Leicas? Discreet? Let me tell you about that...

valdas said:
My M6 does not get half of the attention Rolleiflex gets...
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Women especially seem to be enamored by the Rolleiflex. Guys take much more interest in the M4 - usually mistaken for an M3 - though even then few notice it because I tend to keep it hidden away when not in use. I can still maintain an air of discretion with the Leica, but not with that Rolleiflex!
 
I sometimes am out and about with my 1904 Kodak Panoram. Basically a wooden box smaller than a shoebox. I always get people gawking at it and poking their heads around to take a look. I used it exclusively in Japan many years ago, and it always drew the funniest attention and comments.
 
Agree, I've had many interesting encounters with people enquiring about my camera, and I usually don't put it too obviously in view.
The nice thing about it is that it gets out of the way when I don't want it to attract attention, but also serves as a conversation starter when I'd like to get closer to people.
 
Among Leica, Bessa and Fed, first one is the winner to get attention and questions.
Leica was discreet camera only after it was the market at beginning, photogs purchased them to replace larger folders and TLRs.
The absolute leader for film discreet camera from what I have is XA.

Yet, I was not only noticed, but asked once with this little camera in use. One day in the past summer I was taking shadows pictures at the fence in the neighborhood. My toddler in the stroller beside me.
Female approached me and asked what and why I was taking. I pointed to the shadows. She walked into the house this fence is linked to.
Yesterday, while walking with family in the dark evening and passing by same house, my wife told me:
"Strange house, all windows are completely covered all the time".
:cool:
 
Well I'll be sure to keep my eye out around seattle for you and your m5 Takkun! Personally, the only time someone has come up to me to ask about me leica outside of a group of photogs was when an older gentleman stopped me to comment on it, turned out he had an m2 at some point in life.
 
I have found I get less attention if I use live view and hold the camera at arms length, people are thinking IPhone I guess, but if I bring the camera to my eye they start running and ducking.
 
Erik van Straten said:
That is my experience too.

I think photography becomes more and more a woman's profession, now it's completely automated and computerized.

Erik.
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Looking at it historically, a good amount of women has had photography as a profession - since the days of glass plates and big cameras. Many of them as portrait photographers. Often they started out as assistants to a male photographer and then went on to being photographers themselves.

Among the photographers locally there are quite a few women, many mixing between digital and analog - some of them commercially successful enough - not for their "tape measuring" technical abilities, but rather because they see different things and are able to get into peoples' lifes from another angle.
 
"HEY IS THAT A FILM CAMERA?"

a. yes it is! it's a leica.
b. no, it's not, it's a leica that's styled like a film camera.
c. no, it's not, it's a fuji that's styled like a film camera.

all of these conversations have happened in the last month or two while shooting. it's kind of nice.

also, chicks dig film cameras. well, a certain kind, anyway. :)
 
When I carry my Nikon S3, I get lots of looks, the best is "Nikon made
rangefinders". It is different than using digital which is oh hum.

Range
 
I get more comments on the Fuji, a lot. One of my favorite farmers market vendors reflects fondly of shooting with a Yashica Electro whenever he sees me with it. However, when I actually have the Yashica (which I've been photographing the market with over the summer), he doesn't say a word...

I will say about women and photography: I was the only dude in my graduating class in the PJ program.
And speaking of college: I once did a street photography project shooting with a Bronica on the subway, just for the heck of it. That was a challenge in sneakiness.
 
Balto said:
Well I'll be sure to keep my eye out around seattle for you and your m5 Takkun! Personally, the only time someone has come up to me to ask about me leica outside of a group of photogs was when an older gentleman stopped me to comment on it, turned out he had an m2 at some point in life.
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Please do! You'll often find me stomping around Columbia City, Chinatown, and often eating lunch at the SLU Whole Foods, which was where two of my aforementioned Leica conversations have taken place..
 
My TLR gets the most comments by far. All of my Vivian Maier attempts have been exercises in interruption. :)

The only other camera that seems to generate any comments from people around here is my Spottie. But nothing like the Rollei.
 
You're probably just hanging-out in a more artsy/educated/affluent area where a greater proportion of the populous is more likely to know about Leicas.
 
My attention getters seem to mostly be the Rolleiflex and Rollei 35S. When I carry others I don't get any questions or comments. When I'm out with either Rollei I invariably hear that their father had a very similar camera back in the early 40's. The Rollei 35S elicits " oh what a cute little camera, does it actually take pictures? Is it digital?"
 
I have been asked on a number of occasions lately, when grabbing a coffee, while out with either my M6 or my Arcbody, is that a film camera? 3 or 4 times by 18-20 girls. and then having a conversation for a couple of minutes about how they love film. The M6 Ti though makes them swoon:) I recently was out with my Rollieflex and come up upon a film set and the guy running the security loved my Rollieflex and let me on the set much to the chagrin some others standing nearby with DSLRS. While on the set probably around 10 people either made comment or come up to have a chat to me about the Rollie. Film and film cameras certainly aren't dead.
 
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