Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/10/13

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Subject: Re: [Leica] clear plastic tape (now "Just tools?")
From: "Sonny Carter" <sonc@sonc.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 14:34:54 -0500
References: <12.13d5c168.28f9b1cd@aol.com>

Charles, I like your thinking.   I'm shooting with my 10+ year old M6,
twenty-something year old CL, and thirty-something R3.   The investment I made on
these cameras was never intended to be recouped by resale.   The longer I keep them,
the less they cost me to use.

I guess you call that "value" instead of "return" in the financial way of thinking,
but I think like a photographer, not a financier (as my economic condition will
certainly attest.)

Mark, as the original poster to this thread, you certainly can imprison your cameras
if you want, they belong to you, and  you can treat them as you choose.   My opinion,
for what it is worth, is that this "investment"  concept impoverishes your
photography.

I do NOT think of my Leicas as "JUST tools", and  because I allow them to get bumped
or scratched, doesn't mean I don't take care of them.  All my cameras show loving
wear.

Speaking of tools, one of my prized possessions is  a wrench my father, a retired
mechanic, gave me.   He used it for years, and I still use it.  It's getting hard to
read the "Craftsman" label on the side, but it still works great.  JUST a  tool?  I
think not.

My "new R3" was owned by a farmer who bought it new, and carried it everywhere. No
never-ready case, just honest wear on the body.   I treasure that camera, and wish
that I'd been the one to cause the patina.    Someday when I'm 76, my M6 will look
that good, and I hope I never think, "Gee I wish I had taken better care of this
thing, maybe I could sell it for more."

Regards,

Sonny
http://www.sonc.com














- ----- Original Message -----
From: <Summicron1@aol.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2001 10:03 AM
Subject: [Leica] re clear plastic tape


> i second walt in denton -- if you bought your leica as an investment then, by
> all means, do not scratch it up, but yare being somewhat dishonest, do you
> not think, if you take such care of the outside and let the inside get worn
> from use? I mean, a MINT camera with worn insides is not really honest, is t?
>
> seriously, if you bought a leica you must have some idea of getting good
> images out of it. It is impossible to do that if you are being SO very
> careful that it never gets a ding or a dent. You are forever taking it in and
> out of its padded case, putting on kid gloves to handle it, and so on. But,
> the only way to really and truely get good performance from any tool is to
> use it freely, let it get a few signs of age, let it become something you
> spare no gray matter cells worrying about because you are concentrating
> totally on the image, the photography, the result. Only by doing thyis will
> you achieve what the Leica is capable of giving you.
>
> If you do this, by the way, you will soon cease such foolish talk as "I want
> to sell this some day." No, you will not. Why? It will be your perfect
> camera, your baby, your treasure, a faithful and true friendworth no amount
> of money to you and that will include the dents and dings.
>
> such are my M3 and R3 anyway. As an investment, what else provides such
> return?
>
> If it is only money you want back, go buy a second body and stick it in the
> safe deposit box without even opening the box. Be sure and tell your heirs
> what it is or they'll sell it at the yard sale.
>
> charles trentelman
> ogden
> utah
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html
>

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Replies: Reply from "Mark Ritter" <mritter@austin.rr.com> (Re: [Leica] clear plastic tape (now "Just tools?"))
In reply to: Message from Summicron1@aol.com ([Leica] re clear plastic tape)