[Leica] Summilux vs. Summicron

[sethrosner at direcway.com (Seth Rosner)]

Hi  B.D.:

At the LHSA Leica Akademie meeting last week, I sat next to a member who 
said that in New Zealand recently, he couldn't find a place to buy film and 
had to buy a cheap digital to record his trip; added that film would be dead 
in two years.

The following day Karen Sweet, Kodak representative, gave a power-point 
presentation on Kodak's doings in imaging, both film and digital. An 
astonishing array of world-class digital products and an equally astonishing 
array of up-dated old and brand new professional film emulsions, in 35mm and 
other formats. During her talk and the ensuing q&a I could not help thinking 
of you.

Take a look at the Kodak website for their film palette. Then talk about 
film's demise.

It is clear that professionals and editors to whom speed and ease of 
transmission is critical are working, perhaps close to exclusively, in 
digital. Equally clear that a majority of p&s consumers in the west will 
choose digital for its ease and cheapness, and because it almost symbolizes 
the disposable, throw-away world we live in.

IMHO, Ted's current methodology is the very best combination of quality and 
ease: film capture, then scan, edit and print digitally.

My strong bet: neither Kodak nor Fuji will leave the film business in our 
lifetimes.

Seth     LaK 9

Had a wonderful time; wish you were her.  ;-)

Seth        LaK 9

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
To: "'Leica Users Group'" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 10:48 PM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Summilux vs. Summicron


> First off, Marc, while I like the E-1, I wouldn't lose a nanosecond's
> sleep if digital turned out to be the passing fancy, or whatever it is
> some of you seem to believe it is. I love film, love my Ms. Just like
> the people who loved their daguerreotypes loved those plates, and just
> like the speed graphic shooters loved their film holders.
>
> But as much as I hate to burst your bubble, film is indeed dying. Tell
> the folks at Ilford and Kodak that film isn't dying. Of course there are
> sixteen trillion film cameras out there. But that has nothing to do with
> whether film is dying. I'm sure you'll go on shooting film until the day
> you die, but that doesn't mean that it isn't the previous capture
> medium. The question isn't how many film cameras still exist, the
> important question is - at what rate is the number of digital cameras
> increasing every six months, and how does that compare to the number of
> film cameras being sold?
>
> As to the Nikon F6 - Yes indeed, it is due out - and I will place money
> on the fact that Nikon will, within 12 months of the introduction of the
> F6, announce a digital back for it - probably a full-frame digital back
> as they don't have one yet. No major camera company - other than Leica -
> will introduce a pro film camera that is not also a digital camera. For
> Gds sake, Nikon F5s and Canon EOS1ns are being virtually given away
> these days.
>
> Another sign of the ascendency of digital is the printers that Epson and
> Canon are now churning out for the home market that crank out 4x6s at
> apx .$29 a piece - just pop in your CF card, or hook up your camera, and
> print away - no computer necessary, no knowledge of photoshop necessary.
> Your own "60 minute" photolab in on your own kitchen table.
>
> Yes, the reality is that film is now the domain of hobbiests, a small
> number of documentary photographers and some art photographers. Kids
> aren't buying film point and shoots now Mark - they're buying digital
> P&Ss and camera cell phones.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
> [mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
> Mark Rabiner
> Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 9:24 PM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Summilux vs. Summicron
>
>
> On 11/8/04 3:52 PM, "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> typed:
>
>> That used to be the beauty, Vic. But alas, with the dying of film, it
>> is no longer true. While Leica equipment may hold its value better
>> than most film equipment, it is no longer holding it the way it did
>> even a year ago. M6 TTLs purchased for $1995 were selling for about
>> $1450 in near mint condition - now they're down to about $1150 - if
>> you're lucky- and used M7s, which are now selling for, what, around
>> $2800, are only worth approximately 50% of their new priced once
>> they've been driven off the lot. So if you're going to invest $2500 in
>
>> a 50 1.4 lens, you damn well better love that lens. ;-)
>>
>
> Film is not dying BD.
> I think its great you are on a roll with your Olympus E but lets keep
> our perspective on the whole thing. The film market is being moderated
> or minimized. AS there are other technological options which appear more
> popular for many uses.
> That's all.
>
> There are 10 billion (last count) cameras out there which all use film
> to take pictures and plenty of people who are going to want to use them
> for quite some time.
>
> The Nikon F6 is due out soon.
> New film cameras are being introduced every day.
>
> And the ones made last year still work.
>
>
>
>
> Mark Rabiner
> Photography
> Portland Oregon
> http://rabinergroup.com/
>
>
>
>
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