Re: Mr Erwin Puts

["Paul T. Collura" <pcollura@epix.net>]

Erwin,

I couldn't agree with you more. Thank you for your fine treatise on the
state of the Viewfinder and the evolving dichotomy between collectors
,users, the M and R lines. I too would welcome more international
participation. The Leica is an international camera and the LUG should
reflect this fact.

Paul T. Collura M.D
pcollura@epix.net



from: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl>
> Date: Fri, 21 Feb 97 11:16:25 -0000
> Subject: Leica M: object of desire?
> 
> Reason for writing this email is the latest piece of text in Viewfinder.
> The LHSA persons who talked to the Leica people gave their ideas/advice
> about future directions of the M and R line.  None of their suggestions
> are new, commercial viable or make the M a better product. The idea of a
> two tier approach (wide angle M and tele M) has been tried by Rollei with
> disastrous results (not for the collector but for the company). And Leica
> did it in earlier days with the M2/M3 pair. But  nobody wants to hang two
> Leicas around his neck just to use a 35mm and a 90mm.
> One can view the Leica from two angles: as an object of desire or as a
> photographic instrument. The first view is the collectors approach. The
> second one of a person who needs a photographic job done and wants the
> best available intrument/tool. As there are about 2000 collectors Leica
> must consider this group an interesting market. But the 100.000 or so M6
> models that have been left the factory are not all bought by people who
> are fans/admirers of the product. Some I suspect would try to make
> pictures. If the Leica M line has a future it must be developed along
> lines that will make it an excellent photographic tool for a certain kind
> of deployment (ruggedness, optical quality)  or a certain kind of
> photography (impulsive, direct-vision photography). I personally think
> that is what Oddmund tried to explain. It does not make sense just to
> admire a product without actually using it in the ways it has been
> designed for.
> Many Leica users praise Leica products as excellent tools, but are not
> interested  in producing the kind of pictures the Leica is designed for.
> Which is a pity. Looking at the Viewfinder pictures I can not imagine
> that these photos exploit the optical capabilities of the Leica lenses
> (any of them). Some observers of the Leica scene have actually asked
> attention for the cruel fate of most Leica lenses: having very good
> optical qualities and designed for heavy duty use,  most are boxed and
> shelved on collectors tables. As a sideline: I once took pictures with my
> Summarit on a Leica collectors day. Some of them approached me with the
> following question: "I own one (or five) Summarits, but have never taken
> a photograph with it. You do and therefor can you tell me about the
> optical qualities?".
> The new R8 is designed as a photographic instrument and not as a product
> with just a strong historical background and a loyal group of followers.
> It is designed for a new generation of photographers. And it is a joy to
> use. Luckely the designers did not fall in the old Contarex trap
> (designing a superior mechanical and optical product that is impossible
> to use in the real world).
> If the Viewfinder persons would have their way we would get a new Mx,
> that would become the Contarex of the rangefinder line. (and Marc could
> write a book about the misfortunes of the Mx).
> It is clear that products have to be made for use: the strong growth in
> binoculars and projectors (both non-collectables)  and the relative
> decline of the M-line is a sure sign that the market is changing.
> I have discussed these matters with Leica managers and they are well
> aware of this dilemma.
> We als Leica users can comment on the future directions of the company,
> but now that Viewfinder seems to have appointed itself as the authority
> to speak on behalf of  Leica users (?) I wonder if somebody out there
> will care to listen. The Viewfinder view is the collectors view and not
> the market view.
> The LUG evidently has the potential to evolve into a real international
> platform, but till now it is dominated by the USA region.