Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Greetings from the shadows! I've been watching the debate about the G1 & 2 vs Leica M, and thought I'd through in my $.02 worth. This discussion seems to revolve around the differences between being prejudiced versus discriminating. As you all probably are aware, prejudice is just that, to pre-judge, or judge without knowledge, whereas discrimination is to use ones knowledge to make choices. I know from experience that I don't like raw fish, and can reasonably conclude that any restaurant that serves such will not get my business. That's just being discriminating. I don't know that I wouldn't get lots of use out of an autofocus camera, but I feel that it somehow upsets my esthetic. That's prejudice, and I probably owe it to myself to try one someday, to at least make an informed decision. For now I will live with the honest acknowledgment that I am prejudiced against them. It seems to me that Eric has taken a position based on his knowledge, his needs and his experience to discriminate against a camera that does not suit him. That is a defensible position, it stands because he is basing it on his needs and uses for a camera, after assessing the specifications and capabilities of this camera. Arguing further about it would be pointless. However, I must take exception to Eric's point about Harley Davidsons! I too rode big Japanese and German motorcycles for a long time, and pooh-poohed the HD, until I tried one. I found that, idiosynchracies aside, or rather because of, I liked it to the point that I would never go back to anything else. In very many ways the HD is like a Leica M; its antiquated, its 'retro', it's as simple and as reliable as a stone hammer. Yes, its not as fast as the H or Y or S brands, nor is a Leica M as auto-everything as is a C or N brand. But for what it is intended to do, it does it with the same aplomb as a Leica M. Perhaps its because it is idiosyncratic, but rather good at what it does, I got out of the R series and went to the M. It was perverse enough to amuse my sense of humor, but much more pragmatically, it also could do exactly what I want a small camera to do, just as my HD did what I wanted a bike to do. I can also add that contrary to the appearance, the HD really has a solid heart beat, rather than a 'Jack Hammer' ride, it is more relaxing at the end of a long day, and my wife finds the rumble to be much more 'stimulating' than the buzz of a ''500 lb radioactive bumble bee''! Reliability is about the same, there are many 40 and 50 year old HDs around, parts are available, they look pretty much alike from then till now, people still stop and come up to you to talk about when they had one, resale value is pretty high, sometimes exceeding original sticker price, people collect them, and people use them to race professionally. In fact, if I hadn't said HD in the first sentence you couldn't really tell if I was talking about Leica M's or HD's! I should point out that I do my serious driving in a car, and my serious photography with a 4x5, but my pleasure driving and my pleasure photography with a HD and M6, usually combining both if I can. I can afford to have gear for play that is perverse and fun; if I had to make my living with these tools my criteria would be significantly different, and my reasons for discriminating between one thing and another likewise different. The conclusion might be the same, I don't know, it doesn't matter! So, you 'all go on and debate the Leica M (or R) versus any other camera, and I'll continue to watch and learn from the points you make. Its been informative to learn how you working Pro's think about these things. However, I think I'll keep using my M6 just because I like it, and ride HDs 'cause I like them. Back to the shadows! Norm Aubin p.s. - Eric, one of these days soon I'll be returning to the Puget Sound area, since my temporary assignment to England is almost over. I'd like to buy you a beer someday, you're writings have been most entertaining, enlightening, and amusing! Likewise to other Puget Sounders . . .lets get together over a beer and plan a picture taking day this spring . . .maybe by Memorial day??? Hey . .would a Seattle centered LUG be a SLUG?? How appropriate, what with that being the state mascot and all . . . . > From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net> > Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Leica & Contax test > > At 12:20 AM 3/30/99 +0200, you wrote: <SNIP> > Why would I feel obligated to give a camera a chance when: <SNIP> > Eric Welch > >