What Leicas are Made in Germany?

[american lockpicker]

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What models are made in Germany?

[andybarton]

All Ms are final assembled in Germany. Have a look at the forum video to see an M7 being assembled this Spring

 

The S2 will be similarly put together in Germany

 

Anything that has a Panasonic cousin is made in the "Far East"

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[abrewer]

My MP proudly wears her "Made in Germany" imprint

[Guest]

My MP proudly wears her "Made in Germany" imprint

 

If a product is partly made in one location but "finished" in another ("finished" could be quite a high level of work) the manufacture is then entitled to say made in whatever country the product is finished.A few years ago Burberrys made raincoats in other than the UK factory.They had the labels attached and where pressed in the UK.The label looked the same as the UK production but said Finished in England as against Made in England.The reason Leica do it is to save money which in turn helps margins and or end user prices.In a situation such as Leica the quality is not effected.

Brian

[marknorton]

The usual example I cite is of the Porsche Cayenne SUV which is made in a VW plant in Bratislava, Slovakia and arrives at the Porsche plant in Leipzig by rail, 4 to a box-car. Porsche install the (German-made) engine, add the wheels and a few other bits and, voila, a car "Made in Germany".

 

A huge amount of manufacturing is heading east - only yesterday, HP announced they were closing a manufacturing plant in Scotland, being relocated to the Czech republic. Inside the EU, so good from a tariffs point of view and lower costs.

[mojobebop]

All Ms are final assembled in Germany. Have a look at the forum video to see an M7 being assembled this Spring

 

The S2 will be similarly put together in Germany

 

Anything that has a Panasonic cousin is made in the "Far East"

-----------

i think they mentioned they were assembled in portugal first then

the rest in germany, no?

[bill]

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I'm curious as to the reason for the question...?

 

Regards,

 

Bill

[adan]

Historically, all Leica screw-mounts were made in Germany. Once the Canadian factory opened in the early 1950's, some lens and M production took place there. Once the Portugal plant opened, it made camera parts (e.g. the sewing machine for the cloth shutters has been in PO for decades).

 

There has been some cross-fertilization, so it is possible to get a Canadian-made M3 or M4, for example. But mostly:

 

M3, M2, M4, M5 - Germany

M4-2, M4-P - Canada

M4-P, M6, M7, MP - Germany, but with subassemblies (shutter/RF units, body shells, etc.) put together in Portugal and shipped in trays to Germany.

Leicaflex - Germany

CL - both Germany and Japan

R4/5/6/7 - some combination of Portugal and Germany, about like the later Ms

M8 - parts from subcontractors worldwide, including Portugal factory.

 

With the rangefinder cameras, the final calibration and inspection is always Germany, except that Midland (Canada) did all their own work 1977-85.

[luigi bertolotti]

Historically, all Leica screw-mounts were made in Germany. Once the Canadian factory opened in the early 1950's, some lens and M production took place there. Once the Portugal plant opened, it made camera parts (e.g. the sewing machine for the cloth shutters has been in PO for decades).

 

There has been some cross-fertilization, so it is possible to get a Canadian-made M3 or M4, for example. But mostly:

 

M3, M2, M4, M5 - Germany

M4-2, M4-P - Canada

M4-P, M6, M7, MP - Germany, but with subassemblies (shutter/RF units, body shells, etc.) put together in Portugal and shipped in trays to Germany.

Leicaflex - Germany

CL - both Germany and Japan

R4/5/6/7 - some combination of Portugal and Germany, about like the later Ms

M8 - parts from subcontractors worldwide, including Portugal factory.

 

With the rangefinder cameras, the final calibration and inspection is always Germany, except that Midland (Canada) did all their own work 1977-85.

 

Sorry Adan... CL from Germany too ? That's new for me ... I've always read that all the "production" items came from Minolta (not the two C-lenses, which were made in Wetzlar even if Minolta-branded).

[american lockpicker]

I'm curious as to the reason for the question...?

 

Regards,

 

Bill

 

I want to buy a made in Germany(or anywhere in Europe) camera and I heard some Leicas were made in Germany so I asked this question on this forum.

[adan]

Between globalization and the need to keep the optics shop and final assembly area free from metal-working residue, it is unlikely that any of Leica's current products are purely made in the Solms factory.

 

The S2 processor is from Fujitsu; the M8 and R (RIP) shutters (and likely the S2's) come from Seiko/Copal; a lot of the machined-metal parts are from subcontractors (some of whom will join Leica at LeitzPark as one big happy family - in different buildings).

 

Again, historically, the odds are that a pre-1975 Leica(flex) was mostly German-built (except lenses - Canada), and that the M7, MP, M8 and R8/9 are primarily European in construction, and only come together as functioning cameras in the Solms factory.

[andybarton]

Andy - that's exactly how it works

 

The bodies come almost completed from Portugal. Now, that would also be a very interesting factory tour.

[Tracie]

My D-Lux 6 say "made in Japan" - is this correct?

[jaapv]

Yes,as it is a rebadged Panasonic.

[kivis]

Curious, why was the Midland plant closed?

[Henry Taylor]

 

How about lenses

[lykaman]

On 4/24/2014 at 8:25 PM, kivis said:

Curious, why was the Midland plant closed?

Blame the Bean Counters ~~

[masjah]

On 6/1/2009 at 7:32 PM, andybarton said:

Andy - that's exactly how it works

 

The bodies come almost completed from Portugal. Now, that would also be a very interesting factory tour.

Some time ago now, a Forum Member resident in Portugal described just such a factory visit; I recall his being immensely impressed by the care and dedication of the production staff.

 

[Michael Hiles]

On 4/24/2014 at 11:25 PM, kivis said:

Curious, why was the Midland plant closed?

It was not closed - it was sold to Raytheon and still manufactures optical devices for military uses. It is a Raytheon subsidiary called ELCAN ( from Ernst Leitz Canada)

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[wooferdog]

Hi , I'm also from Sydney and going to the Antarctic in early March .... Have been before , TWO points

1. Take a waterproof backpack (Patagonia have one)

 2. If you are using an SL take the 90 to 280 zoom (don't leave home without it)

If your wallet stretches .... a CL makes a good backup , and EXTENSION for the 90 to 280.

All the best , maybe I'll see you down there.