Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/05/31

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: R8 design, Erwins design review
From: tedgrant@islandnet.com (Ted Grant)
Date: Sun, 31 May 1998 19:40:46 +0100

Danny wrote:

>Be Nice...... :^j
>
>Are you saying that you've got a good explanation for why that chrome
>strip is there?
>Do you like it? Before you answer with "I could care less!", which I hear
>coming, explain
>for me what you like about the cameras shape in visual terms,....... please?

Hi Danny, :) "jeesh and I'm smiling! :)

Sorry I don't have any explanation for that "thin teeny weenie silver
line":):)  around the body. Actually until it came up as a negative comment
in your post I didn't know it was there and had to look at the camera to
see what you were talking about. :)

Even then, I thought there must be some other R8 model with a "big wide
obvious in your face chrome Cadillac strip around the body." :)

<<<<Do you like it?>>>>>

I can only say with the greatest of honesty, that I had never even seen it,
let alone paid any attention to it. I don't spend much time looking at my
cameras, quite often I end up with a ding or some little mark and then
wonder "where the hell did that come from?" :)

I'm very laid back about looking at cameras and lenses, sure I like to see
them looking cool, clean and black, but that's about it. My feelings for
more years than I want to remember since using Leicas has always been, "Man
I have the best camera in the world and that'll help me take great
pictures!" And not what it looked like.

No offence intended, but I'm amazed at how many folks seem to pay more
attention to "how it looks rather than what it does, "Expose film!"  Now we
all know in reality great pictures occur due to the human being with the
vision holding the camera and not the camera persa.

But when I got my first Leica and following models over the years, quite
frankly there was a major transformation of how I took pictures and
approached my photo career. I suppose it was the mythical Leica mystique
that did it if that is possible, as I'm sure there are others who had
similar transformations with other equipment. But in my case I know there
was a very definitive change of how I saw the photographic world through
the eye of a Leica.

And Danny, I don't believe I was influenced one iota about "how the camera
looked, but more so by what it did when I pressed the shutter release!"

So after these many years of still being excited and in awe of results
recorded on film through Leica lenses, I have to say "I really don't care
what it looks like, as long as it fits my hands and makes me look good on
film. :)

This time I trust I've kept calm and reasonably rational in explaining why
I blew off the other day, about what the camera is supposed to do rather
than what it looks like. :)

ted