Re: [Leica] an idea for a contest

[Bill Satterfield <cwsat@cyberhighway.net>]

I am all for this. It would be a nice jesture from the free world. Throw in some
film too.

Damian Dlugolecki wrote:

> Brian,  Why not have people pitch in, buy the camera from you cheaply,
> and donate it to Stanislaw Stawowy, our recent new member from Krakow
> who we can be sure will use it well.
> Damian
>
> Brian Reid wrote:
> >
> > I have a Leica IIIf, red dial, with 3 lenses (35/3.5 Summar, 50/2.8
> > collapsible Elmarit (I think), 90/4 Elmar), 3 finders that I believe are
> > called "imarect" (they attach to the flash shoe). I also have a Tower
> > 135/5.6 for it that is not wonderful. The 50/2.8 is an unbelievably good
> > lens and the finders, especially the 50 finder, are amazingly wonderful.
> >
> > I am the second owner of this camera; I bought it used around 1970 from a
> > Baltimore Sun photographer who was retiring. The Sun permitted the use of
> > Leicas in those days; most papers didn't. I have shot about 2000 rolls of
> > film with it through the years, mostly Tri-X. The camera looks like what
> > you'd expect it to look like after being owned by a newspaper photographer
> > and then me. Not a museum piece, but not damaged in any way.
> >
> > I have an M6 now, for which I am very thankful. So I don't use the IIIf any
> > more. I don't believe in owning cameras that I don't use. But this old IIIf
> > means a lot to me, so I don't want to sell it. However, I think I might be
> > willing to give it away as the prize in a Leica Users Photo Contest. Before
> > I announce such a contest I'd like to see some discussion about what sort
> > of contest it should be and what restrictions I'd place on the winner. For
> > example, I don't think any working or retired professional photographer
> > should be eligible to win. My goal here is twofold:
> >     1. To get this camera into the hands of some needy person who will
> > really use it, instead of putting it in a display case. An engineer with a
> > mortgage who lives in Arizona is probably not needy; a student who lives in
> > the former East Germany and who works in a grocery store is probably needy.
> > But only if he's really going to use it.
> >     2. To increase the amount of discussion about photography, instead of
> > cameras, in this forum. I'm absolutely delighted at the pictures that some
> > of you post; I keep hoping that someday I'll have something new I'm willing
> > to show you all (I'm very proud of my old work, but I haven't managed to
> > take a picture that makes me quiver in a long time). Maybe this contest
> > would stir the pot.
> >
> > Any ideas for rules? I have a pretty good idea of who I'd want the judges
> > to be, but the decision would be based both on photographic quality and on
> > need. I want the entire setup to go to the same person, rather than having
> > the kidney go here and the liver go there and the corneas go over there.
> >
> > Brian Reid
>
> --
> http://www.teleport.com/~damian/strings.htm