[Leica] Re: give your image that professional touch

[Andrew Nemeth <azn@nemeng.com>]

Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net> wrote:

>  Most of the pros I know have no idea of what Leica 
>  is all about except price.  THEY see the line as a line
>  for dilettantes.  Especially the Rs.  I'll bet most pros 
>  have never taken a photo with a Leica.

From my own perspective, this describes exactly 
my attitude to Leica up until a six months ago: 
photo-jewelry for the upper middle class.

Then one day I found myself shooting the same scenes,
under the same light with the same kind of film, but
one camera was a Nikon F90x with a 20mm f2.8 D, the
other was a (spare) Leica P&S mini zoom with the lens 
zoomed out to 35mm.

When scanning in the results though, I consistently
noticed that the L shots were sharper, had better
contrast, less flare etc.  All on a crappy Point &
Shoot!

Then did some research, found out that L still made
mechanical cameras, out of metal, with lenses also
made with metal barrels... and my Nikon(s) days were 
numbered!  (For the record I always hated all the
useless programs in the F90x and could not stand
the plastic barrel AF lenses!)

Mind you, there is some good news in the 'Leica for 
rich amateurs' market:  as they don't drive their 
cameras into the ground, it is relatively easy to
pick up mint condition 2nd hand Leica gear.  Seen a 
used mint condition Nikon F4s lately?...  ;^)


Regds,

Andrew Nemeth
VR Multimedia  Photo  Java
www.nemeng.com/vr