[Leica] Leica Yearbook

[steve.barbour at gmail.com (Steve Barbour)]

Sent from my iPhone
Steve Barbour

On Jan 10, 2014, at 4:03 PM, Peter Klein <pklein at threshinc.com> wrote:

This, or some variation on the theme, is *the* problem. Leica has 
effectively priced itself out of most of the photographer's market. They are 
really more in the jewelry, prestige and bling businesses than in the 
photography business. $7K for an M-240 or MM, plus another $1200 for even a 
common 50 Summicron, used, and God help you if you need f/1.4, just add 
another $1200, again used. Double that if you want aspherics. Most people 
would say, "Are you crazy?" To shell that kind of money out, you have to be 
very dedicated to a particular kind of photography, or have more cash than 
brains. And it sure helps to be a very "high net worth individual."

I was lucky enough to buy a few Leica lenses before the digital Ms came out, 
when they were merely a bit expensive, as opposed to crazy-stupid expensive. 
If I had to pay today's prices for everything, I'd probably not be in Leica 
at all.

I am concerned what I'm going to do when my M8 dies. The M9 didn't seem like 
enough of an upgrade to be worth it. The main reason why I still might some 
day would be to use my 50mm lenses as 50s again. I would have to sell most 
of my lenses to pay for an MM or M 240.

So at the moment, I'm shooting my M8 occasionally with a 35 as a normal 
lens. I still have an M6, and sometimes I think I might just start shooting 
B&W film again. But most of the time lately it's the Olympus E-M5 with the 
micro 4/3 primes.

And yet, I still consider myself a Leica photographer. I learned photography 
the RF way, I still prefer it, and I love the lenses. And I like hanging out 
with people who appreciate Leica.  I think that most of the LUG feels that 
way to some degree. Which is why we're still the LUG. We just have to 
embrace the paradox--we use other stuff, that other stuff can do some things 
as well or better than Leica.  But Leica is in our roots, whether we still 
use Leica, just remember it fondly, or cross-breed its lenses with other 
company's bodies.

--Peter

Beautifully stated Peter

s


> I do not deny the cost or achievability of the M/Monochrom etc, but all the
> people saying this have a selection of Leica lenses - how many people have
> an idea of the current market price for those lenses? Somebody buying into
> Leica these days has to buy some lenses as well as the body, suddenly $7K
> seems like a bargain ;-)
>
> john
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > Steve,  many of us who were long time Leica users and owners, I've owned
> > and used Leicas for more than 50 years, can no longer afford Leica new
> > digital
> > cameras every two or three years and have opted for other makes. If Leica
> > offered a versitile digital in the price range of the Olympus OM-D I'd be
> > shooting with it.  As it is I still on occasion will mount an M lens on 
> > my
> > Olympus.  I sold my M8 three years ago I'd love to get a new M 240 but 
> > at 7
> > grand I'll shoot the Olympus.
> >

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