[Leica] My Black Paint is Better than Yours

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 5/20/04 7:27 PM, "Kit McChesney" <kitmc@acmefoto.com> wrote:

> Feli--
> 
> I haven't peeled the protective plastic off my M7, either. I've seen lots of
> cameras that still have that piece on the bottom. I think lots of folks just
> don't want the baseplate scratched up, regardless of whether the camera is
> chrome, black chrome, or paint.
> 
> It is not a disease to leave the plastic on the bottom. In fact, some folks
> even buy the plastic thingies that protect the faces of their PDA screens.
> I've actually done that myself, though I never use the darn PDA. A total
> nuisance. ;-)
> 
> Kit
> 
No Kit but your whole frame of reference is of being in the buying and
selling business. Retail. So see that camera as money which passes through
you. People on the other hand who are in the serious photography business as
in producing images pride themselves in the character their camera acquires
through hard use as a tool. The price that camera might someday get is at
the bottom of a long list of priorities.
Ideality (for them) the quality of thier images would be so good that, like
Koudelka's M4 the brassing and dings would just add to the value of the
camera.
But this implies unfortunately that I think you are not as well a retailer
as a serious photographer and I have no way of knowing.  Some retail people
do ok using their cameras but it would take me a moment to think of one.
Mark Theken is a rare exception for one. I thought of that five minutes
later and spliced it in here.
If I was out shooting with someone and found out they had that plastic thing
on the bottom of their camera I'd be hard pressed to if I should call it a
day at that point. Say I had a headache. It would be "the plastic goes or I
go". And although it may sound like I'm kidding about this whole thing and I
couldn?t possibly be serious I've been responsible for at least one
peel-away. Probably two. And the exchanging of UV filters for lens hoods.
I think someone who was looking at of doing some shooting with a non schlock
professional or highly dedicated amateur is in a remarkable position.
And they should make some effort to not appear to be a ridiculous
dilettante;
given the situation.

Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon



New-improved
http://rabinergroup.com/