Yep. If someone wrote an accurate history of the photo industry in the
USA it would be a lot more about the personalities than the products.
Prominent names would be Joe Ehrenreich, Paul Klingenstein, Henry
Froehlich, and a number of others. Henry is still living and is
President of The MAC Group (formerly Mamiya America, Inc.) I've
suggested to Henry many times that he should write his memoirs. When
Joe Ehrenreich was selling Nikon, Henry Froehlich was selling Konica,
but Konica didn't make pro cameras in those days.
I never knew Joe Ehrenreich, but I've had the pleasure of knowing Paul
Klingenstein, Henry Froehlich, and many other old-timers in this
industry.
Bob
On Thursday, October 6, 2005, at 08:27 AM, Cotty wrote:
Nikon was the camera of choice for pros in the USA for one reason, and
one reason only, a man named Joe Ehrenreich. Ehrenreich was the best
marketer who has ever come along in the photo industry. He was the
first to think of giving camera outfits to well-known photographers so
they would be seen using them and would talk about them. At the time
Canon cameras were just as good, perhaps even better, but they had
ineffectual distribution and promotion. By the time SLR cameras came
along Nikon was firmly entrenched as the pro's camera, so pros using
Nikon rangefinder cameras just naturally gravitated to the Nikon F.
Ehrenreich founded Ehrenreich Photo Optical Industries, better known
by
the acronym EPOI. EPOI went on to become the distributor for Rollei,
Bronica, Mamiya, JOBO, Capro, and a wide range of other photo brands.
It was a powerhouse that nothing came close to, other than perhaps
Berkey.
I know a very nice man who says the same thing, and he used to be a
Nikon
rep...
