[Leica] Re: Digital vs. mechanical camera lifetimes

[grduprey at mchsi.com (grduprey@mchsi.com)]

Never had a Commodor PET Computer.  My slide rule gave up the ghost 20 years 
ago from over use.  The TI calculator, I got when I graduated from 
University still works just fine.

Gene

-------------- Original message from Lawrence Zeitlin 
<lrzeitlin@optonline.net>: -------------- 


> 
> On Aug 8, 2007, at 2:48 AM, Nathan wrote: 
> 
> > Clearly, no digital camera will ever match the useful life of an 
> > M3. But 
> > on the other hand, to say that the useful life of a modern DSLR is 
> > equal 
> > to the product release cycle is simply bunk. 
> 
> Nathan, 
> 
> The film Leicas only performed four functions (viewfind, rangefind, 
> expose film, move film) with relatively sturdy mechanical and optical 
> parts. Most parts could be adjusted to compensate for wear. All of 
> the photographic magic is in the film and lenses. 
> 
> My digital Leica, a Digilux Zoom, performed dozens of functions 
> (opened and shut lens cover, extended lens, measured light, zoomed 
> lens, focused, set sensitivity, adjusted white balance, timed 
> exposure, presented images on LCD screen, transmitted images to 
> computer, etc., etc., etc.). It is a truism that product reliability 
> is inversely proportionate to the number of parts and the number of 
> functions performed. 
> 
> My 53 year old M3 still takes fine pictures. My Digilux is dead, 
> dead, dead. And even if by some miracle it came back to life, it uses 
> the discontinued SM card. 
> 
> All me an unreformed Luddite but I have an innate suspicion of the 
> digitization of simple mechanical functions. I still use my old slide 
> rule. How many of you still use Commodore PET computers? 
> 
> Larry Z 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Leica Users Group. 
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information