> -----Original Message----- > From: Dario Bonazza [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Hmmm... fishy taste. > Dario >
Why so, Dario? This piece was published 2 days ago. I read it myself that long ago, so there's no suggestion that it's an April Fool joke. As stated, Zeiss OWNS the Contax name. They licensed it to Yashica in the 1970s, and Kyocera inherited the license when they absorbed Yashica. It is likely that the license can only remain in force if the licensee continues to use it. The Kyocera spokesperson even admitted they cannot decide the future of Contax without Zeiss involvement. IOW I am certain that Zeiss would have only granted the license in the first place on the provision that Yashica, later Kyocera, actually made and sold cameras with the Contax name. I am also certain that Zeiss will not permit the licensee to damage the brand by keeping it off the market even when they do not intend to use the brand themselves. The other comments with regard to Cosina are IMO credible because Cosina is already in partnership with Zeiss on the Zeiss Ikon rangefinder project. This is old news, so should not be suspected of being an April Fool rumour. What IS fishy is that it was reported last week Kyocera HAD NOT pulled the plug on Contax, and that the rumour was caused by an incompetent or malicious staffer at their European distributor. In light of this recent news, last weeks explanation of a rumour may itself have been the rumour. regards, Anthony Farr
