A few companies were repair shops for optics if future service is ever an issue. Contract Manufacturing doesn’t mean all products made by the same company get same levels of scrutiny. That’s true for quite a few industries. Electronics, optics, even vertically integrated companies focus more on their top tier models and mostly their high margin customers get extra inspections and customer service. It’s about value and/or perceived value. A purpose built $3k optic could leave more margin for extra scrutiny and Customers are going to demand more vs. a $200 run of the mill.
From reviews, it seems SWFA has exploited a hole in market and focused more on repeatability whole image was a secondary concern probably upgraded more as their CM upgraded glass/coatings in general. They found a niche and others who focused more on lens tech are most likely setup entirely for that end making it very hard to now change directions to catch up. Knowing the direction a market will turn and investing for it is a gamble.
As we say in the Start-Up world “It’s easy to be second”. The model of the big players “Buying the segment disruptor” is largely past IMO. Consumers have gotten used to the Electronics model in that before a model hits the retail shelf its been built, packaged, warehouses, and the company is 2 generations past it already.
