"Neil Harrington" wrote:

Well, "designed by Leica" is one thing and "built to Leica standards" is
another. You think E. Leitz has real Leitz employees scrupulously inspecting
every "Leica" lens made somewhere in eastern or southeastern Asia?


These issues were discussed on a Leica forum about a year ago and
answers were obtained from Leica in Solms.

Apparently the lenses were not designed by Leica, but by Panasonic.
Leica suggested some improvements to the designs and helped put in
place a quality control system that would ensure a consistent product,
but that is all.

Leica is too small a company to develop digital point and shoot
cameras on its own, so a partner is essential. Fuji proved to be a
poor choice. Panasonic is proving to be a better choice, with strong
sales of Panasonic digital cameras (P&S and DSLR) with Leica branding.

Panasonic got to use the Leica name on its lenses as a quid pro quo
for allowing Leica to sell Panasonic digital cameras under the Leica
brand. The agreement benefits both parties, unlike Leica's previous
arrangement with Fuji which was very one-sided and ended in acrimony.

Of course the M8 digital rangefinder camera is a completely separate
development. One wonders if a collaboration with Panasonic might have
produced a better product, however.