How often do people comment on your Leica?

[Kyle]

I'm curious, how often do people say to you, "Hey, a Leica!" or something along those lines? I'm not talking about people asking you about your curious looking old camera, I'm talking about people specifically mentioning you have a Leica. In my year of carrying one around, NO ONE has EVER asked me about it. Sure, I have gotten the, "What sort of camera is that?" But I've never run into another Leica-buff on the street. Judging by some comments on here, this seems to happen all the time, just not to me.

How do you typically react? I know if I saw a guy with a Leica around his neck, I'd probably say something to him, simply because I've NEVER seen anyone else shooting with a Leica (or other RF). If someone were to stop me and mention my Leica, I'd probably chat with them for a couple of minutes.

 

[Xmas]

Well when I walk by a leica shooter they tend to eye ball my Kiev curiously.

I need a tea shirt with 'my other camera is a black M2'?

Noel

 

[charlesfoto]

While walking the streets doing candids, I've often had groups of college students approach me and ask if I have a Leica. I usually let them handle the camera as they marvel at the surprising weight and solidity. Many of the photo students in the city have moved to digital, though I still see some lugging around the Hasselblads with giant tripods. I also like to walk into my local Ritz stores with the M7 around my neck...some of the young, digital-only clerks have no idea what's hanging around my neck. 🙂

 

[JohnM]

Once, at the Catskill Game Farm in upstate NY. Another fellow there was using a pair of M6s and he approached me when he saw that I had an M3 and a Bessa - he was more interested in the olive R2. (I have since sold it.)

Other than that, nada.

 

[santino]

Never ever. I do own a M6 and nobody ever asked.
on the other hand my Zorki 2S got a lot of "wow, a Leica"s 😀
I know, that's strange but somehow here in Austria the LTM models seem to be more popular.

 

[furcafe]

Not often, but regularly, say once/month, I come across somebody who recognizes a Leica as a Leica. More often, I encounter people who think any of my old RF cameras are "Leicas," whether or not they are actually Leicas (& I'm not counting 1 of my more obscure Leica clones, like the Leotax or Nicca, which do look just like Leicas).

If I have the time, & they actually want to talk gear, I will chat for a bit, though it always seems that I run into Leicaphiles as I'm getting off the Metro, running after a bus, etc. It's usually an affluent older (over 40) guy, but occasionally I get a younger, usually artsy, dude or gal, so the brand's demographics pretty much hold true in the DC area. Only a few times a year do I run into someone else using a Leica or other RF, though I will occasionally get a thumbs up from a dSLR-laden pro who remembers having 1 or still uses 1 for personal work, etc. The most Leicas I've ever seen in 1 place was when I went up to NYC to shoot the Coney Island Mermaid Parade & paid the small fee for photo access to the staging area. I'm pretty sure I was the only person there w/an R-D1, though, which may not have been a great idea since it rained almost the whole day! 😀

I'm curious, how often do people say to you, "Hey, a Leica!" or something along those lines? I'm not talking about people asking you about your curious looking old camera, I'm talking about people specifically mentioning you have a Leica. In my year of carrying one around, NO ONE has EVER asked me about it. Sure, I have gotten the, "What sort of camera is that?" But I've never run into another Leica-buff on the street. Judging by some comments on here, this seems to happen all the time, just not to me.

How do you typically react? I know if I saw a guy with a Leica around his neck, I'd probably say something to him, simply because I've NEVER seen anyone else shooting with a Leica (or other RF). If someone were to stop me and mention my Leica, I'd probably chat with them for a couple of minutes.

 

[rover]

Rarely, a guy commented on my Bessa R once.

 

[iml]

I haven't had my Leica for long, but nobody seems to take any notice of it. I get more interest when people spot me loading a new roll of film, they sometimes ask me why I don't get a digital camera. I don't bother to tell them that I've already got three digital cameras as well 🙂

Ian

 

[wilt]

Quite often, people comment "the old camera" or such, but to answer your specific question, Kyle, I guess it happens 2-4 times a year, on the average, that someone specifically says something that indicates that they recognize it as a Leica.

The M3 is not a chick magnet, though (I'm a happily married man, so I don't care, but still ...) Comments usually come from men, aged 40 + ...

Whenever I see a Leica, I wish to comment.

Not only Leicas. Last summer, I saw a tourist with a Plaubel Makina 6x7, so I approached the gentleman and it led to a nice conversation.

The other week, I almost approached an Olympus OM 2 shooter to comment on his camera; film based cameras (what, by the way, should it be called? I'm not fond of the term "analog cameras", for some reason) are getting scarce on the streets.

 

[pesphoto]

once.....He said, "nice Leica"....... but it was a Bessa R.

 

[adep]

Almost every time I take my M2 out, someone will make a comment. Usually with "Nice Leica!" Nice to have it appreciated, but I'd rather it just went unnoticed, especially when I just want to get some candid photos.

 

[colinh]

Hmmm, let's see.

A young lady in an espresso bar said something like "Ooh, a Leica - are you a pro?"

Then some guy strolling in the Residenzgarten said "Oh, I used to have one of those." I think he'd dropped his.

And finally, a damsel in distress (car wouldn't start) turned out to be a pro herself but hadn't fondled an M7 🙂

I guess it depends where you live. 🙂

colin

 

[stric]

Once they realize that it's a Leica and they are familiar with the brand they do comment on it, which is not very often. Those who don't know much about it want to feel it and usually say: "hmmm... it's heavy... " 🙂

 

[icebear]

Just a few days ago

Just a few days ago

It happens some times. Latest example was a guy who asked the price of that "German camera" and if it was better than Japanese, since I was shooting some dragon dance in the middle of a crowd at the Chinsese Lunar Year festival in NYC I just replied "I bought it used and that you need to know how to use it" then just trying to get lost among the people. Usually other shooters just recognize it but don't really start a conversation about it. It depends on the situation. An official press guy at the same occasion looked at the MP and mumbelled "must be love" ... "yes, kind of" I smiled back. He was loaded with 2 Canon's 1Ds with large zooms and flash and an additional Domke bag, 25lbs total I guess.

 

[.JL.]

No one has ever identified the Leica I use. There was one curious man commenting on how 'cool' it looks, but he didn't seem to know about Leica.

On another occasion, I was taking some photographs at a well-known outdoor skating rink in Toronto, I think another photographer identified my Leica a few feet away. He didn't approach me, but he aimed his Nikon DSLR + a massive telephoto lens at me and took a series of shots lol. Perhaps I was viewed as a rare specie.

 

[KM-25]

There are quite a few photographers in my small town, we all know each other fairly well. Most of them have noticed and commented one way or another. The general public is another story, they hardly notice and I like that.

...But then again, Elle McPherson did wonder what the "cute-little-camera" was..😀

 

[vrgard]

I have only had two people notice and comment on my Leica M6. First was my uncle, who has owned a Leica III since the early fifties and an M3 since the early sixties. The other was interesting. Went to the San Francisco Auto Show and was wandering around looking at the cars and taking pictures. Watched a demonstration of the new convertible hardtop (retracts into the trunk) Cadillic sitting up on a slightly raised platform. The very professional appearing woman giving the demonstration, explaining all about the car while doing so, apparently noticed me taking some shots. Anyway, at the end of her several minute demo she glanced back over to me and said simply "nice camera" with a knowing smile.

-Randy

P.S. Oops, I just remembered that when in Sausalito last year a guy wearing a digital camera necktie (digital camera on a neckstrap with a long lens hanging down) commented to me that he wished he had never sold his Leica and hated lugging his modern, big, heavy rig around.

P.P.S. The more interesting comment I ever received was when I was out shooting with my Kiev 4A at a local festival. One of the vendors asked me if I could still get film for it. He didn't realize that it used the same 35mm film cartridges we've all now used for decades.

 

[rodneyAB]

in this small town i live in, i've had two Leica specific comments in February, and one woman take a long analysing look as she passed, and two people apologize for walking through my shot, their facial expression of apology of course i missed

 

[Bike Tourist]

Kyle, over forty years ago, when I had a new M3 in Bavaria, people often commented to me about it. "Was fuer einen shoenen Kamera!"

But, the rest of the ensuing time in the USA, no, never.

Hey, next time you head north up I5 and pass through Bakersfield give me a call ahead of time. I'll saunter up to you and ask about that beautiful Leica!

 

[telenous]

I'm curious, how often do people say to you, "Hey, a Leica!" or something along those lines? QUOTE]

Twice in about a year and a half. During that time I have only ever seen one person (other than me in the mirror) using a rangefinder. It was a bloke in Borough Market, near London Bridge with a Konica Hexar. (If that's someone of you, please raise your hand) 🙂