$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Bill Pierce]

Today Leitz put the fixed lens Q2 Mono on the market for a scant $6000. I say scant because the rangefinder M10 Mono is currently coming in for about $8300. Is Leitz annoyed that those prices are dwarfed by the Phase One XF IQ4 at a little under $50,000? Perhaps a less petulant question would be if you could have any camera, regardless of price, what would it be?

It’s strange, but I can’t answer that question because for what I do, I don’t think there is a best camera. The camera that handles quickly on the street without attracting attention is not the best studio camera. Nor is that bigger camera delivering the technically excellent file along with much slower handling the best street camera. So, for me, the big ticket item is multiple cameras. I have friends who are much more specific in the subjects that interest them. When they have multiple cameras it is an insurance policy against breakdown, and the cameras are closely matched or identical.

Of course, that doesn’t deal with the problem of equipment lust. I’d love to own a $50,000 camera. I don’t think I’d take pictures with it. I’d just take it to social gatherings (maybe even join a camera club) and sneer at the other photographers. How about you?

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I want one of the ultra large format Polaroids, and a lot of film to make it work.

And I would like to play with Sal Dimarco's Leicas, not own them, just shoot a couple rolls through each.

I'd like to find my old M2 with Rapidwinder 003.

Here's a laundry list of cameras I'd like beyond what I already have:
Nikon F4s, Nikon SP, Nikon F2 Titan, Nikon F3P, Pentax LX, Pentax SV, Fuji 6x17, Wista SP, Rittreck 5x7. Some kind of 8x10. I want my Bolex RX4 overhauled.

Really, I want enough film to shoot through the cameras I already own. And I want enough time to shoot. A $50,000 camera isn't worth anything sitting on the shelf, if there isn't time enough to use it.

Phil Forrest

 

[PKR]

Bill, from personal experience, as a working guy.. Most rent Phase One gear rather than buy it. We have a P25 back on a Sinar in the studio but, if higher resolution is needed/demanded (crazy) by an AD, rentals are handy.

https://www.bearimages.com/Bear_Images_Photographic,_Inc./Bear_Images_Welcome.html

Think about, the lenses needed to resolve those high density sensors...

The current continuing camera race, is beyond me.

 

[raydm6]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I am fortunate that I have not had new camera or technology gas although an Alpa might be nice to play with and having the funds to configure various systems.

I am more an analog/mechanical guy anyway and buying old vintage cameras scratches my itch.

 

[CameraQuest]

Today Leitz put the fixed lens Q2 Mono on the market for a scant $6000. I say scant because the rangefinder M10 Mono is currently coming in for about $8300. Is Leitz annoyed that those prices are dwarfed by the Phase One XF IQ4 at a little under $50,000? Perhaps a less petulant question would be if you could have any camera, regardless of price, what would it be?

Bill,

you really missed the boat on this one.

didn't you see the glorious informative super accurate Leica advertising?

with the mono Q2 Leica photogs FINALLY get THEIR OWN soul!

Click HERE

What is not clear whether the new Leica Soul of Photography
is a one time purchase,
has updates,
if its a lease that expires when the next new Leica arrives,
or whether or not we have to renounce other religions.

Time, and the RED DOT will tell.

Stephen

 

[kshapero]

Right now the much aligned Nikon Df with my scads of Nikon manual and AF lenses, fills the bill.

 

[kshapero]

Bill,

you really missed the boat on this one.

didn't you see the glorious informative super accurate Leica advertising?

with the mono Q2 Leica photogs FINALLY get THEIR OWN soul!

Click HERE

What is not clear whether the new Leica Soul of Photography is a one time purchase, has updates, if its a lease that expires when the next new Leica arrives, or if we have to renounce our other religions.

Time, and the RED DOT will tell.

Stephen

Lovely rant!

 

[Godfrey]

If I could have any camera, I'd have the ones (plural) I have. If I could only have one, it would be one of the ones I have ... but I'm not about to try to say which one off the cuff. That takes some thought.

Some of my cameras are expensive and others are not. Some of them are worth much more than others, because value is a different thing from price. I use some of them more than others. Some of them are more versatile than others. Some of them are a pain in the butt but make photos that I can't get any other way.

The prices are irrelevant: I have the cameras I do because they piqued my curiosity, I could afford to get them, and I like using them—even the ones that are a pain in the butt. I don't care one wit what other people think of them.

There are, of course, many other cameras I find interesting and would enjoy using given the opportunity. But I can't afford to buy everything and couldn't use everything even if I had it for lack of time. So I don't think about what I can't get or worry whether I'm missing out on something. That's a waste of time.

All that said, the new Leica Q2 Monochrom looks like a terrific camera. I was not particularly enthused by the Q, but the Q2's higher resolution makes it more versatile and useful. The Q2 Monochrom, with the same high resolution and with monochrome capture only, nets an interesting niche camera that I could see doing a lot of good photography with.

And again, what it costs is irrelevant to whether it is interesting and/or desirable.

G

 

[JeffS7444]

After driving friends to distraction with my endless pondering, I bought a newer Sony A7-series camera. Experience from my Olympus Pen-F told me that pixel-shift was a feature which amused me, and I did find myself using it for more static shots. This narrowed my Sony choices down to the A7R III and IV. Further research showed that only the IV could generate higher-res files in that manner, so IV it was. It's totally bonkers for my my typical sort of casual, carry-about use, but I'm enjoying it. 61 megapixels just to document what I ate for breakfast, but darned if it doesn't put a smile on my face:

Even if money were no object, I think a Phase One might be a bit much for me to tote about when running everyday errands, and I've never been especially attracted to Leica's monochrome cameras. But iPhone 12 Pro has a number of intriguing new features including Deep Fusion w/raw output (was previously JPEG-only), and video w/Dolby Vision HDR, all in a package which ought to be easy to handle on a gimbal. Granted, as a phone it's kind of big.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I like to have few Leica cameras. The main and if not only one reason, they are the only cameras which have sex appeal to me. I want to own them, hold in my hands. Walking with Leica on my neck, even if dressed hoboish, puts visible to everyone oreol slightly above my head. People are cheering and approaching me. I have my glory and no need to have battery or film in Leica cameras.
For family and else quality pictures I have RP now.
DSLRs and SLRs are taken or under periodic use by two of our daughters.
For street, bicycle runs and crazy dog walks I have E-PL1 with pancake lens.
I feel some urge to replace it. GR III is super cute and tiny, but it's colors are yellowish meh. GR II has better rendering, but it is discontinued. Me want only camera new.

 

[markjwyatt]

Sneering is not a skill I have established. I think it would be fun tor show up as a new guy at a typical camera club meeting with all the latest digital contraptions about while carrying maybe my Contax iia or even my 1938ish Ihagee Ultrix 3860 6x9 folder and let them sneer at me.

 

[peterm1]

"Of course, that doesn’t deal with the problem of equipment lust. I’d love to own a $50,000 camera. I don’t think I’d take pictures with it. I’d just take it to social gatherings (maybe even join a camera club) and sneer at the other photographers. How about you?"

I wouldn't just sneer at them I would spit on them. 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

Today Leitz put the fixed lens Q2 Mono on the market for a scant $6000. I say scant because the rangefinder M10 Mono is currently coming in for about $8300. Is Leitz annoyed that those prices are dwarfed by the Phase One XF IQ4 at a little under $50,000? Perhaps a less petulant question would be if you could have any camera, regardless of price, what would it be?

It’s strange, but I can’t answer that question because for what I do, I don’t think there is a best camera. The camera that handles quickly on the street without attracting attention is not the best studio camera. Nor is that bigger camera delivering the technically excellent file along with much slower handling the best street camera. So, for me, the big ticket item is multiple cameras. I have friends who are much more specific in the subjects that interest them. When they have multiple cameras it is an insurance policy against breakdown, and the cameras are closely matched or identical.

Of course, that doesn’t deal with the problem of equipment lust. I’d love to own a $50,000 camera. I don’t think I’d take pictures with it. I’d just take it to social gatherings (maybe even join a camera club) and sneer at the other photographers. How about you?

Actually, I would love to own and use that Phase One. It would probably be my pick since I would never spend that on a camera. Second to that, I'm lusting over the Fujifilm GFX-50R and a lens or two. It is completely do-able for me in the USA, but here in Chile the prices are 50% higher and there are never any sales. I can't bring myself to buy here. So, I have to wait for Covid-19 to be in check and travel back to the US before I can pick this camera up.

 

[zuiko85]

I want a pristine Olympus Pen W viewfinder camera. You know, the one with the 5 blade Copal that runs from 1/8-1/250 + B and with the five element 25mm f2.8 E. Zuiko.
That and a up and running ‘walk into and start work’ darkroom.
Oh....as long as I’m dreaming 2 Pen F bodies, (I prefer the plain matte focusing screen.) And, every lens Olympus ever made for the Pen F, FT, FV series.

 

[Doug]

I'm really envious of Ko.Fe. gaining sex-appeal by carrying a Leica, and having people cheering and approaching him. I'm going to guess he's a sexy guy basically, cause I almost never get any kind of attention!

I do recall one incident though in Marine World USA in San Diego a guy came up to me and asked what camera I had. It was a Leica S2 that cost ~28,000 with lens new and had the brand labeling covered with black gaffers tape. I turned it so he could see better and said it was dSLR. He said "cool" and went on his way. Pretty ladies do not flock around me, what am I doing wrong? 😉

 

[Ricoh]

Imagine if Hasselblad or another camera co released a digital XPAN.

Personally, I’d be happy with a re-release of the film version.

 

[former member]

I'm happy to have the M9 and M Monochrom with new sensors in them, I'm content. These are the last of a breed- CCD based digital cameras.
I also still use the M8 a good bit. When these stop working, and can no longer be repaired- I'll look at what is currently available. The M10 and M10m are beautiful cameras, but I'm happy with what I have.

 

[Out to Lunch]

Leica continues to further drift into the luxury purse market. For those with Canon L glass, the Canon R5 and R6 offer some relief: for $2,500 or $3,900, and an adaptor you can keep on shooting for years to come. Cheers, OtL

 

[Bill Clark]

My Canon 20D works just fine.

I bought it in 2004 shortly after I first met Monte Zucker.

It still has the original sensor.

Never been in for repair.

It’s mounted on my tripod, ready when I need it.

 

[Dogman]

As much as I like shiny new stuff, I can't think of any camera I'm lusting for right now. God knows I've more than enough to do anything I ever would want to do. The opportunity to use them as I would like to is what I really lust for.

Speaking of cost, I have to recall a personal story. When I was a kid in high school in the early 1960s, I fell in love with the Jaguar XKE automobile. I had pictures of it cut from magazines and I read whatever I could find about it. But it was a distant dream because that car cost over $5000 at the time and that was an astronomical figure to me. Now, fast forward to 1977 when I'm working at a newspaper and getting a regular paycheck. That year I bought a Chevrolet budget model for just over $5000. Cost is relative.