Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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..." >> >