Re: [Leica] Leica info/discussion reources?

[John Collier <jbcollier@shaw.ca>]

The Leica-Users-Group is a mature list. Every topic you can possibly 
think of on Leica has been covered before and in great detail –hint, see 
the archives. The only new things are what is new in the way of 
technique and equipment. This means there is a great deal of OT traffic 
which some regard as a problem. Myself and others found that they join 
for the Leica info and they stay for the incredible storehouse of 
collective knowledge and experience available. If you photograph some 
rare Egyptian pottery, you will trigger an argument between several 
experts on its proper dating and classification. If this sort of thing 
drives you crazy, then go somewhere else with our blessing. Just do not 
try to change us, thank you very much.

There are many Leica resources on the internet and they are in a more 
immature state than the Leica-Users. So if you ask a question on exactly 
what the pitch of the Leica lens mount is, it may well be the first time 
the question has been asked. You also will get possible one or two 
incorrect answers in with the right ones.

So here is a partial list of Leica resources:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1548 (photonet's Leica 
discussion board - calmed down now that is on photo.net)

http://www.leica-camera.com/cgi-bin/site_forum_main.pl?1 (Leica's own 
discussion board - very nasty at times)

http://www.topica.com/lists/leica (instructions on how to subscribe to 
the LEG - splinter group from the LUG, formed after some wild off topic 
silliness. Some people alternate from one to the other depending on who 
they are most upset with. I have not dipped my feet here myself)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MUGers/ (info on the M users group, no 
experience of it myself though they seem like nice folks)

You can also get advice and abuse in real time. Download mirc or your 
favorite irc client from tucows.com and then connect to irc.newnet.net 
and join channel leica (#leica). It is so very cool but oh so intense. I 
can only take it for short doses myself.

If you just want plain old advice then there are three excellent sources:

http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/  (An excellent easily searched 
resource on Leica and you do not have to listen to the OT stuff. It is 
there if you are curious about that too :-)

http://nemeng.com/leica/ (Simply the best and most complete Leica faq on 
the web. Opinionated but you did want opinions didn't you?)

http://www.cameraquest.com/classics.htm (Even more opinions and where 
quite a few of us started out)

There are many many more sites on Leica so use http://www.google.com/ to 
find even more...

Good luck,

John Collier

On Monday, September 2, 2002, at 03:44 PM, Craig Schroeder wrote:

> I've been looking for some information for building a basic but solid 
> Leica M system.  I didn't see anything specific on UseNet and I've only 
> really found the LUG group.  Are there some discussion groups more 
> specific to the issues of photography and the application of Leica 
> hardware discussion and analysis?  So far, this is my only resource and 
> I live in the rural area of northern Wisconsin where I don't have 
> reasonable access to dealers and really depend on the net for good 
> information.  I had a couple of responses in here for some Leica 
> expertise and thank you for that.

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