[Leica] Re: Why M is so popular?

[Photovilla@aol.com]

<<Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 21:45:03 +1000

From: "Miro Jurcevic" <miroj@ozemail.com.au>

Subject: [Leica] Re: Why M is so popular?

Message-ID: <00be01c00840$95491de0$9133a4cb@rivrw1.nsw.optushome.com.au>

References: <4.2.0.58.20000816213759.00ac5ef0@pop1.nf.sympatico.ca>


Maybe M cameras don't break if you look at them funny. I have seen so many

used R bodies, still looking to find one that works, I found only one R6.2

out of the lot that was 100%. All of the rest had flaws and problems. I did

find one R8, but that comes with a ticking sound and a pin.


Anyone that comes on this forum and says that R is just as reliable as M is

basically trying to get another one free from the factory, to replace the

broken one in the bottom of their fish tank.


I love the R series, they are total crap and I wouldn't shoot anything else.

I press the button, turn the dials and the lense does the rest. For a

serious camera I am looking at Contax.>>

- -----------------------------

Miro,

If you have that many problems with the R system you are going to have 
troubles with Contax too. You are simply hard on your gear... I guarantee 
that is at least part of the problem. 

No system is perfect or able to with stand hard use over a certain level. 
That is why PJ's often own 10 cameras...they beat the heck out of them and 
need back up.

I worked for two years as a PJ traveling with a US Olympic team using mannual 
Nikon cameras (which are damn good too) and I broke a few on the way. I never 
threw a tantrum -as I always had my good 'ol back up in the bag for those 
would-be disaster days. ( ps- I never did make a living either with all the 
costs involved with the travel and gear.)


I have sold over 100 R bodies this year and only one had a problem that 
required passport service...and btw, they REPLACED that camera. Not too bad 
in my humble opinion.

For my personal R arsenal I have an R3, an R6, two R7's and now I just added 
a demo R8 body in the past few months. 

I have taken these cameras to the rainforests of Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras 
and Belize.

I NEVER had a snag. I did not handle them like precious eggs either.

I know that Tina Manley is a pro on this list who also uses Leica R (and 
bought an R6.2 from me about a year ago) and so far as I have heard hers is 
working as well in similar places and conditions. I'm sure there are many 
others who will tell you the same. These are conditions that cause just about 
every machine man has made to fail...and yet these little R wonders persist. 
No, I have not tried it with an R8...yet...

The one exception to all the general reliability of the R system are the 
early R8's and some R4's. I don't sell R4's because of the many problems I 
have heard there are with them. I don't want to peddle a junk camera, nor 
will I buy one. The R4 was an unfortunate chapter in the R lineage.

The early R8 cameras had problems as did the motor drives. From what I can 
tell, these problems have all been ironed out...and have been selling them to 
very picky customers who are aware of the original problems. 

Just a  month ago or so, fellow LUGer Gib Robinson called me and ordered a 
new USA R8 and told ME what serial numbers he wanted...how is that for an 
informed customer. 

I called Leica and we got him a suitable unit in the range he wanted, which 
he is using with out incident last post I saw here. I think he would have 
noticed a problem...don't you? Instead he has posted many defenses of that 
camera...which really is a first rate machine at this point in time. 

I don't believe there are many uninformed Leica buyers out there...or if 
there are I just don't seem to encounter them.

In fact, of the 13  R8 _demo_ bodies I sold last month, several of them ended 
in the hands of LUG readers- who may chime in any time to correct me if I am 
wrong about the R8 being cleaned up. 

If it is really still having a problem, I'd like to know about it from 
someone I sold a camera too...statistically SOMEONE should be out there with 
a problem from my pool if there really is a nasty bug to fix.

That is also why I am shooting with one personally. I am putting my money 
where my mouth is so that I can honestly attest to the bug fix-status and 
decide if I even want to carry them. (Since this is my "side-job," I can 
afford to draw a moral line on the products I will and won't sell. You will 
not see me selling this camera if mine falls apart or breaks when I look at 
it funny.)

While I am a dealer of many photographic items, I am not a cheerleader for 
any particular brand. I have found in my own work that Leica's often that 
someone has a problem with a camera and all of a sudden it is touted as being 
a piece of junk.

My opinion is that Leica, Nikon, Contax and few other camera manufacturers 
(not Canon) are all making TOP NOTCH products that would embarrass Ford or 
even Mercedes Benz if you were to compare the statistics. BTW, Leica USA also 
offers a warranty that would bankrupt those companies.


Now, if the other half of my life (Internet programming) ran as smoothly as 
this half (camera sales) or if photo related jobs paid as well as computer 
related ones...I think I would throw a party to celebrate it! I'm sure a few 
luggers would as well... ;->

Rich