Re: So you want to change the world with your Leica

[Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>]

Roger Beamon wrote:

> But Leica *is* the raison d'=EAtre for the Leica Users. List.
>=20
> And I yours, Donal, but you, Oddmund and a few others ought to play
> in areas that are aimed at your type of play. I should think a list
> such as PHOTO-L and others would much more appeal to your desire to
> expound on your philosophy of the medium.
>=20
> In your zeal to be fair to all and understand every point of view, I
> fear that you are without.=20

Roger,

As a Leica user since 1968, I believe I have some authority to express
my opinions here.  And as a nearly 30 year user of Leica and a 30-some
year student of Leica photography (my first camera was a Hasselblad) I
believe that what Leicas made possible was a new way of seeing the
world. =20

If you see Leicas as only some mechanical device, I'm sorry.  There is
so much more.  It is the technical, the techniques and the states of
mind. =20

Oddmund may use a Rollei right now, but his artistic heart is in the
Leica spirit of seeing.  Thus his comments and experiences should be
welcomed here. =20

As for not having a point of view that is rigid and absolute, you are
right.  The more I learn about the world, about people, the more I
realize there is no "truth," just points of view.  And we are all
enriched by diversity of ideas, of culture, of personality, even of
cameras. =20

Can you, Roger, tell me for absolutely straight-line unequivically sure
which is the better Leica, an M or an R?   Since you feel there is only
one truth, one "real" point of view, which would you recommend Leica
take out of production?  Of course, you can't base your opinion on the
different "feeling" there might be from using different systems.  Only
strict engineering judgements here.

I think few professional photographers who have used Leicas (especially
Ms) would have any trouble understanding the relevance of recent
philosophical discussions.

I'm going to go out on a limb here, Roger, and tell you that my first
Leica, an M2, has a soul.  None of my other cameras do. =20

The soul is has, of course, is mine.

Your Leica, I'm sure, has a mind.

Donal Philby
San Diego