Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/21

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: "viewfinder"
From: Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>
Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 09:22:42 -0600 (CST)

Tom and others,

I was quoting an (obviously) tounge-in-cheek article from 
Dirck Halstead's e-magazine, that caused quite a stir in the 
"leica" community.....

Anyone reading the article, however, would have seen a rational
viewpoint, different than the LUG, of course, that describes 
exactly the situation with older, primarily M-series prices and 
availability...from the view of PHOTOGRAPHERS......

You know, Tom, my comments on "rational" or "irrational" behavior 
seem to have struck a raw nerve....
In keeping with my "audio" and "radio" analogies, which I believe 
to be both sound (no pun intended :) and in the interest of many 
on the list, I've noticed something.

Those of us who use "bizarre" audio gear (I'm listening to a 9 watt 
stereo amp driving horns as I type this-tho I'm listening to 
Patsy Cline, just to keep up my image-- but on LP) and those of 
use who use "boatanchor" radio gear--Collins/etc...would NEVER try 
to convince the "mainstream" that our way was sane....hell, 
you can buy a GOOD solid state receiver for the price of a 
couple of replacement Altec diaphragms.......you can buy a 
mid-market amateur radio tranceiver, NEW, for the price of 
a decent Collins station...and either of these choices would 
be more sensible, to 99.9% of the worlds' enthusiasts....
and logic dictates that they're correct, not us....
WE, however, just smile and associate with 'like-minded' folks...
while the rest of the world points and laughs....

Leica's the same way....enjoy your Leicas, hang out with 
"leica folks", talk about 'differences' that you (but not 
even other PHOTOGRAPHERS) see, much like audio comparisons...
but don't be offended when the other 99+% of the world's 
population (photographic and otherwise) points, laughs, and 
calls you a lunatic.....hell, we talk about that amongst ourselves
half the time!!....when "uninvolved" friends come over, 
and ask me about my stereo/radios, I just smile and tell them 
that I'm poor, and had to build my own out of old junk....bought 
from the surplus store!! (at least PART of it's the truth)

I've had a student in our lab ask me if that "old" camera really 
still worked (M4, 35 summicron)...I smiled and said "Yep, sure 
does.....".....they responded "Hey, DUUDE, that's cool...."

Until a few years ago (I've been around this business all my life)
the students/other photographers at least RECOGNIZED a Leica...
they'd ooh and ahh occasionally....no more....they don't even
recognize the name.....or know what a rangefinder is/does.....
I used to go to the national parks/etc...an ol'timer would 
ALWAYS stop me and talk Leica....no more....

Enjoy your stuff....you make it clear that you do.....and you 
also obviously enjoy stating that you CAN afford it...so be it..
most can't, and those who can almost universally choose not to...
But trying to "validate" yourself or your choices is fruitless...
and will lead to infinite frustration.... :) :) :)  ask my 
wife.....she lives with it (Leica, Audio, Radio, old car/truck, 
you get the picture)

Walt

On
Sun,
21
Mar
1999 TEAShea@aol.com wrote:

> Gee Walt, what an enlightened statement from you.  It seems that anyone who
> does not conform to your narrow preferences is either irrational or should be
> killed.
> 
> Tom Shea
> 
> << "First, let's KILL all the Leica collectors..." >>
>