Leica Likes Olympus EVF

[Ian]

Originally Posted by T-Lama

Question is - will Leica participate in m4/3? Panasonic already uses their design to make lenses, now they use Oly port and viewfinder. What will be next?

Panasonic design and manufacture all their Leica-branded lenses in-house. They are not designed by Leica in Germany and never have been. But the Leica-branded Panasonic lenses must conform to performance specifications that are approived by Leica. For example, while Panasonic non-Leica branded lenses will sometimes have optical distortions that require in-camera correction, this is not allowed with Leica branded lenses.

I think an interchangeable lens Leica-branded Micro Four Thirds camera is not very likely. Especially one based on an Olympus chassis because of Leica's alliance with Panasonic and, I feel, a reluctance on Olympus' part to partner with Leica (or any other major camera brand). Leica tried Four Thirds with the Digilux 3 and it wasn't a success; indeed it was considered a distraction from Leica's core activities. Re-branding Panasonic Lumix compacts is one thing - but Micro Four Thirds is another.

Ian

[Bob Ross]

Hi Ian,
As I recall this EVF is the one designed and produced by Epson in an Oly housing with Oly's interface. Oly's use of it on the OM-D shows that it can be driven in various ways to advantage.
In a few years it will be considered primative and Leica will still be using it.
Bob

[bedtime warrior]

Originally Posted by Knight Palm

Will the Olympus VF-3 work as well on the Leica X2 body?

I actually tried it at the shop and it doesn't work
It'd be odd if they came up with an update for Leica so I guess it's a no

[whatapicture]

Ian

Is this the same for the Zeiss branded lenses for Sony SLT/DSLR cameras?

I remember Samsung using the Schnieder K branding on their DSLR lenses which to all intents and purposes were Pentax lenses.

All this branding is to sell products, if you can give the product some sort of high end name with a German connection it gives the product 'status'
Nikon and Canon live off their own branding and reputation, but other makes need to adopt high end names as a marketing device.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by whatapicture

Ian

Is this the same for the Zeiss branded lenses for Sony SLT/DSLR cameras?

I remember Samsung using the Schnieder K branding on their DSLR lenses which to all intents and purposes were Pentax lenses.

All this branding is to sell products, if you can give the product some sort of high end name with a German connection it gives the product 'status'
Nikon and Canon live off their own branding and reputation, but other makes need to adopt high end names as a marketing device.

Yes - in fact Carl-Zeiss branded lenses have been made and designed in Japan for a long time, both by Sony (and Sony suppliers - I have a 16-80 Sony Alpha Carl Zeiss branded lens which is rumoured to be made by Tamron, for example) and Kyocera, who had the rights to design and manufacture Contax rangefinder cameras and SLRs plus accompanying Carl-Zeiss branded lenses.

I believe the same is for Schneider Kreuznach and Samsung (and Kodak previously), although curiously Samsung doesn't use SK branding on its DSLR and NX lenses.

Ian