So long, and thanks for all the fish

RichC

RichC

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Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun ...

Actually, what I wanted to say is that my R-D1/Guzzi website's now obsolete - I've just bought a Leica M8, and the R-D1 and the bike have to go to pay for it! :eek: :( :D (I'll still keep the site up and maintain it - so if anyone has any R-D1-related stuff, do send it to me.)

I'll be putting my R-D1 in the Classifieds in about a week, so I guess I won't be around these here parts much in the future ...



Postscript:

Now sold.
 
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Ok, I can understand selling a camera to finance another, but selling a motorcycle to finance a camera?
You can ride a Guzzi on the M8, but can you ride a M8?
 
Rich
Congratulations for your new camera. I'm very happy you keep your R-D1 pages online as they're a really useful source of information for me, too. At this place I would like to thank you for your excellent work and helpful mind.

Btw. I'm going the other way, will sell some Solms glass to finance a new fullsuspended mountainbike, preferably a Commençal Meta 4.1.

Didier
 
Rich, Im glad that you still mantain the site.. but I will copy the content for backup reson ;) It is excellent resources, I wanted to say that


Didier, maybe I have to sell my downhill and dual bike stuffs to fund my Noctilux buy? hehe I'd like to do but their values drop like a stone compared with Nocti lol I like Commencal, it is so nice to see that they are starting showing up such nice bikes. is it Spanish company isnt?
 
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Tuolumne said:
Why did you do this?
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A few reasons:

(1) I needed more resolution. I'd not been happy with A3+ (20 inch) prints from my R-D1 ever since I saw my friend's 20-inch prints from his Canon 5D. It's not that the R-D1 prints are bad - they actually very good and hold their own against most dSLRs, and it was only when I was printing very large (i.e. A3+) that I started thinking about buying a new camera ...

(2) I like small, manually controlled mechanical cameras - and the only digital alternative is an M8 (I would prefer something like an Olympus OM1 with a digital sensor - but that's a pipe dream). Anyway, I'm used to rangefinders now and have Leica-mount lenses, and, as the R-D1 is my only camera, if I got a Canon 5D I'd have to buy new lenses as well.

(3) More megapixels isn't the complete answer to better digital images, in my opinion (large Canon 400D 10 MP prints don't look that different to those from my old 6 MP Canon 10D). The large sensor in the 5D definitely adds something to the quality of images compared with most APS-size sensors - but Leica M8 photos have a delicacy of tone and rendering that puts them above all the images I've seen from dSLRs.

(4) I like well-crafted tools that are still relevant to the present (hence my 30-year-old custom Guzzi Le Mans). Photography's a hobby for me, so practicality isn't everything: a Canon 5D would do the job, but there's no pleasure to be taken in its use - it's just a utilitarian lump of plastic. In contrast, the Leica is a delight - superbly engineered and built, mostly (like the R-D1), from metal.

(5) Allied to the previous point, I don't like viewing things as disposable - I hate the philosophy that if, for example, your TV breaks, you don't fix it but buy a new one. Often, you don't have a choice: frequently it's impossible to get an item repaired - or costs more than a new one to do so - and new model supersedes new model. In 20 years' time my Epson R-D1 will still take excellent photos - but if it needs an overhaul or a replacement part there's not a chance: Epson's would consider it a long-dead, obsolete product of no value, and think you mad to hang on to it for two decades! In contrast, I really like Leica's philosophy: I suspect they'll look after M8s for many years (granted there may be difficulties long term, e.g. if Leica can't source replacement sensors or LCDs - but I'm sure they'll look after their customers for as long as they're able to).

(6) If my M8 breaks, I can rely on Leica to fix it without drama.
 
The 5D has amazing low-light capabilities, a typical niche for Leicas in the old SLR world. But the M8 has much nicer low-light colour (checkout the photos of Tightsqueez on Flickr to see some lovely low-light M8 work). Just an observation to support your choice of the M8 over the 5D, even though you could buy a 5D with the best of Canon lenses for the price of the M8 body...

I'm so glad there is company like Leica out there which is trying to give us the pleasure of manual cameras with the quality of the modern. Leica has always been like that though, why else stay with bottom loading? etc... What kind of company creates such a camera so that they are now competing with the used market for their own lenses from 50 years ago?

Cheers, please post your M8 photos here and keep up with our community!
 
Socke, "So long, and thanks for all the fish" applies to the Le Mans as well.

I'll miss the Guzzi - I've owned it since 1994, and spent hundreds of hours (not to mention vast expense) building it into my dream bike. However, all things come to an end: it's time for someone else to enjoy it. I've only ridden 100 km in the past 2 years, none of my friends or family own bikes any longer (nor are likely to again), nor will ride pillion anymore - they've all turned middle aged. I can only go for so many rides alone before getting bored. I did join a few local bike clubs, but they weren't right for me: either into modern bikes or factory customs (with no interest in mechanics) or else they were full of pseudo-American bikers into Harleys (this is England not California!). Not one of the clubs had anyone interested in building, tinkering with or riding classic cafe racers - and most of them hadn't a clue about what went on in their engines. :(

Anyway, I can get another bike one day: perhaps a Suzuki Katana 1100, a Ducati 900 Desmo or Kawasaki KH 750 ...

But it's not all gloom and getting older (my friends that is - not me: I'm staying 25 forever I've decided!): one reason I haven't been riding as much over the last couple of years is that I've been focused on photography, which has become very important to me. I'm not a natural photographer, but things are starting to come together this year, and the Royal Photographic Society awarded me an LRPS (nerve wracking - I watched 40% of applicants fail!). So, dream bike -> dream camera! :)
 
sirius said:
Wow, your RD-1 site is great. Are you going to make one for the M8 now?
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Thanks - and I doubt it! Didn't mean to do an R-D1 site, really, but it just sort of happened... :rolleyes:
 
Old Guzzis are just like old Cameras, there's always something to be done :)

guzzi0600.jpg
 
I'm really surprised, I never thought I'd see *you* get rid of the Epson! But hey, I would likely do the same thing if I had the cash, so go with God.
 
matt fury said:
I never thought I'd see *you* get rid of the Epson!
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A small voice began a couple of weeks ago: "You neeeed an M8". The voice got more persistent, and added: "You caaaan afford it if you sell your bike"!

matt fury said:
But hey, I would likely do the same thing if I had the cash
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I wish I did - it's all on the credit card at the moment! So, I hope someone buy's the Guzzi!

PS: cool name - thought so when I saw it a while ago: reminds me of a Marvel Comics superhero! :cool:
 
RichC said:
Socke, "So long, and thanks for all the fish" applies to the Le Mans as well.

I'll miss the Guzzi - I've owned it since 1994, and spent hundreds of hours (not to mention vast expense) building it into my dream bike. However, all things come to an end: it's time for someone else to enjoy it. I've only ridden 100 km in the past 2 years, none of my friends or family own bikes any longer (nor are likely to again), nor will ride pillion anymore - they've all turned middle aged. I can only go for so many rides alone before getting bored. I did join a few local bike clubs, but they weren't right for me: either into modern bikes or factory customs (with no interest in mechanics) or else they were full of pseudo-American bikers into Harleys (this is England not California!). Not one of the clubs had anyone interested in building, tinkering with or riding classic cafe racers - and most of them hadn't a clue about what went on in their engines. :(

Anyway, I can get another bike one day: perhaps a Suzuki Katana 1100, a Ducati 900 Desmo or Kawasaki KH 750 ...

But it's not all gloom and getting older (my friends that is - not me: I'm staying 25 forever I've decided!): one reason I haven't been riding as much over the last couple of years is that I've been focused on photography, which has become very important to me. I'm not a natural photographer, but things are starting to come together this year, and the Royal Photographic Society awarded me an LRPS (nerve wracking - I watched 40% of applicants fail!). So, dream bike -> dream camera! :)
Click to expand...

Give me an old Triumph any day. And what is a LRPS?

/T
 
Congratulations !!! Your web is fantastic and useful.
I think if your passion is photography you have well done with the purchase of the M8.
A dealer of my city say me "you must buy a M8", I say him, yes but I haven't money, I say him again I propose a change to you: my RD1s + Hassel for a M8 and it did not want. If say me yes: goodbye my Rd1 and Hassel.
Cheers with your new camera, and say us what you think with it.
Regards.
 
Thanks, but alas, I am no Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. ..I don't even have an eyepatch! lol


And yeah, I'm sometimes I get a whisper "Trade your car for the M8..." and then I look at my Corvette and realize how ridiculous that would be.
 
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