Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Thank you for everything you do, that benefits us, Leica users. It is obvious that this is a passion for you as much as photography is a passion for me. I would think that the time, effort, sweat and tears is enough justification - do not see too many critics out there volunteering to take on the "Study of Leica". Take Care Karina - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Erwin Puts" <imxputs@ision.nl> To: "LUG" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 9:50 PM Subject: [Leica] Leicagate > Jim's account of his relationship with Alpa closely resembles mine with > Leica. While I do not feel in any way obliged to answer B.D. questions, > which in my view are crossing the line of the privacy of the individual, I > will present here my position. > I am an independant business consultant since 10 years (before that I was a > university researcher/teacher, and a high ranking governement official), who > works at the moment for three Dutch companies, all with a yearly turnover of > several billion dollars. My area of expertise is reengineering legacy > software and business process analysis. > My company is a one-person company and I earn all of my money with these > activities. > My second area of activities is photography, where I am as an independent > journalist enrolled as technical editor to one of the bigger Dutch > photomagazines. My contacts in the photoindustry are based here. I am taking > pictures too and with the combination of picture taking and photojournalism > I write numerous articles about the technical aspects photography for > several European magazines. I am involved in this area of activities for > over ten years and have written by now I think about a hundred artices, some > of which are Leica related. > I started using and writing about Leica 16 years ago as a hobby. As my > testreports in the magazines about Leica equipment (done fully independent > from Leica) became quite popular, I felt the need to delve deeper into the > Leica world and contacted the Dutch distributor. He provides me with all the > equipment I need for testing. I sign off a paper and return all equipment > after use. I do not get any product for free, nor do I get any favours. > Every adjustment to my own cameras or lenses is paid for by me as a normal > repair service. > If I want to buy a Leica lens or body I buy it in Holland and pay the normal > price. All my lenses and the one M6 I own now have been paid for by me. I > finance this with the fees I get from the articles I publish, which are not > Leica related in many cases. > Obviously I visist the Solms factory regularly. From my home in Holland to > Solms is a distance of about 300 miles and when I travel to Solms I always > take a hotel. I travel by car (my own), pay for my own gasoline and pay for > the hotel. I have never been in an hotel paid for me by Leica. The one visit > I made to Portugal (by airplane) was paid for by me, including the hotel. > Leica is of course aware of my actions as a journalist and my reports and > analyses about leica products and do support this with providing > information. This is not unique: all writers about leica get this info: > Brian Bower I have met in Soms several times and he is given the same info > as I get. And I know that every journalist in Solms can talk to whomever he > wants about whatever topic. There is a free flow of information and that is > it. I have never received from Leica any gift or camera or lens or whatever > material product (excepting the leica calendar which I receive free, as all > journalists get one for free). I would be very stupid and so would be Leica, > if the relationship would be jeopardized if they would try to influence me > or if I would let myself be influenced in my opinions by giving/accepting > gifts. I am surprised that B.D. and others are so naive as to assume that > opinions and testreports can be 'bought'. Maybe their view reflects on > their own attitude in these matters. > Leica is a very responsible company and so am I and so are most companies I > deal with. I do not think tat multi-billion dollar companies would rely on > experts who are not reliable or responsible. I know that operating in the > public domain and having acquired a certain status, has its responsibilities > and makes you vulnerable to the kind of suspicion of which B.D's list is the > latest incarnation. > All research activities and time invested in doing the research, > accumulating the facts and reporting on the findings are done in my own free > time. My website is paid for by me, the Newsletters are free and done in my > spare time. > I am aware that I make mistakes, that I do not know everything about leica > and that I sometimes change my mind as most thoughtful people do, when they > are confronted with new evidence or new insights. I am also aware that there > are some who have become almost personal enemies and will never fail to > point to every inconsistency in every sentence or opinion that I have > written and who challenge my integrity and expertise on every possible > occasion. In their place I would try to do something more constructive than > flogging a hrse that is in their view already dead. > I know from thousands of emails and personal contacts that my views and > opinions are valued as a reliable guide for buying decisions for leica > equipment and I do know that my research findings into the ultimate Leica > quality are appreciated by many. > Leica knows this too: when people talk about Leica, my name pops up > regularly. > The converse is happening: because I know that my position would be > untenable if I would let me be influenced by Leica PR or if I would ask > favours from Leica that might even in the remotest way question my > independence, I am lost. So I would be a complete asshole if I would let > this happen even in the slighest way. > I often disagree with Leica: I am not convinced of the optical quality of > many R-lenses. I have written about that in my book and on my website. I am > not convinced of the quality of several M-lenses. The same goes for the > bodies: I have my remarks and comments. That is known by Leica: that has > never limited their cooperation, nor have they ever tried to influence my > views. In fact they know and do appreciate that I have independent views > and can back it up with facts and figures and yes, pictures too. It is in > their own best interest to get independent and reliable and fact based > feedback on their products. > Do you really assume that Leica wants only blind and uncritical confirmation > about their own achievements. How naive can you get! > There is nothing in my M7 report or for that matter in my lens reports, that > is not supported by experience, measured or calculated facts (I made a > mistake in the calculation of the speed of the shutter curtains: it is 7 > km/hour, not 70 km!) and I always make a careful distinction in presenting > my own views and opinions and describing facts. > Leica are justifiable proud of their products and achievements and very well > capable of profiling their products as they seem fit. They really do not > need to 'bribe' some Dutch guy to become their parrot. > > > Erwin > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html