coming across other Leica users

OurManInTangier

OurManInTangier

An Undesirable
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I've been covering a demonstration today for work and noticed an old chap with a Leica M3 hovering around. Its the first time I've ever bumped into anyone using a rangefinder let alone another Leica user....at first I wondered if it may be HCB as he fair danced around the place and looked remarkably similar, then of course I realised this was either ridiculous or quite scary seeing as he's no longer with us!

It was particularly nice as we had a chat and talked about photography, the demonstration and other bits and bobs but other than acknowledging the prescence of each others cameras we didn't talk gear at all...

...makes a change as I'm usually accosted by people desperate to know what megapixel my pro gear is and exactly what lens I'm using but couldn't give a stuff about what I may be photographing with it.

Am I alone in bumping into like minded types whilst out or is it a more regular occurance for some of you guys?
 
Over the years, most of the time, it's a nod and a wink. At kids games there are some fathers who would love a leica have taked with me. At one football game I was shocked on approached me as I was using my S2/135 combo. He said it was a great camera and he had always dreamed of a leica for himself.

B2 (;->
 
In Pingyao china there is a huge massive photography festival and people from all over the world come to see it. I ran into Renni Burri there and about 20 M leica photographers a day, minimum, one day I even saw a guy shooting with a DMR!!!
 
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Apart from the two I own and those in shop windows I've only ever seen one Leica. But its owner did come and say hello, and we had a nice chat. But it was a bit gear orientated, mainly because mine was an MP and his an M8.

Hywel
 
I did meet a nice young woman using a black M6 when I was using my chrome M6.

My line "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" didn't go down too well.
 
I've seen a fair few RF users skulking about over the last few years, only one Leica user though.


I never talk to them, obviously. Bunch of camera geeks, who'd want to spend time discussing stuff with people like that?

🙂

Ian
 
As I posted in this similar thread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37142

I do regularly run into folks who recognize Leicas in DC, but the greatest concentration of Leicas I've ever seen remains the staging area for the Coney Island Mermaid Parade last year. Perhaps not as concentrated as what Avotius saw in Pingyao & most people had dSLRs, but for Leica-spotting it was a "perfect storm" of camera-geek/amateurs (like me), Leica-friendly art photographers & other artistic/hipster types, & some old-school photojournalists. There were quite a few medium format users, there, too (Fuji & Mamiya RFs, Rolleiflexes, Bronicas, & Hasselblads, etc.)
 
I miss my Leica...

I miss my Leica...

As I was shooting on St. Paddy's Day in NYC (still waiting to get the film back from lab.) I was jumping over a puddle. A guy (w/o camera) was recognizing my MP and said with a yearning tone " I miss my Leica" .... poor fellow 🙁 . Must have sold his Leica - don't make the same mistake folks 🙄 . I saw at least four M6 that day, didn't count the PS's and cellphones though.
 
The only ones I know with Leica's were my professor and two of his TA's. My professor sports an M4. One of the TA's had an M3 and the other an M2. Now, I'm the new TA. And I carry around an M7.

I've only come across one other Leica in the field. Some kid maybe a year or two younger than myself at the pillow fight in Union Square last month sporting an MP. Oddly enough about 10min before I saw that kid. Some guy with a Panasonic/Leica SLR came up to me and asked if my camera was an M8. I said no and he walked away.

Living in NYC I'd think I'd run into more but nope. Whenever I go to B&H though I see a LOT of DSLR's. I get commented on it every so often though. So folks know what a Leica is, but not many have actually used one. It just has a well known reputation that I'm very comfortable to keep up. 🙂
 
It happens to me in Chicago... not often but enough to know there are Leica shooters in the big Chi-town.

One rainy, windy and ugly evening, kind of early, I was out shooting in Millenium Park when I saw another guy doing the same. The unmistakable thumb on the film advance lever screamed "Leica camera" to me. I approached him and it turned out to be Ken Tanaka, member of this and of the Leica forum.

Also, last week I ran into a fellow at a restaurant. He had his black M8 on the table, just like I had my silver M6TTL on mine. When I saw his camera I simply couldn't help asking "Is that an M8?" and he replied "What's yours? I've been trying to figure out which one you have?"

My wife was marveled at the fact that two guys can instantly bond over gear...

I guess women can bond over smaller, simpler things. 🙄 Can't they?
 
i walked past a guy with a leica outside of samys a few years ago. i smiled and asked 'which leica m is that?" not sure if he heard, cuz he didn't answer. in retrospect, he was probably chris weeks.

that's the only time i ever saw someone with a rangefinder.
 
In Venice on my honeymoon I had a Leica CL with me in a restaurant. Another diner stopped us as we were leaving: "Is that a Leica?" he asked. I admited it was. He said he used to have five of them--until he admitted he isn't a "Leica photographer." I said I loved it.

Was he you?
 
I was walking around the Diego Rivera hall at the Detroit Institute of Arts last year when I spotted a guy with a rangefinder camera taking pics. I walked over and introduced myself and noticed he was shooting with a new Leica MP ala carte. I was shooting with my standard MP so we both compared cameras, film, etc. for a good twenty minutes. He was the only person I've ever seen with a Leica film camera, but I have noticed a few folks toting Digiluxes.

Jim Bielecki
 
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