RE: [Leica] Re: Leicagate

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

I'm sure that's how you view it, Alan, because that view is totally
reflective of your personality. My view is that Erwin responded in a
forthright manner to a set of perfectly legitimate, totally obvious
questions, and, as I stated when I asked them, I take his answers at
absolute face value, and consider that any questions I have regarding his
independence have been answered. And, of course, that I was mistaken in my
belief that he is not as independent as any other reviewer of photographic
equipment.

If you consider that someone "kicking (my) ass," that's your problem.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Allan
Wafkowski
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 8:20 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: [Leica] Re: Leicagate


B.D., I think Erwin just kicked your ass.

Allan


On Tuesday, February 26, 2002, at 05:50 AM, Erwin Puts wrote:
> 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
>
>
>
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