I love this camera but I hate its logo

[telenous]

I knew this girl once. Her name was Jennifer, or April, or was it Mary?
Either way I loved her name but could not stand her.
"Just whisper it to me" I would say on the phone. "But no, I don't want to see you"

When it rains, I sometimes think of her. Tell me am I crazy, or is this more than a crush? I guess we can blame it on the rain.

Typical onomatolagnia. Not to worry though. The good news is that it's not dangerous. The bad news is the cure involves refraining from using names for a period of time. Especially when it rains. 😛



.

 

[Huss]

Yep - I've driven it every day since August 2004. I think I'll keep it. 🙂

The automotive equivalence of self flagellation.

😉

 

[slight]

Hello everyone.

It's a bit startling to see so many responses, you've said it all. Brilliant conversations, thanks gentlemen!

I wrote this post because I was then under huge pressure of producing a new book which is consisted of pictures I took 5 years ago. I remeber very clearly how I fondled a m4p but never took any really good picture by it because I was too young and lazy.

And now 5 years later, I'm searching frantically in my archived negatives to see what I can produce. The contract is signed, we are annoucing the book in 10 days, and I felt if I had worked harder on photography rather than appreciating the camera, I would have done much much better. Searching helplessly among the negatives made me feel like I'm producing for an enormously stupid student...That's why I posted the thread.

Good news is, the book's largely good, not perfect but yes it has its merits which can be proud of. Then there's this feeling of remorse on my failing of bringing it to a higher level is so annoying.

I'm doing my best now, having printed more than 800 printing papers, I've kept about 60-70 images. You see the fail-success ratio....and still it's not done yet.

Many thanks for all your responses; I'm never going to tell you that I bought yet another Leica just a few days ago to complete a M3,M4,M5 collection. Now I own a little museum of vintage cameras and lenses...

Another secret: I found out during the last 5 years that I indeed am not that into photography, I love producing images much more. I started a private darkroom class 3 years ago and produced & published my book in 2014. So yes indeed I enjoy staying at home (where my darkroom is) rather than going out and take photos...well it's a hard truth that I'm no great photographer but it's also relieving to find one's true love.



Jing

 

[giganova]

I'm not into ... whatever normal women buy with their husband's credit card

I'm really surprised that such a sexist statement would come from a women. Of my ~20 closest couple friends, all women have income and are financially independent from their men to a large degree.

 

[giganova]

Leica only appeals to the would be photographers with their marketing strategy in the same way BMW etc appeals to the would be so called skillful drivers. And lets face it, most of the drivers of these high speed great handling top end cars would be better off with a Toyota Corolla or similar because from what I've seen few of them can drive at a level that justifies the expense. 😀

😕 Some people appreciate quality, craftsmanship and design. What does that have to do with the person's skill in using such a machine (be it a photographer or car driver)?

 

[Darthfeeble]

And what's wrong with a fetish or two? Or three......

 

[Pfreddee]

We all have our lunacies....

With best regards,

Pfreddee(Stephen)

 

[noisycheese]

There are a lot of comments in this thread that do not make any sense to me, beginning with:

The primary reason I gave up on photography for the past four years is I'm a fetishist; I worshiped this camera rather than shooting what has to be shot. I realized fetishism is the primary enemy of my life and all my life was either occupied earning money preparing to buy or spending the money to actually buy, this gets me to nowhere.

This fetishism is encouraged by consumer culture and various ads. Leica exploits people's dream of becoming a great photographer to push new products.

I love this camera but I will stop buying anything from leica now.

I do not understand why being smitten with your Leica M prevents you from using it. Just get out and shoot - if it gets a scratch, put some black paint on the scratch and keep using it - or let it "brass" with age and use. I don't think Leica "exploits people's dreams." Whether a person buys a Leica M or a Pentax it is up to them to take that camera, get out of the house and away from the TV/computer/whatever and MAKE their photographic dreams come true. Dreams do not just magically fall form the sky; it takes work to make them happen. I have yet to see a Leica ad where they state or imply that buying an M camera and lenses will "make" anyone a "great" photographer. Greatness in photography only comes with thousands of hours of honing your craft, skills and your eye. That cannot be bought from any company or at any price. There are no shortcuts to greatness. This is not something people do not want to hear, though. Just saying.

And -

Leica only appeals to the would be photographers with their marketing strategy in the same way BMW etc appeals to the would be so called skillful drivers. And lets face it, most of the drivers of these high speed great handling top end cars would be better off with a Toyota Corolla or similar because from what I've seen few of them can drive at a level that justifies the expense.

"Would be photographers?" Who are they? Was I a "would be photographer" when I shot for 20 years with Nikon? Did I automatically become a "would be photographer" when I traded in my Nikon gear on my Leica M? I don't think so. I don't think my binders full of Velvia transparencies are "would be photographs;" they appear for all the world to be actual photographs.

And -

Next time I run into someone from Leica I will let them know you won't be coming around. Your use of the term "logo" rather than "brand" is odd, but I catch your drift.

I lot of people dream that owning a Leica will bring joy and better photos, and are left broken hearted, not to mention (as you did) $10k in debt. But they sell and recover.

Again, excellence in photography cannot be bought. It comes only with thousands of hours of effort. As far as debt, do not borrow money to buy Leica kit. Save up for it; trade in your film kit and older DSLR cameras and lenses. Get a part time job and save up for it if you have to. Buy with cash and you are debt free. Then you can still afford to travel and make photographs.

And -

Well put, and I have to agree with your sentiment on both counts. I certainly have a strong tendency or propensity to fixate on gear myself, cameras or otherwise. Though I'd argue it's actually for both what it does and what it is. I enjoy Leicas as fine craftsmanship, great tools, and even as beautiful machines. But I *also* appreciate rangefinders as a way of seeing and approaching photography, and I find them satisfying to use for their functional properties.

In my mind, the line gets crossed when you realize you enjoy the idea of a Leica (or any other tool), more than the reality of using it. I've been there more than once... buying new camping equipment thinking of all the adventures I'd use it on that never happened, or buying cameras or lenses for projects or "needs" that never materialize. I don't know if that's what the OP is feeling now, but I suspect I can relate on some level.

Speaking for myself, I know a big part of the driver for G.A.S. in general is that I have a day job and a family and many other commitments. Photography is a hobby and a passion all out of proportion to the amount of time I am able to devote to it. It's far easier to fixate on the gear, the aesthetic, or the history/myth/legend thereof than on making photographs. The ratio of time I spend reading, thinking, and talking about photography to the time I spend actually doing it is enormously lopsided. From that perspective. it's not hard to see why sp many of us can easily get caught up in the tools rather than the work... but they're also not mutually exclusive. Craftsmen or artists of any type can still appreciate fine tools, but hopefully just not to the detriment of actually producing work.

If you have camping gear - or camera gear - that you are not using, MAKE time to use it. Don't read about photography on the 'net for two hours - get out of the house and photograph for two hours instead. If you bought a Leica M, don't sit on the couch and polish it with a microfiber cloth - get outside and shoot the hell out of it! Leicas are a LOT more fun when you use them rather than when you polish them or think about them.


One post that did make sense to me is this from Ian:

You can hardly blame the company for marketing its products as effectively as possible. Selling a dream or lifestyle is a standard marketing approach as old as the hills and consumers are free to buy into or not.

Besides Leica still makes some very fine cameras and lenses. Not everyone buying the products is necessarily a total chump.

Like any other company that makes hard goods, Leica HAS GOT TO advertise to sell cameras and lenses in order to stay in business. There's no crime (or exploitation) in that. Buying an admittedly hideously costly camera like the M-P 240 with a hideously costly lens for it like the 35mm Summicron ASPH does not automatically make a person a rich, obnoxious poser or dilettante. There are many Magnum photographers who use Leica M gear; I can't think of any of them that are no talent putzes. There are also many normal, anonymous people who use M cameras and lenses that work their asses off at their craft that are not posers.

 

[peterm1]

I don't think it will trouble them to be honest. I'd wager 80% or even more of members here have never bought anything new Leica. We're not the target market.
As far as consumer goods go the same can be said for everything that's dangled in front of us. The only way out is to go and live in a cave and never browse the internet ever again.

I tend to think its still important to a company like Leica (or any company that sells upper end products) that people like us often buy second hand. (I know I do). The thing is that without a healthy second hand market, many people who buy new items of equipment simply could not do so if prices on their traded gear was too low. Same with the second hand car market for example. Without that market, the new car industry would be dead. Of course there are a few very rich people whom this would not affect as they have enough money to buy in any event. But in many cases they are not the camera "tragics" that companies like Leica rely upon.

 

[JOCO34]

This is my first post on the forum and I have been just lurking around for a while. This thread is pretty interesting but I want to offer up the idea that Leica is just an amatuer at marketing compared to the many Golf Club manufactures out there. There are many simularities between golfers and photograpers in fact. Only a few golfers are truly great and the rest of the hobby tries desparatley to "buy" a better game with the latest and greatest equipment. Thought it would be harder to play with very old style clubs. The same is true for photography. Leica needs to stay in bussiness and will appeal to whoever has the cash and desire to purchase the latest and greatest "M" series. Others like me for instance pretty much buy gently used versions and are happy duffers working on our craft. I own four Leicas currently, a IIIF, an M3, a 10 year old M8 still purring along and a new to me used M-240. Half of my lenses are Zeiss (3) and the other half Leica (3).

 

[easyrider]

Take the spare change leftover, and get some of this.

The best comment in this thread! Give the man (or woman) three stars and a shot of cognac!

 

[dee]

Hmmmm , I think I have a Leica dot from a catalogue to fit to my Panasonic L1 , or I could use the Dig 3 or M8 , both of which were bought for analogue style functionality , not for any other reason , and we have a Citroen 2cv without alloy wheels and the doors tend to bow out at 80 mph downhill with tail wind . One of the only cars designed fro scratch including tyres and in production just past our 1986 white plus grey Dolly .
.... I did fit a Leica logo to a Zenit C , just for fun as the 1st Leicaflex, plus I have several fake Leicas also for fun !
dee

 

[xayraa33]

Logo or no logo, it is a camera, so use it or sell it and get a Nikon SP and a few rolls of film. All will be well.

 

[fireblade]

Thread from the Dead.
Anyhows, the OP should know that Leica are offering leather whips with camera for the "fetishist" buyers....whether he likes the biting or spanking is his choice.