Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]But that's 20,000 in 2013 dollars. How much was that in 1973 dollars? Tina On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:48 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz> wrote: > And be able to invest +20K USD into it? That is the the entry level for a > basic two camera kit these days.... It can/will go much higher with > certain lenses ;-) > > john > ________________________________________ > > > I think if I were buying today I would look at photos made by photographers > using Leicas and photographers using disposable Fujis and come to the same > conclusion I did 40 years ago. > > Tina > > > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:23 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz> > wrote: > > > Agreed, but that is with hindsight. > > > > If you were buying now, with no experience of Leica, could you justify > the > > cost over half a dozen 'disposable' Fujis? We are talking a couple of > > cameras and a few lenses so somewhere over 20K USD initial investment.... > > > > john > > ________________________________________ > > > > > > I also bought a Leica 40 years ago because I knew it would stand up under > > all kinds of conditions that other cameras would not. I still feel that > is > > true with my digital Leicas. I don't know what the reason is, but I've > > never had a problem with my digital cameras that wasn't fixed immediately > > by Leica. I dunked two M8s in a river, dried them by a fire, and they > kept > > working. Maybe I'm just lucky when it comes to cameras but I still > believe > > in Leica. I don't think I could have dunked my Canon 1DMII or 5D in a > > river and still had them work. I love the simplicity of the Leica menus, > > buttons and knobs that I can use in the dark by feel. I love rangefinder > > focusing. I love my old Leica lenses. I would put up with a lot of > quirks > > to be able to use my old lenses full frame but I don't have to. I'm a > > happy camper. > > > > Tina > > > > > > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:06 PM, Jim Nichols <jhnichols at lighttube.net > > >wrote: > > > > > Hi George, > > > > > > You see things much the way that I do. I bought my first Leica body > and > > > lens in 1952, probably much earlier than most on this list. Though the > > > IIIa was made in 1935, it had been serviced and had a new shutter when > I > > > got it. Though it definitely needs a CLA, it will make images, > reliably, > > to > > > this day. That is what started my appreciation of Leica products. > > > > > > Their digital products seem to be built for a limited lifetime. The > two > > > lines are entirely different, as I see them. I have a difficult time > > > "buying into" their current approach to digital camera bodies. > > > > > > Jim Nichols > > > Tullahoma, TN USA > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Lottermoser" < > > imagist3 at mac.com> > > > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> > > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 5:55 PM > > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Buying Leica..... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> On Jun 26, 2013, at 5:25 PM, John McMaster wrote: > > >> > > >> With hindsight I would still go Leica, nothing to touch the lenses > for > > >>> different looks and I prefer the simpler operation, but if I had not > > used > > >>> them what would make me spend 'rather a lot' more on Leica than Fuji? > > Does > > >>> 'full frame' or the build quality make enough of a difference for the > > price > > >>> jump to most people? > > >>> > > >> > > >> The piece of this "to Leica or not to Leica" quandary that throws me > > >> is the relatively recent "lack of reliability and maintenance." > > >> For over 30 years I KNEW that my Leicas would stand up to daily use; > > >> be able to be CLA'd and maintained for the duration of my life. > > >> > > >> When the digital R path ended abruptly - doubt set in. > > >> > > >> Recent stories of lack of parts or repair paths for 5 year old cameras > > >> seems totally unacceptable for "any" camera company; > > >> let alone a high end, premium camera company. > > >> > > >> I expected that, what ever its flaws may be, that I could keep my M8 > > >> making photographs for as long as I chose to hang on to it; > > >> just like every other Leica camera that came before it. > > >> > > >> The idea that $7K camera bodies are simply disposable hardware > > >> with a useable life of a two year warranty - feels totally > unacceptable > > >> to me. > > >> If not unacceptable - certainly unaffordable - to me. > > >> > > >> I'm coming from that place where the 50 year old Linhof Tech IV > > >> I just sold works every bit as well the day I handed it to Forrest > > >> as the day it left the factory. > > >> > > >> This whole new device, whether computer, camera body, phone > > >> whatever - simply feels quite "wrong." > > >> > > >> I welcome technological advances and their concomitant costs; > > >> while also expecting that if I choose to remain a couple generations > > back; > > >> that high priced hardware continue to perform somewhere close to > specs; > > >> and be designed for adjustment back to original specs. > > >> > > >> Regards, > > >> George Lottermoser > > >> george at imagist.com > > >> http://www.imagist.com > > >> http://www.imagist.com/blog > > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/**imagist < > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > -- Tina Manley http://tina-manley.artistwebsites.com