RE: [Leica] A Red Dot story

["Carleton, Sam" <Sam.Carleton@FMR.COM>]

Dave,

I agree with you on most everything you said.  But I do have an opinion on
the statement: 

"If Leica M were just like my Nikon F, I'd use Leica M."

There are some things about the M that is totally unique to the M.  For me
the two big features that provoked me to buy the Leica are the M's low
profile and ability to focus in bad lighting situations.  There are other
things about other cameras which would be really nice to have on the M.

Upping the flash sync and/or upping the top shutter speed is not going to
turn a Leica M into a Nikon F.  It is going to turn the Leica M into a
camera that is more flexible then it is today.

Sam


	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Rodgers, David
	Sent:	Thursday, May 31, 2001 4:23 PM
	To:	'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
	Subject:	RE: [Leica] A Red Dot story

	Sam

	>>We most definitely need to appreciate the M
	for what it is.  But on the same note, I think we should push Leica
to
	continue to improve the camera.  TTL was a very nice step in that
direction.
	There are other things that could be improved, also.<<

	Sometimes I think I'd like to see some changes, too. In fact, the
new Hexar
	is my idea of what the M7 should be. OTOH, there's always a danger
when you
	change something. People don't always want what's best. They just
want what
	they think is best. I'm as bad as anyone. If only it were this or
that, I'd
	be a better photographer, or a better printer. Or my images would be
better.
	Convenience doesn't neccessarily equate to higher quality output.
Higher
	volume, maybe. 

	I own cameras that have all those nice helpful features. If those
features
	are so great, why do I still take my best photographs with a Leica
M? And
	why do I enjoy using it so much? I'm not saying a person should use
a Leica
	M to photograph everything. But I'm also glad Leica doesn't attempt
to
	follow the crowd. They stay in their niche. I don't understand when
people
	say, "If Leica M were just like my Nikon F, I'd use Leica M." I say,
use the
	Nikon F and be content. I like the M the way it is.   

	Dave