It is interesting to read what a lot of you guys have said, but I think something is missing here in this thread...a lot of us have different "lifestyles" and how we commute to work and what we can and want to carry with us.....I know that for many years, all I owned was a Rollei 35 and that was my take everywhere camera.....then I bought a Hasselblad, and that thing went with me everyday when I was in university, and I also had the privleage to live in Italy for a year and I took my Hasselblad with me everyday that I left the house....from there, it went with me to India as my only camera.......
Ever since I bought a Leica (about 9 or 10 years ago), it has been my everyday camera....I sometimes take my Hasselblad out around Bangkok, but my Leica is the one that is always with me.....I don't know about you guys, but I like focusing a camera and even though point and shoots are more compact, I can't see myself carrying one...yes, I know, some point and shoots you can focus.....
I guess my point is, I think it depends on our "lifestyles", commute and how much stuff we want to carry around everyday......I know everybody is different and not everybody looks "professional" walking into their office with a camera strung around their shoulder....
I remember when I lived in San Francisco/Berkeley, a lot of people assumed I was a tourist because I always had a camera on me....these days it is different, because I live in Bangkok and no matter what I carry with me, I am never going to look like a local....
one more thing, with the exception of a Hasselblad, how big is the difference between a Leica and Rollei 35.......is the difference that much?....maybe yes, maybe no...like I said, everybody is different and everybody's situation is going to be dfferent according to their lifestyle.....
BTW, it is an interesting thread to read.......cheers, michael