, or electronic parts, or even body castings. It's all farmed out to third parties. Shock horror!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 15, 2018 Share #12 Posted August 15, 2018 Well, R cameras were basically modified Minoltas assembled in Portugal, Leica compacts were built in Japan, some lenses were by Sigma, some by Minolta, some by Agenieux, Leica gets its glass from Hoya, Pilkington, some filters are by Marumi, metal shutters by Copal-Seiko and so on. The marketing department that managed to imprint the Wagnerian image of Gnomes slaving away deep in the Southern German forest is entirely German, if that is any consolation 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted August 15, 2018 Hilarious!! Midwestern Americans can be so nieve, ha ha hah. I love my CL in a platonic relationship. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted August 15, 2018 Share #14 Posted August 15, 2018 I spent two years guarding atomic weapons near Wetzlar and was hoping that some of my CL was manufactured in my old stomping ground. With the draw of US military needs, you could have guarded the same in Japan. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonewall Brigade Posted August 15, 2018 Share #15 Posted August 15, 2018 After my first day photographing with the CL and the Leica Vario-Elmar-TL 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH zoom lens, I was convinced I'd bought a winner and felt that somebody, somewhere, knows how to make an excellent camera. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelU Posted August 15, 2018 Share #16 Posted August 15, 2018 ... and the iPhone so loved by many is made in China. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LichtUndDunkelheit Posted August 15, 2018 Share #17 Posted August 15, 2018 I dont get that iPhone joke. Made in Japan is exactly the same as Made in Germany in my mind. People from both countries are quality fanatics. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted August 15, 2018 Share #18 Posted August 15, 2018 I dont get that iPhone joke. Made in Japan is exactly the same as Made in Germany in my mind. People from both countries are quality fanatics. i suspect that iPhone point you don't get relates to industrial globalism which is here to stay, even though some want to turn back to industrial nationalism. The globalisation of trade and manufacturing goes back several centuries to when some countries had 'empires'. In the 20th and 21st centuries it has been developed into a fine art. William Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBird Posted August 15, 2018 Share #19 Posted August 15, 2018 I dont get that iPhone joke. Made in Japan is exactly the same as Made in Germany in my mind. People from both countries are quality fanatics. The one exception to the Japanese quality fanaticism is Takata Airbags. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
frame-it Posted August 15, 2018 Share #20 Posted August 15, 2018 yep, with input from Panasonic After my first day photographing with the CL and the Leica Vario-Elmar-TL 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH zoom lens, I was convinced I'd bought a winner and felt that somebody, somewhere, knows how to make an excellent camera. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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