Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This whole discussion reminds me of a little chat I had with a Arriflex rep a few years ago. (Arriflex is a German company that invented the modern 35mm motion picture camera) Anyhow, we were chatting and I mentioned how I owned a old Arri IIc and what a great camera it was. He smiled and told me how Arriflex wished they had built those cameras less reliable. For years they put a damper on their new camera sales. He told me that if Arri management had their way, they would buy up all of the remaining IIc's and bulldoze them in the company parking lot. A few years ago they cut the supply of spare parts (or they ran out) and independent shops continue to keep the cameras running with fabricated or salvaged parts, but that is becoming more tricky. Not a bad run for a camera that started production around 1936 and ended in the late 70s or early 80s. Leica may simply be out of parts or they built too good a mousetrap. When was the last time you saw a Leica M that actually died from over use? Garry Winogrand made something in the vicinity of 400,000 of exposures with his two M4's. Bill Marschall's black M3 looks like it fell in a wood chipper. Those cameras are still working. Leicas biggest enemy is themselves. Their cameras are built like tanks and rarely need to be completely replaced, unless they stop a bullet or fall into the hands of an intrepid 6 year old. I purchased a new M6TTL. When I needed a second body I picked up a cheaper mint M2 that sat on some ones shelf for 30 years and was occasionally taken out to shoot birthday pictures. I sent it to Sherry and presto! I'm set till Kodak stops making Tri-X. I bet Leica would love to see all of those old M's magically vanish overnight, so that if you wanted a Leica, you had to buy a new one from them. Is that evil? Yes and no, but if they want to stay in business, maybe the only option... Cheers, feli > Leica is probably the only company in the world providing active > support of > products that are 25-35-50+ years old. > Gary > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html