Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/02

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Re: To M7 or not to M7, c'est la question - LONG
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 2002 19:36:57 -0400

I think, Darrell, that this is one of the few times when Allan, or anyone
taking his position, CAN have it both ways.

The M6-M7 are wonderful anachronisms. As Allan notes, in terms of
"features," they don't begin to compare to most bottom-of-the-line SLRs. And
while the modern M lenses are fantastic, in most cases they aren't
discernibly better than the 'pro' lenses produced by the same manufacturers
who produce those cheap SLR bodies.

BUT. For some people the Ms are ideal tools for the kind of photography they
do: they are compact and quiet, making it easier to blend into the
proverbial woodwork. They are, despite all the complaints, by modern
standards built like fired clay excrement homes. The ASPH lenses are
particularly flare free, which makes them ideal when shooting under
circumstances normally guaranteed to produce flare.

HOWEVER - One can use them, and even love them, and at the same time curse
them for all the features they lack, particularly as having most of those
features really wouldn't detract from the things that those who use them as
tools love about them. Okay, so the camera is a few ounces heavier and a tad
larger? So it's a couple of decibels louder - it's still going to be much
quieter than most SLRS, and more compact.

So one can use Leicas and still take the position Allan has taken. A
position I share with him - and I hope he and everyone else can stand the
shock of that!;-)

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 Darrell
Jennings
Sent: Tuesday, July 02, 2002 7:20 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: To M7 or not to M7, c'est la question - LONG


OK I'll ask...then why are you here?

If you don't like Leicas, don't use one...if you do
like Leicas, then you already know the answer.  That's
like cousin Elda Mae telling me she can get great
pictures with "one a'them thoaway camrs"...and you
know what, for her she is right. If you can't see the
difference any extra you spend is throwing away money.


I use a Leica because it is light, quiet, and has
great lenses...a reasonable compromise to hauling a
bunch of medium format stuff around. I gave up on 35mm
for over 25 years and ONLY came back to it because of
these three reasons.

- --- Allan Wafkowski <allan@sohogurus.net> wrote:
> The Leica myth.
>
> Anyone here could, for $240, buy a Minolta Maxxum 5
> or Canon Rebel 2000
> and have a more capable camera than the $2500 M7.
> Both run circles
> around the M7's antiquated exposure system. Gone too
> is the lame excuse,
> "I must have a fully mechanical camera for those
> times when I go brain
> dead and forget the batteries."
>
> The Leica myth is running out of excuses as the M
> series becomes a
> fairly modern camera. Soon the excuses will become
> so thin, "It's the
> only camera that has a red dot I can cover up", will
> be the answer of
> choice when asked why one paid $2000 more and got
> less.
>
> Allan
>
>
> Simon Lamb wrote:
> > What I don't quite understand is, if Ted, Tina and
> others find the AE of
> > such benefit to get many more perfectly exposed
> images, why didn't
> > they a
> > long time ago purchase one of the competitors
> (that accept M lenses)
> > that
> > have the M7 features and much more?
> >
> > This is a genuine questions and hopefully Ted,
> Tina or someone else
> > might
> > answer.
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, see
http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html


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