Have I wasted over $10000 ?

[colinh]

I just added up all I've spent on Leica/ZM cameras and lenses.

If you haven't done this, then don't! It's depressing. 🙂


So, after nearly a year of not bothering to scan anything, I get all interested in a particular idea, something I personally have never tried before, shoot 60 pictures in 2 hrs, develop, scan, create my first gallery here, and mention it in a thread.

And then, [sniff], I get ONE comment that the images are blurred, out of focus and have weird angles.

All true of course, but some of them were interesting (I thought).

Someone recently posted (in a thread on film) that a shot I'd taken had prompted him to try a particular film. Ah, made me proud that did. Of course, it was taken on a Contax SLR and not a Leica RF.

It's alright though. Don't mind me - I'll go and stick my head in a bucket and go and rust quietly in the corner.

colin

 

[dseelig]

Keep shooting and listen to your heart and no one else. Look at alot of images. and then keep shooting David

 

[Tuolumne]

Where is your gallery? I'll take a look and let you know if you wasted your money.

/T

 

[Ash]

If you enjoy taking photo's, and you enjoy using the cameras, who cares?!

It's your money and your kit. If you like your photo's then you've not lost or wasted a thing. If you don't like your photo's then take more until you do like them.

 

[ferider]

Say, you buy a nice car and really enjoy driving it every day. Do you care if anybody
tells you how well you are driving ?

Roland.

 

[Ash]

Say, you buy a nice car and really enjoy driving it every day. Do you care if anybody
tells you how well you are driving ?

Roland.

So long as they don't have sirens and a uniform 😀

 

[peterc]

Did you have fun taking the shots?
Do you enjoy using the gear?
Was the processing (making pics from the negs) enjoyable?
You were obviously pleased enough with the results to post.

I'm guessing you'll answer yes to at least two of the three questions, so it seems you've made a good investment and are getting some personal satisfaction from your hobby.

Peter

 

[Bill Blackwell]

For insurance purposes I inventory all of my Leica M gear and periodically update it based on new purchases. This is my hobby and the only thing I really spend any money on so it doesn't really hold any shock value for me. Besides, in the long-run, given the substantial resale value attached to it, Leica (and Zeiss) gear is very cheap.

BTW, my inventory (based on "pre-owned" retail value - not necessarily what I paid for it) is SUBSTANTIALLY more than $10,000.

 

[oftheherd]

Colinh, I long ago resigned myself to the fact that every one isn't going to like everything I do. In fact they aren't going to get excited about a lot of it. If I like it, I am just diappointed in them. 😀 😀

Really, as others have pointed out, if you like what your are doing, let that be enough. It should make you happy. Let the unwashed masses wallow in their ignorance. 😀 😀 😀

EDIT: Actually what bums me is when they gloss over what I consider good and ooh and ah over what I consider not very good. I used to show a small "portfolio" where I intentionly put a couple of things like a very blurry photo of bees on dandelions. It was always a big hit. And that over a couple of contest winners. Go figure.

 

[Dektol Dan]

If you want to swap shots for critques I'm up for it. Don't expect many commentaries from this site. There are just too many contributers.
I visted your Leica page, but frankly that won't be an easy one for those who haven't registered.

As for your performance/satisfaction per out lay, you're only as good as your last shot no matter what that shot cost you.

 

[FrankS]

If you take too seriously what others say about your photography, you may either develop low self esteem or become conceited with pride. It's best to just follow/listen to your heart.

 

[ferider]

The only thing I wonder somtimes is if it would have been more fun to spend whatever
I spent (say around US 10k) on a single body and two lenses 🙄

 

[rover]

It is all in the eye of the beholder. I know that I have taken many shots which I have really liked, but others don't see the genius I have. There is not worst, or more vocal critic of my work by the way than my wife. But hey, I have things I like and am proud of regardless of what others think.

I always accept the constructive criticizm offered to me, but always way that against the strengths that I preceve. We can always improve, and we should be happy to do that within the bounds of the first step which for me what I like.

I just added up all I've spent on Leica/ZM cameras and lenses.

If you haven't done this, then don't! It's depressing. 🙂


So, after nearly a year of not bothering to scan anything, I get all interested in a particular idea, something I personally have never tried before, shoot 60 pictures in 2 hrs, develop, scan, create my first gallery here, and mention it in a thread.

And then, [sniff], I get ONE comment that the images are blurred, out of focus and have weird angles.

All true of course, but some of them were interesting (I thought).

Someone recently posted (in a thread on film) that a shot I'd taken had prompted him to try a particular film. Ah, made me proud that did. Of course, it was taken on a Contax SLR and not a Leica RF.

It's alright though. Don't mind me - I'll go and stick my head in a bucket and go and rust quietly in the corner.

colin

 

[jairy hunter]

Colin, I think you're taking it too hard, based on that one comment. That person even re-posted to clarify his comment, and said he liked your work. Others in that same thread did too.

It's nice to be praised but this is a site with some very accomplished high-end users and it takes a lot sometimes for people to say they're impressed. Doesn't mean the shots aren't fine.

I just obtained an MP because I thought it might be worth the money--whether it is or not is for me to decide ultimately (preliminary indication is that is I stole it from the guy)--no one else. If it's worth it to me, it's worth it. Stuff is worth whatever we're willing to pay for it.

As far as your street shots--I like the look of the shots. I'm not a street photog though so I'm not really qualified to comment further. I do, however, like the shots in your Leica Users gallery. Please tell about those.

Edited for verb tense.

 

[Keith]

It's all good ... sometimes a particular odd camera will get my attention ... even though it's been lingering un-noticed in the cupboard for ages. I have a 1933 Voigtlander Brilliant scale focus TLR that suddenly caught my eye the other day ... I bought it two years ago. I cleaned all the gunk out of the viewfinder etc and gave the whole camera a good going over and ran a roll of film through it yesterday ... I can't wait to get the roll of T-max back from the lab so I can scan it and impress nobody! 🙄

Enjoyment rating for the process ... 10 out of 10. 🙂

 

[charjohncarter]

Don't worry colinn, everybody splits infinitives! Today,(off grammar) I developed some TriX, then with my magnifier I noticed that four or five on the roll I forgot to focus. I took a nap, now I feel better (I'll probably not sleep tonight, though). I hope there are no split infinitives in this post.

 

[back alley]

it has to be about what you think and feel about your photos.

i'm pretty sure that if most people really liked most of my work that it would feel good and i certainly would accept any and all kudos but if i like a photo and others don't...i still like it.

 

[grainhound]

I suffered a similar shock when I added my Leica gear up for insurance. But immediately, I thought about the fun I've had making boring photos. At least I have no laurels to rest on; it's interesting to figure out how to make interesting photos. I've only posted shots in threads related to meet-ups. On flickr I finally deleted my digital p&s ski shots & posted a few from one of the rolls of Rollei Scanfilm 400 I won in Montreal. I did that only because I'd won the film due to RFF, & although boring, they may give others here a clue as to whether they want to spend money on that film (for its colour). I used my Mamiya 330 for that roll; 12 is a good number for a trial, & probably boring, roll. Surprisingly, one shot turned out well enough, for my taste, that I've had it enlarged. Enjoy the surprises.

 

[foto_fool]

The only thing I wonder somtimes is if it would have been more fun to spend whatever
I spent (say around US 10k) on a single body and two lenses 🙄

In a word - no.

- John

 

[jlw]

And then, [sniff], I get ONE comment that the images are blurred, out of focus and have weird angles.

If everybody commented that your images were "nice," that would just mean that they're conventional, obvious, and exactly what they expected.

That's great if you're working for Hallmark, but not if you're trying to express yourself.

I remember seeing that gallery and I thought you were on to a promising concept. You do need to spend more time (possibly a lot more time) refining this approach to get your yield rate up, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the approach. After all, if it were easy to succeed the first time, it would have been done to death already!