[Leica] year end mad dash to spend $$$ or pay taxes on it

[kcassidy at asc.upenn.edu (Kyle Cassidy)]

Bob Adler sed:

>I think what Reuters is referring to is the section 179 deduction in lieu 
>of 
>depreciation. You can deduct the full value of the asset(s) up to $250,000 
>in the year of purchase: you don't have to depreciate the asset over its 
>useful life (there are exceptions of course; consult your tax preparer).
>In 2010 the section 179 deduction is scheduled to be dropped to $25,000.
>So buy multiple M9s, MF backs, D3s, lenses, printers, pack mules (I 
>deducted 
>my SUV in the year of purchase!), etc.

that is correct -- 

There are a few thing that my photo business could really use -- computer & 
storage upgrades being one, but another is the hole that's left in my 
working environment by the two Leicas sitting on my bookshelf (the 
Hindenburg Leica never really added to my workflow to begin with, so I don't 
count it now). There's definitely a time and place where a camera of that 
size is preferable to the big honking DSLR. For a while I thought I could 
use my Leica and scan the film but found that by the time I'd gotten the 
film to the lab whomever had already chosen  a digital photo from someone 
else to run wherever. (I really got my ... um ... camera ... handed to me in 
2008 when photographing Chelsea Clinton on the campaign trail and by the 
time I got back to my computer to pull the images off of the card (a scant 
... 15 or 20 minutes later) the Daily News already had their image UP -- a 
photo that their guy had shot WITH HIS FREAKING CELL PHONE (it was not a bad 
photo either).) I figure now if I have the luxury to wait for film to be 
developed, I'll shoot it with my hasselblad which, despite being as 
difficult as six teenagers, produces really beautiful results.