[Leica] Cameras Real Pros Use

[len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier)]

Mark, actually I'm speaking in more general terms and more  
specifically in how far Leica has distanced themselves from what  
could have been a large, loyal base. I'm really afraid to buy and  
really can't afford to buy anything Leica has made since introducing  
the 0.95 Noctilux. The last new lens I bought was the wide angle Tri- 
Elmar Asph in April of 2007. I bought a used 35mm f1.4 Asph titanium  
used in 2008. After that I mostly picked up used SM gear. My D700 was  
in July of 2008. I wish I had the money now to pick up a M9 but they  
are still too expensive. And at least half of my shooting is with  
telephoto lenses 300mm and up.

And Mark I must say you have mellowed. I always enjoyed your  
philosophical (funny) posts.

Len


On Nov 30, 2012, at 4:44 PM, Mark Rabiner wrote:

> Except that I think Phil was talking about the M9 and you are  
> talking about
> the M8. The M8 being Leicas first digital M. after many decades of
> mechanical excellence since 1913. It was amazing Leica knew what  
> electric
> current was let alone a CPU. I'm giving it a break. The M9 its second
> digital body and first out full frame I've gotten the impression from
> everywhere was a solid camera which could be used for critical jobs.
> Tina's and Phil's experience seem to represent opposite extremes. The
> reality would fall somewhere in the middle.
>
> Mark William Rabiner
> Photography
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/
>
>
>> From: Leonard Taupier <len-1 at comcast.net>
>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>> Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:29:41 -0500
>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Cameras Real Pros Use
>>
>> Hello Howard,
>>
>> I remember the problems you had with that M8 very well. It was quite
>> the horror story.
>>
>> I was very heavily into Leica when the M8 was released as some of our
>> long time members like Geoff, Nathan, Tina and others might recall.
>> The M8 release was really a nightmare for Leica. I bought an early M8
>> which needed a new shutter after only 6 months.  And you needed UV/IR
>> filters, what a joke. I really only occasionally use my Leica gear
>> now, and thats mostly to use my Leica lenses on my Oly  OM-D E-M5. My
>> Leica glass never looked so good. But what really stopped me from
>> using my Leica's was the Nikon D700 and especially the D3X. Nothing
>> compares. But the final blow was Leica's sky rocketing prices. I've
>> been retired for 8 years now and just can't afford the gear any more.
>> However I find used SM lenses are superb on the Oly. I think my
>> Summitars and even the Summars think they have aspherics in them. And
>> I of course still shoot film having just this year acquired a IIIG
>> body. I think for us every day folk Phil's post hit the nail on the
>> head. Maybe some day I'll get a full frame digital body, used, if
>> Leica gets their act together. I still have every Leica lens (except
>> for one that really back focused) and body I've purchased in the last
>> 10 years. So who knows. I'm not active here anymore but I still
>> subscribe and read all your posts.
>>
>> Len
>>
>>
>> On Nov 30, 2012, at 12:28 PM, H&ECummer wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Luggers,
>>> Most of you know my M8 experience. I was an early adapter in Hong
>>> Kong - paid HK$35,000 (US$4516) from the Leica Shop in Vienna
>>> during one of their shows in HK.
>>> Locally the camera wasn't available at that retail price - all
>>> sellers were selling over retail - mostly to rich mainlanders. Four
>>> months after purchase the shutter failed
>>> while I was photographing in Northern Ontario. I couriered the
>>> camera to Solms. It was insured for the Canada Post maximum of
>>> $1,000 and DHL lost the camera for a month.
>>> I only found it by dealing with the office of the President of DHL
>>> in North America! Solms, after receiving the camera, told me German
>>> Customs ruled the replacement body would have to be sent
>>> to Canada because the broken camera came from Canada. By then I was
>>> back in Hong Kong. I sent an email written in capital letters
>>> asking them if a German photographer had a
>>> camera failure in Mongolia would the repaired or replacement camera
>>> have to be sent back to Mongolia? The next day they replied the
>>> replacement camera would be sent to Hong Kong.
>>> I used the replacement camera for 30 days and it developed a blue
>>> pixel line. I took it to Schmidt, the Leica agent in HK, and they
>>> wanted HK$500 to look at the camera even though it was
>>> clearly under warranty but not bought from a HK dealer. I threw a
>>> tantrum and the repair man, on his way to Solms carried the camera
>>> in his luggage, had the camera repaired in a week,
>>> and carried it back. It then worked well and I decided, finally
>>> having a functional body, to upgrade and paid HK$14,000 ($1,806)
>>> for new frame lines, shutter and sapphire glass cover.
>>> I took about 18,000 pictures with the camera over three years and
>>> then it developed the coffee stain on the LCD. I contacted Leica
>>> New Jersey about a replacement LCD
>>> and as everyone knows Leica have no spare LCDs. They offered to
>>> take the camera in as a trade and give me some credit toward a new
>>> M9. But I already had an M9  and so I sold the
>>> camera for its approximate trade-in value ($1,300) and moved on.
>>> Like Phil, the experience has shaken my confidence in the
>>> reliability of Leica digital products. Every time I
>>> pick up the M9 (which is a better camera in some ways than the M8
>>> but still has SLOW processing and not great low light high ISO
>>> capability) I wonder if it is going to fail. I can't help it!
>>> Howard.
>>> PS: To be fair and balanced I have had one digital failure with a
>>> Nikon. My D70, out of warranty, had a circuit board fail. It was
>>> quickly replaced free of charge by Nikon at its repair facility in
>>> Vancouver.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
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