Re: [Leica] SERVICE!

[ternahan <ternahan@sonic.net>]

What is a baby speed graphic?
trish
ternahan@gentlelens.net


> From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
> Reply-To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Date: Mon, 03 Sep 2001 14:06:31 -0400
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: [Leica] SERVICE!
> 
> At 10:19 AM 9/3/01 -0700, Ted Grant wrote:
> 
>> 
>> It's general practice to look after professionals first, Leica, Canon or
>> Nikon and if there is gear or service techs available for rush amateur
>> service it happens. Some may not believe that, but that's the way it is.
>> Again it's the facts of life!
>> 
>> As I suggested above, buy two camera bodies. Most amateur photographers I
>> know eventually have two bodies for any number of reasons, film types, lens,
>> whatever. 
> 
> Two comments.
> 
> First, Nikon destroyed the professional market-share held by Leitz and
> Zeiss Ikon purely through setting up a responsive professional network, and
> only did this because of Joel Ehrenreich's foresight and genius.
> Professionals shifted in droves;  in the 1980's, when Nikon had its
> financial horns pulled in by the Mitsubishi combine (yeah, yeah, the same
> guys who brought us the Zero Fighter), Canon jumped in and filled the gap,
> and the professional Nikon/Canon split went from something like 80% Nikon
> to 80% Canon in a matter of a few years.  Nikon had to reinvigorate their
> professional support before they started to fight back, and they have yet
> to supplant Canon as the Top Dog.  So, yes, this professional support is
> vital.  (Zeiss Ikon is long gone, in measure due to its arrogance;
> Rolleiflex lost out when the TLR was forgotten as the prime photographic
> tool it is.)
> 
> Second, I am an amateur who does an occasional pro shoot.  I have two Leica
> M bodies available at any given moment (an M3 DS and an M6, at the moment,
> with a IIIc for a back-up).  I also have a zillion other cameras available,
> ranging from a Baby Speed Graphic, three Rollieflex TLR's (2.8GX, 2.8F,
> Automat, Type III), two Contaflex bodies, six or seven Contaflex bodies,
> Ikoflices, Super Ikontas, a Hasselblad, lots of Prakticas, &c &c and yada
> yada yada.  My point is that I have ample tools if something breaks, which
> means that almost nothing EVER breaks -- Harry Fleenor has my Rollei 35S at
> the moment, and I have a Werra 3 and a Praktica FX which need repaired, but
> these are hardly prime tools of my photography.  The Leicas, the Rolleiflex
> TLR's, the Hasselblad, these ARE my tools, and they just don't break -- but
> only because I have back-ups!
> 
> (I have had a Leica body go west on me immediately before a pro shoot, on
> ONE occasion.  I simply picked up the spare and did the job.  No hu-hu.)
> 
> Marc
> 
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir!
>