Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/11/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Leica distanced itself from its large loyal fan base in 1963 after the Nikon F took over in very few years after that it was a niche market which appealed to connoisseurs. Its had 50 years expense in not being on the top of the market but the bottom. Of the mass market that is. Its fairly happy being where it was. Problem was with the non total success of the digital M's it went lower. Now I think with the digital numberless M its back to where it was in the 90's. Very small but very much there. 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 17:04:59 -0500 > To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Cameras Real Pros Use > > 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 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information