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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Binastro" data-source="post: 3280053" data-attributes="member: 111403">. Hi Ben,The only connection that Leica had with Japanese production that I know of is with Minolta.Several Minolta lenses such as the 16 mm F/2.8 fisheye and some macro lenses and maybe a zoom were sold and rebadged with the Leica label after being carefully checked by Leica cameras.I think also that the Leica R3 and R4 cameras were Minolta made copies, but they were not very reliable or up to Leica standards. There was also the fairly modern Minolta and Leica rangefinder cameras, which were both well thought of. And a very rare Minolta camera, I think a copy of a Leica M camera, which is extremely valuable.As to the binocular in this thread, in my opinion it is an out and out fake.Poland, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are the usual suspects. However the faker, or similar word, could be anywhere in the world.Fake engravings on Leica cameras are common, and many people have been caught and have paid over the odds for these cameras.At least it wasn't a fake Rembrandt painting costing millions.Fake goods from China run into the millions and possibly billions of pounds.Then there are the fake antiques. A famous one was found in England and believed to be ancient, until it was realised that the supposed Latin inscription read ' Tis a pis pot   a large one'.</blockquote>