I think the guys at the camera store were making fun of me today

H

Hjortsberg

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was at the camera store picking up some film I had developed (my 3rd roll with my M3)

Had the M3 around my neck and was waiting for the film to be brought out.

Politely asked the guys behind the counter about the digital Leica's . Was told about the M9, about another that cost about 2 grand and the Leica point and shoot one. The guy made a big deal about saying how Panasonic makes the point and shoot one for Leica. Then he said something like the Leica that cost 2 grand was made by Leica and was almost the same as the point and shoot one but cost a lot more. my film arrived and I said thanks and left. While walking away I heard one of them say:

Leica. For the photographer that wants to pay a lot for a name.

Then they all laughed.
 
It's a popular perception and while irritating ... obviously has some grounding unfortunately!
 
BTW, I found one photo in that third roll that I kinda liked and was proud of. It was one I took in a local mortuary of an organ by an (empty) casket.

I say I was almost proud of it, but not quite. It wasn't sharp enough and the blacks weren't black enough and the light was too diffused. I went back today and the same organ was there and casket. I took a pen and paper, too. I got my light meter out and made a note of what I metered and what I exposed for. I took 16 different shots of the same setting with different appetures.

I was kinda excited that after my 3rd roll I was kinda starten' to feel it:cool:
 
Remember, as a paying customer, you have a lot of leeway if you want to mess with them back. Just say, "Nikon and Canon, for the photographer who can't tell the difference."

:)
 
Ranchu said:
Remember, as a paying customer, you have a lot of leeway if you want to mess with them back. Just say, "Nikon and Canon, for the photographer who can't tell the difference."

:)
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That's good! :D
 
Deciding to own a Leica is a very personal thing and if you looked at the situation in an abjective manner you'd have to admit to yourself that your camera and lens combination worth around a grand doesn't really do anything that a one hundred dollar OM-1 with 50mm lens can't do.

But that's not the point ... I may have been tempted to walk back to them and tell them their rudeness just cost them a customer!

I remember just after I bought my M8 I was in a well known up market Brisbane camera store looking for something and asked the salesman if they sold the (then new) M8 at all. To which he replied "Only a dickhead would pay six grand for one of those things ... we don't stock them!"
 
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Keith said:
Deciding to own a Leica is a very personal thing and if you looked at the situation in an abjective manner you'd have to admit to yourself that your camera and lens combination worth around a grand doesn't really do anything that a one hundred dollar OM-1 with 50mm lens can't do.

But that's not the point ... I may have been tempted to walk back to them and tell them their rudeness just cost them a customer!

I remember just after I bought my M8 I was in a well known up market Brisbane camera store looking for something and asked the salesman if they sold the (then new) M8 at all. To which he replied "Only a dickhead would pay six grand for one of those things ... we don't stock them!"
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Brisbane, huh? I've just started listening to the Go Betweens.
 
Leicas are expensive, yes, but just like a luxurious car, the people who cannot justify the price are the people who do not appreciate finely crafted things, the people who simply cannot afford them so they resort to lame comments, or even worse, both.
 
Somewhere I read or heard a nasty quip to use in a case like that: "I have this because there's a reason why I am the customer and you are the clerk."
 
Keith said:
I remember just after I bought my M8 I was in a well known up market Brisbane camera store looking for something and asked the salesman if they sold the (then new) M8 at all. To which he replied "Only a dickhead would pay six grand for one of those things ... we don't stock them!"
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Then you ask if they at least have the Leica CF cards!

:D

(sd? what? I don't have an M8!)
 
SolaresLarrave said:
Somewhere I read or heard a nasty quip to use in a case like that: "I have this because there's a reason why I am the customer and you are the clerk."
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That's a nasty one alright. I don't do nasty though, it gives the game away. I ask very polite, maddening questions instead.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
Somewhere I read or heard a nasty quip to use in a case like that: "I have this because there's a reason why I am the customer and you are the clerk."
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While that's funny, I would never say something like that. It just brings you down to the level of the ignorant salesperson.
 
In the case of Leica's digital point-n-shoots, you are basically paying for the name. They're made by panasonic and are basically the same camera Panasonic sells under their name for half the price.

The real Leicas, like the film M and R cameras and the M9 are nice cameras and are truly different than anything else on the market.
 
Hjortsberg said:
what's HDR?
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I actually don't know what it stands for exactly, but it's a method of processing photos that result in very fake, ugly, and tasteless images.

but yeah... with the Leica digitals, you are paying for the name (except the M9), so they do have some basis for their behavior (although rude, I agree).
 
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