[no subject]

After about 19 months of ownership of the M9 with 9 of those months
having the camera out for repair, I was at the point of not being able
to afford such an unreliable tool. 

As for actual work, when editors ask what gear one is using and you say
"Leica M9" they question the camera choice and then say "we'll be in
contact." I had numerous interviews with publications in the NYC /
Philly area and got no work from any of them. One photo editor actually
suggested I get a D200 or D300. I know I'm extremely proficient with
the Leica but I'm a journalist and at this point in my career, the
Leica is a detrimental tool as it is perhaps looked at as an
anachronism or even arcane curiosity in the news world. I might as well
be using film. As a matter of fact, a friend at Newsday asked about my
gear after I got rid of the M9. I said I could only use the X100 with
its fixed focal length lens or my Nikon SP with a range of lenses but
would have to shoot film. After coming out of the film closet with her,
she suggested that I use the SP and just find a quick lab in the city
and be able to turn around full stories with scanned images within a
few hours. (The deciding factor on that job was that I didn't have a
car.)

As much as folks may want to wax nostalgic about carrying a Leica M
with a 21mm SA and a Nikon F with a 105, those days are OVER.
They aren't coming back either. Sabastiao Salgado or Steve McCurry or
the top echelon of VII can shoot whatever the hell they want, be it
film or digital or wet plate 10x8, but for the folks like me who are out
hustling every shot, the Leica holds us back. Holds us back in
capabilities and in the eyes of our editors. It holds us back from
buying a few thousand more dollars worth in beans, rice and oatmeal
as well. A new journalist shouldn't choose a Leica unless they are
already wealthy, in which case they can do what they please. 

That's why I now have food, a car, a Nikon D2x (low ISO but I can hold
still, so I'm fine,) and a few great lenses. All for less than the cost
of a Super Angulon and a 2nd gen 35 Summilux.

Phil Forrest


On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:44:29 -0500
Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> 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



-- 
http://philipforrestphoto.wordpress.com/
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/philforrest