[Leica] Old farts at 43 - or even older

[Alex Hurst <corkflor@iol.ie>]

Dieter wrote:
>this has been nagging me for a while, but I didn't know whom to share it
>with. For lack of a better idea I'll throw it on y'all :-)

There's no better forum.

>Is it just me, or are there others around my "tender" age (see subject
>line) who feel that they're rapidly drifting away towards the "old fart"
>side of things? But at the same time, not "old" enough not to care about
>the new developments.

Well, I'm 52, so I'm definitely over the hill,,,,

> I think the recent darkroom vs. photoshop/inkjet has
>shown the issue: new technology, with all its quirks, lack of longevity,
>and definite lack of sexiness does exert a gravitational pull that's pretty
>hard to resist. So, I feel there is a constant schism here: on one hand,
>the niceties afforded by going digital all the way (of which LUG is a very
>good example)

Ahem... the LUG is _all_ about the longevity of a classic series of cameras
(that's the input side).

I personally haven't a camera that's much less than 30 years old, apart
from a recently acquired Nikonos V (reports later). On the other hand, an
M3 doesn't work terribly well underwater.

On the output side, I personally like the digital route because:

a) It's convenient, versatile, and easy to archive.

b) You can achieve near photo quality, which is more than most of your
audiences demand.

c) Digital photo technology is improving so fast that it'll give the
darkroom route a real run for its money within the next couple of years -
and that's at amateur level.


on the other hand, the disgust of the attitude that seems to
>be inherent to modern day economics -- throw-away mentality, "innovation"
>cycles of six months (along with a gallopping deprecation of your
>investment), killing off the traditional dealers with their necessarily
>higher markup than the discount store manned by a sales clerk who doesn't
>know his <meep> from a hole in the ground, and so on.

This is a rather different issue.  The LUG is a very peculiar meeting of
minds, because most of us have made up our minds that Leicas are something
we _do_ want. I'm in the "down when" area - I
enjoy using proven, classic Leica designs. Equally many of my fellow
LUGnuts wax lyrical over the R8, the latest lenses etc. More power to their
elbows - I'm content with the old - they're searching for the new, and we
often meet in the middle.

I must say that  I've had more sage advice and have done better deals on
the LUG than anywhere else. I would also add that my local Cork  dealer,
Denis McSweeney, would put a lot of better known retailers to shame in
terms of his enthusiasm for matters Leica.

He's an exception. I agree that most retailers don't have a clue.

 Whoever has made it this far in reading.. thanks for bearing with me on
>this tour de grudge. What the heck, I feel better now. Now where's that
>flameproof suit again...

Dieter, I'm not sure what your grudge is about. Wish my German were as
fluent as your
English.

Slan
Alex

Alex Hurst
Waterfall
Nr. Cork
Ireland

Tel: +353 21 543 328 (H)
     +352 21 270 907 (W)

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