Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/26

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Subject: [Leica] Buying Leica.....
From: jayanand at gmail.com (Jayanand Govindaraj)
Date: Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:38:23 +0530
References: <80F9701439F20347874CE5E4E03C22E9C56B8AF8@WhizzMAIL01.whizz.org> <7FD5C5EF-9AF6-4F57-B4F3-9B29E723F1AA@mac.com> <ECBCDC0FB09C4B3A8759BFEC2A31B8E8@jimnichols> <CA+yJO1BcmEvobQFOd5bQ3ZJqmN5Q_+5Cfz7VAmiMbQpdfRg=oQ@mail.gmail.com> <80F9701439F20347874CE5E4E03C22E9C56B9F55@WhizzMAIL01.whizz.org> <CA+yJO1BhrydrrXOR9VxH7KS8F8bTuCGB6hiNmLy4bKmG2Gr1cA@mail.gmail.com> <80F9701439F20347874CE5E4E03C22E9C56BAE74@WhizzMAIL01.whizz.org> <CA+yJO1B6qCbuN_jtn28Vq6TBoac5=Gdqb5CAuTAcq8aTZwAXFw@mail.gmail.com>

Tina,
Easy enough to calculate - in 1973 - US$ 3812.06

http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

Cheers
Jayanand


On Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 6:02 AM, Tina Manley <images at comporium.net> wrote:

> But that's 20,000 in 2013 dollars.  How much was that in 1973 dollars?
>
> Tina
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:48 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz>
> wrote:
>
> > And be able to invest +20K USD into it? That is the the entry level for a
> > basic two camera kit these days....  It can/will go much higher with
> > certain lenses ;-)
> >
> > john
> > ________________________________________
> >
> >
> > I think if I were buying today I would look at photos made by
> photographers
> > using Leicas and photographers using disposable Fujis and come to the
> same
> > conclusion I did 40 years ago.
> >
> > Tina
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:23 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Agreed, but that is with hindsight.
> > >
> > > If you were buying now, with no experience of Leica, could you justify
> > the
> > > cost over half a dozen 'disposable' Fujis? We are talking a couple of
> > > cameras and a few lenses so somewhere over 20K USD initial
> investment....
> > >
> > > john
> > > ________________________________________
> > >
> > >
> > > I also bought a Leica 40 years ago because I knew it would stand up
> under
> > > all kinds of conditions that other cameras would not.  I still feel
> that
> > is
> > > true with my digital Leicas.  I don't know what the reason is, but I've
> > > never had a problem with my digital cameras that wasn't fixed
> immediately
> > > by Leica.  I dunked two M8s in a river, dried them by a fire, and they
> > kept
> > > working.  Maybe I'm just lucky when it comes to cameras but I still
> > believe
> > > in Leica.  I don't think I could have dunked my Canon 1DMII or 5D in a
> > > river and still had them work.  I love the simplicity of the Leica
> menus,
> > > buttons and knobs that I can use in the dark by feel.  I love
> rangefinder
> > > focusing.  I love my old Leica lenses.  I would put up with a lot of
> > quirks
> > > to be able to use my old lenses full frame but I don't have to.  I'm a
> > > happy camper.
> > >
> > > Tina
> > >
> > >
> > > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:06 PM, Jim Nichols <jhnichols at 
> > > lighttube.net
> > > >wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi George,
> > > >
> > > > You see things much the way that I do.  I bought my first Leica body
> > and
> > > > lens in 1952, probably much earlier than most on this list.  Though
> the
> > > > IIIa was made in 1935, it had been serviced and had a new shutter
> when
> > I
> > > > got it. Though it definitely needs a CLA, it will make images,
> > reliably,
> > > to
> > > > this day.  That is what started my appreciation of Leica products.
> > > >
> > > > Their digital products seem to be built for a limited lifetime.  The
> > two
> > > > lines are entirely different, as I see them.  I have a difficult time
> > > > "buying into" their current approach to digital camera bodies.
> > > >
> > > > Jim Nichols
> > > > Tullahoma, TN USA
> > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Lottermoser" <
> > > imagist3 at mac.com>
> > > > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
> > > > Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 5:55 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: [Leica] Buying Leica.....
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> On Jun 26, 2013, at 5:25 PM, John McMaster wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>  With hindsight I would still go Leica, nothing to touch the lenses
> > for
> > > >>> different looks and I prefer the simpler operation, but if I had
> not
> > > used
> > > >>> them what would make me spend 'rather a lot' more on Leica than
> Fuji?
> > > Does
> > > >>> 'full frame' or the build quality make enough of a difference for
> the
> > > price
> > > >>> jump to most people?
> > > >>>
> > > >>
> > > >> The piece of this "to Leica or not to Leica" quandary that throws me
> > > >> is the relatively recent "lack of reliability and maintenance."
> > > >> For over 30 years I KNEW that my Leicas would stand up to daily use;
> > > >> be able to be CLA'd and maintained for the duration of my life.
> > > >>
> > > >> When the digital R path ended abruptly - doubt set in.
> > > >>
> > > >> Recent stories of lack of parts or repair paths for 5 year old
> cameras
> > > >> seems totally unacceptable for "any" camera company;
> > > >> let alone a high end, premium camera company.
> > > >>
> > > >> I expected that, what ever its flaws may be, that I could keep my M8
> > > >> making photographs for as long as I chose to hang on to it;
> > > >> just like every other Leica camera that came before it.
> > > >>
> > > >> The idea that $7K camera bodies are simply disposable hardware
> > > >> with a useable life of a two year warranty - feels totally
> > unacceptable
> > > >> to me.
> > > >> If not unacceptable - certainly unaffordable - to me.
> > > >>
> > > >> I'm coming from that place where the 50 year old Linhof Tech IV
> > > >> I just sold works every bit as well the day I handed it to Forrest
> > > >> as the day it left the factory.
> > > >>
> > > >> This whole new device, whether computer, camera body, phone
> > > >> whatever - simply feels quite "wrong."
> > > >>
> > > >> I welcome technological advances and their concomitant costs;
> > > >> while also expecting that if I choose to remain a couple generations
> > > back;
> > > >> that high priced hardware continue to perform somewhere close to
> > specs;
> > > >> and be designed for adjustment back to original specs.
> > > >>
> > > >> Regards,
> > > >> George Lottermoser
> > > >> george at imagist.com
> > > >> http://www.imagist.com
> > > >> http://www.imagist.com/blog
> > > >> http://www.linkedin.com/in/**imagist <
> > > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Tina Manley
> http://tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


In reply to: Message from john at mcmaster.co.nz (John McMaster) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from john at mcmaster.co.nz (John McMaster) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from john at mcmaster.co.nz (John McMaster) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)
Message from images at comporium.net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Buying Leica.....)