[Leica] 50 Summilux

[gregj.lorenzo at shaw.ca (GREG LORENZO)]

Jesse Hellman writes in part:
> 
> I'm in agony. Maybe that's why I can't sleep. I always said I'd 
> get that 
> lens and now it's here. ASPH! Floating rear element to give it 
> great 
> performance at close range! And the 50 is my favorite length, used 
> for 
> most of my pictures. Very Expensive, I'm sure.
> 
> But here's a story with a lesson, perhaps: got back from Italy a 
> month 
> ago. When I was in college I found a reproduction of a Greek 
> statue - 
> just the bust really - a Roman copy of the original. I have it in 
> my 
> study today.
> 
> But I always wanted a bust of Athena but could not find it (pre-
> Google 
> days). Looked everywhere.
> 
> So there I was in the Vatican museum store and there it was. A 
> reproduction in bonded marble of one their Athenas, and let me 
> tell you 
> they have a few gorgeous ones. Helmet, tilt of the head, etc 
> perfect. 
> Rospigliosi style, they called it. Roman copy of a mid 4th century 
> Greek 
> statue, attributed to Timotheus.
> 
> 182 Euros! Shipping (it's marble) 140 Euros. $400 in today's 
> exchange. 
> Should I spend that much? Did I really need it? I went back and 
> forth 
> for thirty minutes, going back to see the original twice (it's an 
> excellent reproduction).
> 
Usually, at such times, there are two devils involved - one on each 
shoulder: One a miniature version of yourself whispering "buy it, buy it now 
its a steal!" On the other shoulder sits a miniature version of your 
significant other whispering "don't buy it, don't buy it, its overpriced and 
completely unnecessary!"

The trick is to buy more than one of everything whilst never admitting to 
owning more than one.

Regards,

Greg