[Leica] Do you remember why you joined the LUG?

[Douglas Barry]

The quote "Me no Leica" was the first time I realised that Leica was a 
quality camera. I'd heard of Leica cameras growing up, but never realised 
just how good they were, as any noises off from cognoscenti were just vague 
puffs from the background babblestream.

Back in the 80s, I was involved with mountain running, did a bit of 
journalism on the side, and the eds also always wanted pictures to go with 
the articles, so I upgraded my Zenith to a Pentax Spotmatic, discovered what 
sort of composition was needed, and submitted my slides for nearly twenty 
years. Then digital came along and changed everything. Editors wanted 
digital output and fast - even the monthlies I generally wrote for.

To find out about digital, I went to the local camera club, saw their stuff, 
and instead of buying a digital camera, bought a medium format folder that 
night on fleabay. I moved completely away from sports, fell in love with 
street photography, studied the various books and famous photographers. They 
were all holding Leicas. I bought a IIIc. I loved it. I bought an M3. I 
loved it too. I stopped using other cameras. I found the LUG.

Mostly, I use a Fuji X100S now as I've been in rented accommodation for an 
unexpected three years with my equipment and cameras in boxes. However, my 
new house and its extension will be ready in a few months. I will resume 
developing and printing my own black & white film, and get my M3 out again. 
However, I'm eyeing a secondhand M9 too, but the house is taking priority. 
Of course, I'll be staying on the LUG.

So a big thanks to Walter Kerr for that review of "I am a Camera".

Douglas

> ----- Reply message -----
> From: "George Lottermoser" <george.imagist at icloud.com>
> To: "Group Users Leica" <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: [Leica] Do you remember why you joined the LUG?
> Date: Wed, Oct 15, 2014 2:06 PM
>
> Every time I picked up my M6s, M8, R8 and DMR I remembered why I joined 
> the LUG
>
> Since acquiring an M (240) and M Monochrom these reasons are reinforced on 
> a daily basis.
> Feel
> Fit and finish
> 50 years of Familiarity
> And an equally long, unbroken line of
> functional, solid, precision system components including:
> Visoflex, bellows, rings, and tubes, etc.
> Simplicity
> Dependability
> did I mention FEEL? - meaning ergonomics
>
> Often when I see a subject line like, "My next Leica body may be a Fuji…"
> I wonder if some have forgotten why they joined this list…
>
> Do you remember why you joined this list?
>
> Regards,
> George Lottermoser
>
> http://www.imagist.com
> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist
>
>
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