Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/11/30
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Long lenses are the reason I shoot professionally with Nikons. If I didn't have that need, I wouldn't own DSLRs. I'd be all M9. Leo Wesson www.leowesson.com On Nov 30, 2012, at 6:29, Tina Manley <images at comporium.net> wrote: > One of my M8's has been back to Leica after I dropped in on a marble floor > in India. Both of them were under water in Honduras. My M9 has never been > back except to have the Noctilux matched to it. I guess I'm just lucky! > > Tina > > On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 12:48 AM, Phil Forrest > <photo.forrest at earthlink.net>wrote: > >> Nope, won't happen. >> The Leica M9 failure rate was far too high for news professionals to >> consider using them for work. It's a fun hobby camera but for the hard >> working journalist, the Leica doesn't cut it. Both my M8 and M9 spent >> about 40% of the time I owned them out at Leica for repairs. I >> personally know owners of a total of nine other M9s in the Philadelphia >> area and every single one of them had to go back to Leica a few times. >> One of my friends went through three shutters in his M8 then two >> shutters and a sensor in his M9. And he's a working pro in Philly who >> luckily has Canon gear for backup but while his Leica was out at the >> factory, the backup became the regular camera. >> >> All of the digital Leicas I have seen have had to have sensors remapped >> or replaced due to the hot pixel / vertical line issues. So, about 20 >> digital Leica M bodies in the Philly area that are owned by >> acquaintances of mine and 100% of them had to be repaired. Not reliable >> enough for a premium product. For a camera that costs that much, it >> should not only be reliable, it should be PERFECT. >> >> You said the M9 was going to be the game changer a few years ago, Mark. >> It didn't happen. It drove myself and two of my friends AWAY from Leica >> as a matter of fact due to their incredible expense, slow service, and >> then their declining support for the still excellent M8. >> >> So again, we won't see Leicas taking their place in the journalism >> world. Everyone knew the rangefinder was on its way out by 1960, so >> why would that change today? >> >> Phil Forrest >> >> >> On Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:58:56 -0500 >> Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> wrote: >> >>> I do think though the M9 worked and the M is going to work a whole lot >>> better and there are a huge amount of used Leica glass out there in a >>> gamut of price points. Pros are familiar with what Leica rangefinders >>> have done in the not too distant past and will be interested like >>> they always have in what that might add to their work. I think the M >>> is going to be a huge success for Leica and we'll be seeing articles >>> about pros using them for jobs. We didn't wee that with the M9. We >>> will see it with the M. Imagine shooting an f1 lens @ iso 6400! And >>> video clips. I think the new M will get Pro support in the market; >>> and Leica will be back in the hot spot at least where they were in >>> the 90's. When sure a small amount of shooter used Leica but in each >>> group there usually was at least one. >>> >>> Mark William Rabiner >>> Photography >>> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/ >>> >>> >>>> From: Chris Crawford <chris at chriscrawfordphoto.com> >>>> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> >>>> Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2012 20:52:31 -0500 >>>> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org> >>>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Cameras Real Pros Use >>>> >>>> Nikon and Canon digital SLRs are used by 99% of the world's >>>> professionals. Why? Because they're extremely reliable, have >>>> extensive lens and accessory systems, and those companies are the >>>> cutting edge technological leaders....and despite all that, they >>>> cost less than Leicas. >>>> >>>> Professional photographers of all types are hurting economically >>>> today, and that is especially true of journalists. They're poorly >>>> paid, and newspapers have been shedding staff photographers to save >>>> money. Leica has simply priced itself out of the professional >>>> market. It really is that simple. On top of that, Leica's digital >>>> cameras have had a lot of well-publicised technical and reliability >>>> problems. Pros need cameras that "Just Work", every time. Canon and >>>> Nikon cameras "Just Work". The lenses are affordable. The image >>>> quality is magnificent. Using Nikon or Canon is a no-brainer. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Chris Crawford >>>> Fine Art Photography >>>> Fort Wayne, Indiana >>>> 260-437-8990 >>>> >>>> http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com My portfolio >>>> >>>> http://blog.chriscrawfordphoto.com My latest work! >>>> >>>> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christopher-Crawford/48229272798 >>>> Become a fan on Facebook >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On 11/29/12 8:41 PM, "David Ching" <davidhhching1 at yahoo.com.sg> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Come on, don't tease, tell us all. Which one/s? Why, if you know >>>>> the reasons. >>>>> >>>>> And why not Leicas? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> David Ching >> >> >> -- >> http://philipforrestphoto.wordpress.com/ >> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/philforrest >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > -- > Tina Manley, ASMP > www.tinamanley.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information