Re: [Leica] Re: Leica & black tape.

["Ted Grant" <tedgrant@home.com>]

Peter Klien wrote:
>>> When I went to Italy, I did cover the words "Leica," "Leitz," and "M4-P"
> and the Red Dot on my camera with black tape.  My rationale was that it's
> just a little less obtrusive.  Also, many people have at least heard the
> name Leica and associate it with "very expensive."  I didn't want hotel
> people, waiters and taxi drivers to assume I was some super-rich dude they
> could overcharge accordingly. <<<

G'day Peter,
Been there....  Rome, Athens, London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington, Kuala
Lumpur, Hong Kong, Saigon, Calgary, Cairo and LA!  Never done that, ;-)
tape my Leicas! Are they less obvious with black tape when the cameras are
already black?

I don't think so, actually if you're using a chrome body with tape stuck all
over it, it attracts a greater degree of curiosity when in close quarters
with other folks, than a plain old black body.

And you maybe right:
>>Also, many people have at least heard the name Leica and associate it with
"very expensive."  <<<<<<

Although, once again, I believe the knowledge of "Leica" being associated
with "very expensive" is overrated thinking "many people" automatically
recognize it in the vernacular of some LUGNUT members. I.E.: "very
expensive"

I've had the experience at photo colleges where some students had no idea
how expensive a Leica was until I gave my lecture, then pasted Leica gear
around for them to see and feel what a great working tool it is.. Yep and
then there were gasps of monetary concern from many of them.  However, up to
that point the majority had no idea what it costs to be hooked on Leica, M
or R.

Now Nikons, Canon's and whatever, they knew down to the fraction of a mm.!
;-)

So I put aside concerns many users have on the recognition factor that the
rest of the world; waiters, bar keeps, taxidrivers and hookers, know that
Leica is synonymous with wealth or expensive. Most of the "they know this is
an expensive camera" is only in the minds of the Leica owner because he or
she knows it's expensive. And in doing so, sometimes... "that factor is
telegraphed" to other folks.

>>> In fact, several people asked me if I was a professional photographer,
and
> I think it was the meter, not the Leica that made them ask.  So maybe a
> Luna Pro Digital is the real babe magnet, not a Leica (although Freud
might
> have something to say about Ted's Noctilux...)<<<

I admit I've had people engage in conversation about the camera, not because
they knew it was a Leica and expensive, but just because they'd never seen
one before and the curiosity was, "Why do you use so many cameras? Are you a
professional?"

My reply?  "Nope just a crazy amateur who wants to be sure I get the right
picture." ;-)

They look again as I go on shooting, then they walk away shaking their heads
knowing this really is a camera-nut case! ;-)  And not once in any
conversation did "expensive, wow a Leica" come up.

Sorry to disillusion some of you folks with your thoughts on "Leica
expensive recognition, must tape to hide the name etc" factor, as the world
on the whole have no idea that Leica is a camera and not some weird computer
or something to eat.

Oh yes, Freud and the Noctilust? Well I can't really tell you what he said,
but he smiled, winked and went "tut, tut!" ;-)
ted
















- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Klein" <pklein@2alpha.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2001 11:54 PM
Subject: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V20 #14


> Jim, I hate to be a spoil-sport, but if you go to
> http://www.rapidwinder.com/, you will see several pictures of Tom holding
a
> black-taped black Leica.   :-)
>
 As for thieves, most probably won't know a
> Leica from a videocam, but like chicken soup, the black tape couldn't hurt
> in this case.
>
> People who know cameras will recognize a Leica anyway--I had one American
> and two French people start a conversation when they saw I had one.  In
> each case they were interested in photography, and delightful
conversations
> ensued.
>
> To tell you the truth, my light meter attracted a lot more attention than
> my camera.  Hardly any lay person knows what a light meter is any
> more.  Several times people looked at me quizzically and asked what I was
> doing when I whipped out the Luna Pro Digital.  One even assumed I'd taken
> the picture when I put the meter back in my pocket and stepped right into
> my line of sight as I raised my camera, then got all confused.
>
> In fact, several people asked me if I was a professional photographer, and
> I think it was the meter, not the Leica that made them ask.  So maybe a
> Luna Pro Digital is the real babe magnet, not a Leica (although Freud
might
> have something to say about Ted's Noctilux...)
>
> --Peter Klein
> Seattle, WA
>
> At 08:55 PM 05/16/2001 -0700, Jim Brick wrote:
> >Why doesn't someone ask Tom Abrahamsson and Ted Grant what kind of tape
> >they put on their Leicas. Together, Tom and Ted have traveled to more
> >places, taken more photographs, with multiple Leicas hanging around their
> >necks, than most of the rest of the LUG combined. Ask them how many times
> >people recognize their Leicas and how many times they have been accosted
by
> >someone wanting to steal "a Leica." I can answer this. No tape, ever. And
> >probably no Leica related accosting.
> >
> >Can't you just picture Ted and Tom, running around with tape on their
> >cameras... Gloriously funny sight! :)
>
>
>
>