Re: European vs Japanese CARS

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@apple.com>]

I pull up to one of the local photo places on my Ducati motorcycle. The 
woman who owns the place has her pristine, beautiful '91 Alfa Spider
parked out front. She smiles, I enjoy fiddling with the latest in 
Wundercameras from Rollei and Contax. "Italian vehicles and German 
cameras, what could be better?"

I've owned a Toyota MR2 for 11 years, and Nikon SLRs for, jeez, almost 
30. They've never let me down, even when I've abused them terribly in 
the name of their respective pursuits. And Honda motorcycles. I cannot 
honestly say that I feel any lack of quality in them.

I have also owned Leicas, Rolleis and Contaxes for the same period of
time, and Alfa Romeos, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis. They've also been very 
reliable and provided consummate service. 

And they've all had their failings too.

The aesthetics of owning an Alfa Romeo, a Leica, a Ducati or Guzzi ...
well, you're sharing in a bit of history of the name, of the great 
people who pushed the edges with these instruments. The MR2 is going
up for sale because I want to drive another Alfa, I will never sell
my Guzzis or my Ducati, likewise it will take a big need to make 
me sell my Nikons or my Leica ... Remember that Honda has been all
conquering in World Championship GP racing from time to time, with
both motorcycles and cars. Nikon was the camera of the Vietnam war
and recorded most of the the horror and hell of that conflagration.

They're all people, all great marques. The machines are different,
built to their purpose and to be savored for those differences. It's 
rare that they are easily so black'n'white "better" one to the next.
I don't hold with nationalistic elitism ... my Leica isn't better 
than my Nikon because it's european versus japanese. My Leica M is
a wonderful instrument, so is my Nikon FM, and both have their place
in my kit of tools to do photography.

As we say amongst our riding groups, "it's not the bike, it's the
rider."

Godfrey