For M8/8.2/9 owners

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Roger Hicks

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Last week, a couple of people at a local vide-grenier (like a village-wide car boot sale/swap meet) commented on my M9: both M-owners themselves. Neither (as far as I could tell from brief conversations) realized that it was a digital camera until I mentioned it. Indeed, of the few people who do comment on the camera (maybe two or three dozen since I got the M8 in 2006), quite a few don't even realize that Leica makes a digital M. Some even say, "Nice to see a proper old film camera being used."

How many people have had similar experiences? This was prompted by some particularly sour comments in another thread about M9 owners 'showing off'. If even other Leica owners don't spot that it's an M9, to whom are they showing off?

Cheers,

R.
 
I get "Is that the digital one?" every now and then. But mostly if people say anything it's just, "Leica!"

I have tape over the logo to cut down on people asking me about the thing. I don't like talking about camera gear in person...and an M9 is kind of a rare sight I guess.
 
This happens to me mostly at airports these days, with security personnel. Either I'm asked to turn on my M4, or whether there's film in my M8 (while I still had an M8).

- N.
 
mabelsound said:
I get "Is that the digital one?" every now and then. But mostly if people say anything it's just, "Leica!"

I have tape over the logo to cut down on people asking me about the thing. I don't like talking about camera gear in person...and an M9 is kind of a rare sight I guess.
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How big a problem is this? As I say, for me it's been two or three dozen people in nearly half a decade, and most of them have just said "Nice camera!" or some such. Why do you not want to talk to people? And is taping over the logo going to dissuade anyone who recognizes the camera?

Occasionally, too, people stop me and ask if I am Roger Hicks. It's happened in places as far apart as Malta and Paris, never mind in the UK. Should I wear a balaclava so they don't recognize me? (I wouldn't get far with a false beard.)

Cheers,

R.
 
It goes both ways. Many asked me "is that the digital Leica?" when was carrying M2 or MP, and some said "wow that's an old camera!" when I had my M8.2.
 
I was in the Magic Kingdom at DisneyWorld in Orlando about a month ago and a Disney photographer was surprised to learn that my M8 was digital. And he had lots of photo experience. We talked about his years of film developing and a bit about his job at Disney.
 
Just last weekend I was taking snapshots in NYC, Grand Central Station and a young Australian man (with a Ricoh film SLR, by the way), asked about my M9. I handed it over so he could feel what the camera felt like in hand. Seemed like a nice enough fellow, but he said he was interested in sticking with film.

I have gotten a few other comments in NY over the years. None in Vermont, where I think there may only be 3 digital leica M's.
 
Roger Hicks said:
How big a problem is this? As I say, for me it's been two or three dozen people in nearly half a decade, and most of them have just said "Nice camera!" or some such. Why do you not want to talk to people? And is taping over the logo going to dissuade anyone who recognizes the camera?

Occasionally, too, people stop me and ask if I am Roger Hicks. It's happened in places as far apart as Malta and Paris, never mind in the UK. Should I wear a balaclava so they don't recognize me? (I wouldn't get far with a false beard.)

Cheers,

R.
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It happens four or five times a year? I dunno, I guess I hang around camera-nerd hot spots. And I don't want to explain to people how I've come to own a camera that is worth more than most people's cars. I am kind of hyperconscious of the Leica as a "luxury" object, a status symbol, and this is not why I use the things, and am not comfortable about this connotation. And I haven't been asked if it's an M9 since I taped the logo--people might see that it's a Leica, but they don't ask about the model or anything.

I love talking to people! Just not about camera gear. Not sure why--I certainly enjoy talking about it here.

It's rather cool that people recognize you!
 
Where I work I get people (usually young men) asking me to look at M6's and being puzzled when they realise it isnt digital, you would be surprised at how often this happens
 
Almost everyone comments on the "old Leica" and asks about what film I use. One person thought it was a black Yashica 35 GTN, a comment which I found quite flattering since that Yashica is one of my very favorite cameras ever.

Phil Forrest
 
The reactions I got for my film M (have it for 4-5 years) , were "what an odd looking camera", "Leica, hmm, never heard of it", oh and angry (?) looks from an elderly Italian gentleman.

All in all I think Leica M's are a pretty lousy choice for showing off, but maybe gold plating can take care of that?
 
I had to do the same thing mabelsound did - I taped mine up with gaffer's tape.
I was working a conference around the Javits in NYC and I noticed a lot of eyeballs on my camera as I walked around taking pictures. "Oh, that's an expensive camera," I heard a couple of times.
For simplicity's sake, the gaffer's tape has stayed on - I was in Portland a few weeks back and one younger man looked at me and said, "Wow, that cameras is ooooollldddd!!!!" :)

I have also had camera people mention that they've never heard of the brand Leica. They tend to be Nikon or Canon shooters. And that's ok. The brand and the focusing mechanism throws them off. But there was a time I didn't know either ;)
 
A neighbor once asked about my 'Leica'. Viewfinder camera means Leica to him, apparently -- it is in fact a Bessa R4m. He considers me rich now.
 
lemalk said:
For simplicity's sake, the gaffer's tape has stayed on - I was in Portland a few weeks back and one younger man looked at me and said, "Wow, that cameras is ooooollldddd!!!!" :)
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Ha ha, yeah, I think there's a sense that nobody in their right mind would put gaffer tape on a seven thousand dollar camera. So it must be old!
 
Not a camera but related story, while shooting food in a Portland restaurant 2 weeks ago, the waiter delivers another fantastic dish to photograph and says, "Is that a carbon fiber Gitzo"? I guess that impressed him more than a pedestrian 5DMK2?
 
I've occasionally gotten "what film do you use?" questions from people who recognize my M8 as a Leica. Usually followed by "I didn't know Leica made a digital camera."

Then there was the Hassidic Jewish artist with very long sidecurls in the northern Israeli town of Tzfat (Safed), who recognized my M8, asked me all about it, and wanted to take a few shots with it. He was curious why I kept tape over the Leica logo. I told him I did not want to be perceived as very rich, and thus be judged or be a target for thieves. He thought that was odd.

And just once, someone asked me if my Zorki-4 (a.k.a. "Soviet Tractor") was a Leica (see my icon).

--Peter
 
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It happens to me when i'm using the Fuji x100. Several people thought it is an old camera made in germany you know. Then I say Leica? and then they say yea. Hahah very funny.

Cheers,

Michiel
 
thomasw_ said:
I have had a few camera gear nuts talk to me about the M camera I happen to be using when the encounter occurs. Usually it doesn't bother me at all. However, once at a recent Mountain Goats concert I was held up by someone who just wouldn't stop talking. Some folks just don't read my 'bugger off jack*ss stare' :)
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Tangent: love the Mountain Goats. Saw them here in Ithaca on the last tour...encores of "This Year" and "Palmcorder Yajna"...I didn't bring a camera. I'm always tempted to bring the Leica to rock shows, but I fear I'd be spending the whole show futzing with my camera instead of jumping up and down like an idiot. I will probably fail to bring the M9 to Deerhoof in a few weeks.
 
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