Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/06/12

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Subject: [Leica] M8 and the WAR
From: sethrosner at nycap.rr.com (Seth Rosner)
Date: Thu Jun 12 06:35:55 2008
References: <440b792d0806102129u2fdd02a2yec46b0c58c56baf4@mail.gmail.com><6af76ca00806111228g69bcfae3o6d509803089aa06e@mail.gmail.com><000501c8cc1a$f1d82730$6b01a8c0@dadquad><3cad89990806112216o176f70b2l2a63e2e70e5822b2@mail.gmail.com><000e01c8cc56$511a7000$6b01a8c0@dadquad> <3cad89990806120016j40dc01b2q3aaaf2ffe8ff003@mail.gmail.com>

Jayanand, put aside the collectors who basically are interested in mint 
examples. The retention of value of Leitz/Leica glass (and cameras of 
course) reflects the fact that their optical performance and build quality 
assure their usefulness for decades. One doesn't have to buy and re-buy 
every several years. My everyday user M-lenses currently are (when I don't 
need speed which is most often) a 35/2,8 Summaron and 50/2 rigid Summicron 
(both1967 production) and a 90/2,8 Elmarit (1970 production). The cameras 
are my first M4 (1967) and M6 (1985). The cameras have been CLA'd once each; 
the lenses have not needed anything, though Ernst Hartmann at Leica New 
Jersey said the 50 Summicron was a bit dry and could use a bit of lube on 
the helicoids.

Best,

Seth

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jayanand Govindaraj" <jayanand@gmail.com>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 3:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 and the WAR


> Geoff,
> Exactly what I mean - retention of value is only of interest to a 
> collector
> - users prefer bang for the buck!! Dont tell me that a 50mm Summicron is 
> so
> far ahead of a 50mm f1.8 Nikkor (or Canon) that the price differentials 
> are
> justified. I can buy the 50mm Nikkor and give it away if I so feel after a
> few years - I lose only 100 bucks. The loss on the Summicron would be much
> greater, however well it retained its value. This "retention of value" is 
> a
> chimera - a lot depends on the purchase price, and percentages have no
> meaning, only absolute numbers.
>
> After shooting digital with the crop factor (D70, D40X, D300), I have
> realised that even halfway decent full frame lenses produce great results,
> because you only use the center portion of the image. It should be 
> different
> for full frame digital, though of which I have no experience!
> Cheers
> Jayanand
>
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 12:04 PM, Geoff Hopkinson 
> <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Jayanand, I thought we might hear from you when I mentioned Nikon vs.
>> Leica ;-) The key word in my comments was RETENTION of value, being new
>> price vs. current price. Once you've paid for those M lenses they can 
>> work
>> for you and remain valuable for a very long time. Yes, you can buy a lot 
>> of
>> used Nikon manual gear cheaply now for a rugged film outfit.
>> Actually it is an interesting thread with a number of different issues
>> being
>> talked about, especially the performance of all digital cameras mentioned
>> compared to the more rugged designs of pro film cameras.
>> This week a story was related to me regarding a war photographer who is
>> living here now. I got to see a proof run of prints of photographs by him
>> during the Vietnam conflict. Evidently he survived an exploding grenade
>> when
>> shrapnel struck his Leica camera while he was holding it to his face.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Geoff
>> http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e
>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] M8 and the WAR
>>
>> Geoff,
>> Also guess which is the better value now - the F3 is built like a rock, 
>> and
>> is a very flexible system, thanks to various accessories that are 
>> available
>> (viewfinders, focus screens,etc,etc)...some of those AIS lenses are no
>> slouches either. Depends on whether you are a collector or user.
>> Cheers
>> Jayanand
>>
>> On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 4:59 AM, Geoff Hopkinson 
>> <hoppyman@bigpond.net.au>
>> wrote:
>> ......On mechanical solid film kit second hand prices, all six of my
>> remaining manual focus well built Nikon primes are currently for sale, 
>> for
>> a
>> total of about one half... the value of a single modern used Leica M 
>> lens,
>> .... Guess which kit has better value retention ;-)
>> > Cheers Geoff
>> > -----Original Message-----
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 



Replies: Reply from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
In reply to: Message from msadat at gmail.com (mehrdad) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
Message from crbirchenhall at googlemail.com (Christopher Birchenhall) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
Message from hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
Message from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
Message from hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (Geoff Hopkinson) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)
Message from jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj) ([Leica] M8 and the WAR)