How much is enough? Which Leica?

dave lackey said:
Nah, it might clash with my seersucker suit here in The Deep South. :pActually, it just would not look right on the Road King. Black is the new color year round... even in the heat with the new high tech fabrics, preferably monogram free.
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Dave you're absolutely right - how foolish of me. They do also offer the Keepall in a simple - painfully simple - black Damier Infini Leather.
 
Back to the bucket list..,

For me, it truly is real. No, you won't find wealth, fame or power on my list. Just a simple list of being me. The M6 is just enough without getting in the way. It is a beautiful thing as well, something that I can appreciate. It is simple to operate and very useful in my photographic work, mostly documentaries.

It will not be the only camera I keep because the F6 does everything else the M6 cannot and it has a mate with a free D3100 I resurrected. The M6 has a companion with the digital X1. Both similar sized and simple to use.

So there we have it... for the foreseeable future, a small Leica kit in a black Billingham, and a small Nikon kit in a larger Billingham. That's it! Just enough!
 
In explanation of this thread, it has been an exercise in developing my thoughts in moving forward both personally and in my chosen art. In other words, I am making a conscious choice to live a simple life, not one of asceticism.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_living

It can include "luxuries".

One of those luxuries is beauty in those things around me. It slightly complicates life but it is well worth it IMO. For instance, I can do all I need to do with my F6. But it hardly is a thing of beauty... The Leica M6 is a thing of beauty and fulfills my need to enjoy beautiful things. Therefore, I have the luxury of two camera kits. Very little cost has gone into the assembly of these two kits and most of it was paid for by the sale of other personal items.

Like Raid, I don't need any more gear. I am happy to continue my photographic journey the rest of the way. I can only hope to pass a few legacy items down the family line one day. Photography is changing very fast these days. Everything is very fast it seems. So simplifying life is my way of being me and not allowing an excess of anything or any process, mindset or outside influence to interfere with the more important things in life.

Like the Promise of the Coming Day as I watch the sun rise each morning, a simple life allows one to relax and live in the moment.
 
dave lackey said:
IIRC, it was Roger Hicks who first enlightened me on the wisdom of purchasing useful, but beautiful things. I forget the reference... But the idea of making one's functional purchases both useful and aesthetically pleasing strikes an enduring chord with me.

"The simple life" also strikes me as a wonderful way of living while giving one a lot of choices based on one's own desires and needs. Leica has a history of being able to fulfill both the functional/aesthetic values and the simpleness of living in the world of photography with a manual camera. At least the film Leicas but I am not so sure about the latest digital offerings. Still, to me, Leica has a draw that is counter to the high-tech contemporary environment around us.

Each morning, I spend a couple of hours of quiet time before the chaos of each day begins. Relaxing, meditating, praying, cursing, writing, or observing the darkness and dawning of the new day, and sometimes simply going with the thought of the moment. Today, I wondered... is there someone out there actually happy with enough? Yes, me :)

What is enough? What would that person's life look like? A single scenario of many possibilities: Yes, many and diverse.


A person living from one day to the next with few assets or possessions and no permanent home of his own, possibly driving a modest means of transportation, retired or working a part-time job, has what would be considered a simple life. Not that this scenario is recommended for self-enlightenment, but as an example, this person may be a fellow photographer. One who enjoys the passion of photography and enjoys the use of a Leica... his only camera in a bag with a couple of lenses.

Pure reduction to the basics of life with just enough? This may be a life with few stresses from the complex society around him but one filled with a passion for capturing the beauty of the world he lives in and sharing with other people just to see them smile.

Which Leica would he most likely use? Leica 109.

Please note that I have reduced the gear of choice to Leica only for a reason. No need to bring in other brands for this discussion.

What do you think of a one-Leica life and the gear of choice while living on quite modest means? One Leica life is more than sufficient. Now as for a modest life, that is relative, and upbringing would have a lot to do with that....a modest life.

Would he/she shoot film or digital? M2, M3, or newer? M8, M9 or a later digital camera?:confused: Any would do. Form and function is different for all.
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..............Cheers :)
 
Oh dear, how about a simple old fashioned bicycle like a 60's Moulton instead of all this foreign stuff?

Regards, David

PS But no iPhone.
 
Ha! This has been an enjoyable exercise worthy of a discussion at Manuel's Tavern. Beers all around!

Time to close the doors and catch the last train leaving the station. Retiring this crazy thread will be a good thing and I thank you for all your comments.
 
dave lackey said:
IIRC, it was Roger Hicks who first enlightened me on the wisdom of purchasing useful, but beautiful things. I forget the reference... But the idea of making one's functional purchases both useful and aesthetically pleasing strikes an enduring chord with me.

"The simple life" also strikes me as a wonderful way of living while giving one a lot of choices based on one's own desires and needs. Leica has a history of being able to fulfill both the functional/aesthetic values and the simpleness of living in the world of photography with a manual camera. At least the film Leicas but I am not so sure about the latest digital offerings. Still, to me, Leica has a draw that is counter to the high-tech contemporary environment around us.

Each morning, I spend a couple of hours of quiet time before the chaos of each day begins. Relaxing, meditating, praying, cursing, writing, or observing the darkness and dawning of the new day, and sometimes simply going with the thought of the moment. Today, I wondered...(1.) is there someone out there actually happy with enough? (2.) What is enough? What would that person's life look like? A single scenario of many possibilities:

A person living from one day to the next with few assets or possessions and no permanent home of his own, possibly driving a modest means of transportation, retired or working a part-time job, has what would be considered a simple life. Not that this scenario is recommended for self-enlightenment, but as an example, this person may be a fellow photographer. (3.) One who enjoys the passion of photography and enjoys the use of a Leica... his only camera in a bag with a couple of lenses.

(4.) Pure reduction to the basics of life with just enough? This may be a life with few stresses from the complex society around him but one filled with a passion for capturing the beauty of the world he lives in and sharing with other people just to see them smile.

(5.) Which Leica would he most likely use? Please note that I have reduced the gear of choice to Leica only for a reason. No need to bring in other brands for this discussion.

(6.) What do you think of a one-Leica life and the gear of choice while living on quite modest means? Would he/she shoot film or digital? M2, M3, or newer? M8, M9 or a later digital camera? :confused:
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@Dave, my answers to your questions are as follows -

(1.) Yes.

I have met many Buddhist monks who have very little in the way of possessions or financial assets. They are the happiest people I have ever met. Others who are also content with what little they have are "bums" - Ski Bums, Trout Bums, Surf Bums, Climbing Bums and Photography Bums. I have read stories of Rock Climbing Bums who have lived for years on end in dilapidated vehicles and/or tents with no job. They climb rock daily, do menial temp work to pay for food and other necessities, have no health insurance or investment portfolios - and they are deliriously happy. Same with Ski Bums - they are ski lift operators, ski rescue guys/gals or ski techs who mount bindings on skis, sharpen/wax skis, etc. They live hand to mouth on little money but the payoff is a season lift ticket at the ski area where they work. Every day there is snow on the ground, they are on the mountains, screaming down the runs at 60 MPH or hammering their way through the mogul fields. Same with Trout Bums - they are fishing guides who make not much money, but they are casting flies and catching trout every single day while their clients get to do that two weeks a year. It's all about following your passion and making sacrifices to do so. The payoff isn't money - it's happiness and a quality of life that others only dream of.

(2.) It all depends on who you ask. Bill Gates, Donald Trump or Mark Cuban will give you distinctly different answers from a Buddhist monk, a Trout Bum, a Photography Bum or an aspiring Olympic athlete.

(3.) If I were that guy, I would have a 28mm and a 50mm lens (probably the new version of the 28 Summicron and the 50mm Summilux) and my M camera. Those two lenses would cover 90% plus of my needs.

(4.) Again, it depends on who you ask; a guy who homesteads in a cabin in Alaska will give you a very different answer from a Wall Street investment banker or a Buddhist monk. America's current mainstream culture is all about amassing money, fame, power or a combination of all three. Chasing those pots of gold at the end of the rainbow is in many cases an exercise in futility. Many people discover that when they have at long last achieved all of the "when I finally get _______________, THEN I'll be happy" preconditions, they are STILL unhappy; then what??

After having had the opportunity to observe firsthand other cultures and people, I have come to a realization: On the whole, America's current mainstream culture is counterproductive to happiness, peace of mind and a quality of life that brings with it contentment. Why is that? Because we in America tend to give OTHER PEOPLE the power to decide for us what will make us happy. Giving someone else that power is just asking for unhappiness.

(5.) If I were that guy, it would be my M-P 240. I stuck with film 100% until two years ago when I got my first digital camera, an M240. I love film - particularly Tri-X and the prints I can get from it - but the M-P 240 makes my photographic life so much more easy.

In my experience, when used with Leica M lenses, Leica's24 mp 24x36mm sensor M cameras easily equal or exceed 120 film in terms of printed image quality at a given size. That is an awfully compelling case for acquiring a full frame digital M camera and an M lens or two for it. Regarding the cost of the camera and one lens,

I have had my MP 240 for fifteen months now; last week, I sat down and figured out how much money I have saved in terms of film and processing. I would have spent over $9300 USD to shoot an equal number of images on film in those fifteen months - and that's if I bought chemistry and developed it all myself, which would have taken thousands of hours of developing.

(6.) Again, if I were that guy - I would have my M-P 240 and a 28mm and a 50mm lens, or possibly an M-Monochrom typ 246 with those two lenses.

To wrap up, I will pass along this tidbit of wisdom that a young man bestowed upon me just yesterday: "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a GOOD time." And we're back to that quality of life thing.

JMHO/YMMV. Hope the above helps.
 
noisycheese said:
@Dave, my answers to your questions are as follows -

(1.) Yes.

I have met many Buddhist monks who have very little in the way of possessions or financial assets. They are the happiest people I have ever met. Others who are also content with what little they have are "bums" - Ski Bums, Trout Bums, Surf board members Bums, Climbing Bums and Photography Bums. I have read stories of Rock Climbing Bums who have lived for years on end in dilapidated vehicles and/or tents with no job. They climb rock daily, do menial temp work to pay for food and other necessities, have no health insurance or investment portfolios - and they are deliriously happy. Same with Ski Bums - they are ski lift operators, ski rescue guys/gals or ski techs who mount bindings on skis, sharpen/wax skis, etc. They live hand to mouth on little money but the payoff is a season lift ticket at the ski area where they work. Every day there is snow on the ground, they are on the mountains, screaming down the runs at 60 MPH or hammering their way through the mogul fields. Same with Trout Bums - they are fishing guides who make not much money, but they are casting flies and catching trout every single day while their clients get to do that two weeks a year. It's all about following your passion and making sacrifices to do so. The payoff isn't money - it's happiness and a quality of life that others only dream of.

(2.) It all depends on who you ask. Bill Gates, Donald Trump or Mark Cuban will give you distinctly different answers from a Buddhist monk, a Trout Bum, a Photography Bum or an aspiring Olympic athlete.

(3.) If I were that guy, I would have a 28mm and a 50mm lens (probably the new version of the 28 Summicron and the 50mm Summilux) and my M camera. Those two lenses would cover 90% plus of my needs.

(4.) Again, it depends on who you ask; a guy who homesteads in a cabin in Alaska will give you a very different answer from a Wall Street investment banker or a Buddhist monk. America's current mainstream culture is all about amassing money, fame, power or a combination of all three. Chasing those pots of gold at the end of the rainbow is in many cases an exercise in futility. Many people discover that when they have at long last achieved all of the "when I finally get _______________, THEN I'll be happy" preconditions, they are STILL unhappy; then what??

After having had the opportunity to observe firsthand other cultures and people, I have come to a realization: On the whole, America's current mainstream culture is counterproductive to happiness, peace of mind and a quality of life that brings with it contentment. Why is that? Because we in America tend to give OTHER PEOPLE the power to decide for us what will make us happy. Giving someone else that power is just asking for unhappiness.

(5.) If I were that guy, it would be my M-P 240. I stuck with film 100% until two years ago when I got my first digital camera, an M240. I love film - particularly Tri-X and the prints I can get from it - but the M-P 240 makes my photographic life so much more easy.

In my experience, when used with Leica M lenses, Leica's24 mp 24x36mm sensor M cameras easily equal or exceed 120 film in terms of printed image quality at a given size. That is an awfully compelling case for acquiring a full frame digital M camera and an M lens or two for it. Regarding the cost of the camera and one lens,

I have had my MP 240 for fifteen months now; last week, I sat down and figured out how much money I have saved in terms of film and processing. I would have spent over $9300 USD to shoot an equal number of images on film in those fifteen months - and that's if I bought chemistry and developed it all myself, which would have taken thousands of hours of developing.

(6.) Again, if I were that guy - I would have my M-P 240 and a 28mm and a 50mm lens, or possibly an M-Monochrom typ 246 with those two lenses.

To wrap up, I will pass along this tidbit of wisdom that a young man bestowed upon me just yesterday: "We're not here for a long time; we're here for a GOOD time." And we're back to that quality of life thing.

JMHO/YMMV. Hope the above helps.
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Ah, thanks for the well thought-thru response! Not much I can not agree with there because you have identified my "bum-ness". I fit the Trout bum and photo bum pretty well, at least as part-time bum. My full-time job doesn't pay anything and I have no time off so being a bum is a heavenly pursuit!

I love that title! I am a bum... A Leica bum. Perfect!

I guess the fact that I cannot afford a Leica M digital even used (not interested in the M8), means I am a Leica film bum. At least that part of my life is a happy part. Not too sure about the trout bum part as I get no free time to go fishing other than for panfish occasionally at our neighborhood lake.

It occurs to me that I have a single Orvis flyrod. A single Pelikan pen. A single M6. A single X1. No cars. No houses. But I am happy with all of that!

It is grand to be a bum.
 
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