Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I cannot speak for pros on this forum, but as a dedicated Leica enthusiast, I myself can rightfully say that Leica makes me a better photographer. Regardless of the misconception and myths surrounding Leica, the fact that the M system is a joy to use, makes me a better photographer. The association of the camera and myself seems to have a strong bond and I take my Leica plus a couple of M lens with me anywhere I go. I'm so used to having it with me regardless of the event that I can quite honestly say I feel naked without it. Years ago, I took up cycling, but was never a hard-core cyclist until I met a local club-mate. His advise to me was that if I could afford it, get an Italian lightweight racing bike. I did. I followed his advice and bought a DeRosa, a bike that made famous by the greatest cyclist of all times, Eddy Merckx. He rode the DeRosa in winning several Tour de France titles. After I got the DeRosa, I started enjoying the bike more and more. It was handmade by the the old world Italian craftsmen. It was a beauty in its simplistic form and purely functional with none of the fancy gizmos. The craftsmanship was meticulous, and pared with fully Campagnolo components you can see tradition deeply rooted in the Italian bicycle culture. I fell in love with that bike and started putting on initially about 60 miles per week and progressively later completed my "century", 100 miles in one day. After the "century" I wasn't tired or beatup at all, but was still fresh enough to continue if the sun was still out. I thank my club friend for pointing me to a DeRosa, a bike as traditional and mythical as Leica is to cameras. The point of all this is that passion plays a larger part of how I became a better cyclist as well as a photographer. I can honestly say that I wouldn't be as interested in cycling nor in photography if the only equipment I was allowed was a bike from Kmart special or a disposable camera. So to this shutterbug, the Leica myth is real and that's part of the reason I hang around this forum. - --- Kevin Argue <kargue@sympatico.ca> wrote: > Henry- While some pros do have Nikons for their work > there are some of us > that use Leica's (R's and M's) everyday! I even shot > soccer and motorcycle > racing with a R5 and 280mm f2.8 with extender---- no > autofocus! > > Kevin Argue > St. Catharines, Ontario > > ---------- > >From: Henry Ting <henryting10@yahoo.com> > >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us > >Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: To M7 or not to M7, c'est > la question - LONG > >Date: Tue, Jul 2, 2002, 7:20 PM > > > > > > > All pros depend on their equipment for their > > livelihood. On the contrary, pros depend purely on > > Leica's are the minorities. The majority use > Nikon, > > Canons or even Minoltas. > > > > --- Simon Lamb <simon@sclamb.com> wrote: > >> Hmm, what have I started here? There are some > >> things that make the M6/M7 > >> capable that the Minolta and Canon cannot beat, > such > >> as the instantaneous > >> shutter release, capability to handhold to speeds > as > >> low as 1/8sec due to > >> the lack of vibration from the shutter and no > mirror > >> slapping about, use of > >> fast lenses (down to f/1) across just about the > >> entire lens range, etc. > >> > >> I think Tina presented some reasonable arguments > for > >> going with the M6/M7, > >> especially since her livelihood depends on it. I > do > >> wonder whether others > >> who have a less pressing need for the M qualities > >> could and will consider > >> the cheaper alternatives, especially as they > could > >> use the M lenses. > >> > >> I just think that by moving towards automation > with > >> the M7, it will invite > >> comparison to the other bodies and the others may > >> win the day. > >> > >> Simon > >> > >> On 2/7/02 11:35 pm, "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 > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free > > http://sbc.yahoo.com > > -- > > 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 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free http://sbc.yahoo.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html