The END of Erwin Putts AND Leica ?

[David Hughes]

I can understand him; I feel the same every time Microsoft decide to change almost everything again...


Regards, David

 

[airfrogusmc]

Who else but Leica would make a camera like the 262 MD, MM or M 10? And still be able to use most of the old lenses on digital bodies is also another huge plus.

 

[kshapero]

I need large letters with lots of pictures, so I'm OK about this.

 

[Calzone]

Call me a drama and smut queen, but Leica still does crazy very well.

About 7 years ago the rumor popped up that they were going to build a M with a monochrome sensor. One poster here on RFF said it was dumb and stupid. LOL. Another said no one will buy it. LOL.

So now 7 years later Leica promotes the "L" mount and is making APO wides. What other company does that?

To me Leica is still Leica. I must ask, "Why all the haters?" LOL.

Cal

 

[james.liam]

t

Call me a drama and smut queen, but Leica still does crazy very well.

About 7 years ago the rumor popped up that they were going to build a M with a monochrome sensor. One poster here on RFF said it was dumb and stupid. LOL. Another said no one will buy it. LOL.

So now 7 years later Leica promotes the "L" mount and is making APO wides. What other company does that?

To me Leica is still Leica. I must ask, "Why all the haters?" LOL.

Cal

Perhaps because the opposite of Love is Indifference. Hate is a passion on the other side of Love's coin often born of the latter's betrayal, rejection, change, abandonment, etc.

 

[Calzone]

t

Perhaps because the opposite of Love is Indifference. Hate is a passion on the other side of Love's coin often born of the latter's betrayal, rejection, change, abandonment, etc.

James,

Kinda funny. I would say that I respect Putts for his advanced technical background that he applies to evaluating lenses.

Today Leica is developing some remarkablely perfect lenses that are mucho highly corrected, but not harsh. I cite the APO 35 Cron-L.

I would think that Puttz would embrace these developments. Also as we know with digital more perfection is required.

If Leica did not develope/create the M Monochrom, I likely would still be an analog die-hard.

I think some of the words you mention above apply to the opposite of love.

Cal

 

[kshapero]

Calzone, Isn't Hell Gate just a bunch of water?

 

[Godfrey]

Whether an enthusiast wants to keep writing about a particular brand, or not, is inconsequential. Making a big announcement about stopping is all just a lot of emotional drama, to me.

It seems a similar kind of drama alike to those who make a big deal out of whether they are going to leave a forum...

I'll get some popcorn and enjoy the performance. :angel:

G

 

[Ambro51]

This thread prompted me to spend about two hours reading his “stuff”. Gawd! How does one man pack all those words and thoughts into his head?? 🙂

 

[james.liam]

Don't know how old the veritable Erwin is but he seems set in his ways. I do believe from other musings of his his that he understands that evolution is inevitable but do agree with him that the M's have not been given the attention they merit if Leica claims that it's their core historical business.

Think about it; the M are always embedded with outdated tech at release, whether a chincy EVF, archaic rear LCD, weak processors, less than state-of-the-art sensors (despite rarified cost) or tiny buffers.

I understand his frustration with the neglect.

 

[Calzone]

Calzone, Isn't Hell Gate just a bunch of water?

K,

Zip code 10029 is also known as Hell Gate where I live. Basically the worse neighborhood in Madhattan. East 100th Street where Bruce Davidson recorded the extreme poverty of 1969 is a block away from my "Ghettobuster" building.

AKA Spanish Harlem and SpaHa to some.

Pretty rat infested. I saw rat "pancakes" outside my building in the street three times over the past month. Down the block is a halfway house they use to be named "The Parole Transition Institute," but they toned it down so the guys that hang out on the corner smoking are less visible.

One of my African American neighbors tells me back in the day one side of our block was black, the other Italian, and basically he could not cross the street unless in a gang.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

This thread prompted me to spend about two hours reading his “stuff”. Gawd! How does one man pack all those words and thoughts into his head?? 🙂

A,

OCD. A common characteristic of photographers.

Know that I have a boring day job and pretty much I use RFF to pass the time. LOL.

I'm the same as Puttz, but different. LOL.

You should stop at a NYC Meet-Up to learn the obsessive and addictive behavior as a personality profile. Ever have GAS? Ever loose sleep over a camera? I have. LOL.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

This thread prompted me to spend about two hours reading his “stuff”. Gawd! How does one man pack all those words and thoughts into his head?? 🙂

A,

For a big headache reed his "Leica Compendium."

This is very big and thick book of all his reviews. The book is kinda collectible and was printed in limited editions. There last printing was the third edition.

I had a copy of this that was given to me. Joe wanted it, but after finding out it was valuable I contacted Philippe to ask if he wanted it back. Joe eventually coughed up some dough to purchase it.

I find his reviews great for "cherry picking" gear.

Cal

 

[james.liam]

K,

Zip code 10029 is also known as Hell Gate where I live. Basically the worse neighborhood in Madhattan. East 100th Street where Bruce Davidson recorded the extreme poverty of 1969 is a block away from my "Ghettobuster" building.

AKA Spanish Harlem and SpaHa to some.

Pretty rat infested. I saw rat "pancakes" outside my building in the street three times over the past month. Down the block is a halfway house they use to be named "The Parole Transition Institute," but they toned it down so the guys that hang out on the corner smoking are less visible.

One of my African American neighbors tells me back in the day one side of our block was black, the other Italian, and basically he could not cross the street unless in a gang.

Cal

The biggest explosion in N America in the 19th century I believe, was when an island (no more than a rocky outcropping) inside the vortex of Hell Gate was obliterated by a tunneling operation that went below the East River and into the Rock. It had been a navigational hazard since Dutch settlement in the 1610's and the turbulence it created gave the pool of water its name. It is a tidal convergence of the Long Island Sound and the East River channels. A great deal of water flows at considerable speed.

The whirlpool remains but tamed by comparison.

The neighborhood is also home to the famed Rao's Italian Restaurant (about a 1 year wait for a table reservation--not kidding you), and the original Patsy's Pizza, one of the best on all the island. Also, authentic Mexican food over on Lexington Ave and the lows 100's for 1/2 the price of all the places downtown. The whole neighborhood changed for the better until Komrade Mayor "Bill" diBlasio took the helm. That's not even his real name (Warren Willhelm, in fact).

 

[Calzone]

The biggest explosion in N America in the 19th century I believe, was when an island (no more than a rocky outcropping) inside the vortex of Hell Gate was obliterated by a tunneling operation that went below the East River and into the Rock. It had been a navigational hazard since Dutch settlement in the 1610's and the turbulence it created gave the pool of water its name. It is a tidal convergence of the Long Island Sound and the East River channels. A great deal of water flows at considerable speed.

The whirlpool remains but tamed by comparison.

The neighborhood is also home to the famed Rao's Italian Restaurant (about a 1 year wait for a table reservation--not kidding you), and the original Patsy's Pizza, one of the best on all the island. Also, authentic Mexican food over on Lexington Ave and the lows 100's for 1/2 the price of all the places downtown. The whole neighborhood changed for the better until Komrade Mayor "Bill" diBlasio took the helm. That's not even his real name (Warren Willhelm, in fact).

Hell Gate is an interesting neighborhood. Lots of poverty. 25% of the population lives in public housing. 25% of the housing stock that is above store fronts is also vacant. 50% of the population receives some form of government money. Pretty much the poverty is institutionalized.

When I first moved to Spa-Ha, my primary care physician told me that if I get stabbed or shot to go to Metropolition Hospital that is a few blocks from where I live because it has one of the best trauma units due to mucho practice.

About two years ago a NYPD cop was killed not far from where I live. A good amount of crime.

Bill the Mayor caused 125th Street to deteriorate to where it reminds me of the Bowelry in the 70's. His program Vision Zero I call Zero Vision. Congestion, traffic and pollution have worsened, and instead of reducing fatalities of pedestrians fatalities are up.

The amount of mentally ill has risen under his terms. NYC I feel is less safe. Bill is a joke that is not funny.

Cal

 

[james.liam]

Hell Gate is an interesting neighborhood. Lots of poverty. 25% of the population lives in public housing. 25% of the housing stock that is above store fronts is also vacant. 50% of the population receives some form of government money. Pretty much the poverty is institutionalized.

When I first moved to Spa-Ha, my primary care physician told me that if I get stabbed or shot to go to Metropolition Hospital that is a few blocks from where I live because it has one of the best trauma units due to mucho practice.

About two years ago a NYPD cop was killed not far from where I live. A good amount of crime.

Bill the Mayor caused 125th Street to deteriorate to where it reminds me of the Bowelry in the 70's. His program Vision Zero I call Zero Vision. Congestion, traffic and pollution have worsened, and instead of reducing fatalities of pedestrians fatalities are up.

The amount of mentally ill has risen under his terms. NYC I feel is less safe. Bill is a joke that is not funny.

Cal

1++++ on all accounts, Cal.
I live close nearby you and a woman was raped in broad daylight @ 96th and 2nd Avenue just outside the new Q train terminus by a permanent subway 'resident'. Cops have been told to stand down on subway denizens. Its heading toward 1980's again, when diBlasio learned governance from his first boss, arguably the most inept NYC Mayor in the 20th century, David Dinkins. Developer donations are more important than the long-term fate of people bound to public housing (note the Housing Authority scandals).

More evidence of 'Zero Vision'.

 

[Calzone]

1++++ on all accounts, Cal.
I live close nearby you and a woman was raped in broad daylight @ 96th and 2nd Avenue just outside the new Q train terminus by a permanent subway 'sleeper'. Cops have been told to stand down on subway denizens. Its heading toward 1980's again, when diBlasio learned governance from his first boss, arguably the most inept NYC Mayor in the 20th century, David Dinkins.

More evidence of 'Zero Vision'.

James,

That attack/rape was not so long ago, but also know that mucho crime in Hell Gate goes unreported.

In fact you reminded me that there is some NYPD Community Affairs meeting coming up a week from today, next Wednesday.

Seems like I draw out the crazies. Perhaps it takes one to know one. LOL. Down the block on Lexington Avenue I'm just walking along "minding my own business" when this local guy takes note of my camera and engages with me.

He introduces himself as "Leo," but then he tells me that is not his real name. ***. So it seemed every other sentence made sense, followed by a sentence that made no sense at all.

So Leo mentions that he is a master of Tae Kwon Do, and he shows me his right fist, and I recognize the signs of an "Iron Fist" that displays enlarged knuckles that are oversized.

So evidently Leo is some kinda informant who works with the NYPD. That explains his hidden identity.

I ended up doing some street portraits of Leo, some of them shot close focusing on his remarkable fist with the massive knuckles of a fighter.

Crazy stuff... You can't make this stuff up.

Cal

 

[das]

I think we are rapidly moving towards an era where all non-cell phone cameras will become irrelevant, unless you simply enjoy the craft of film or digital photography. The vast majority of images that people see are on computer and phone screens. You do not need a 3K lens or 8K camera body to produce a fantastic image on that medium. For a while, one could say that "at least my camera can produce nice depth of field unlike the fixed-lens cell phones." Now that is not going to be the case anymore with cell phones using multiple lenses. Also, the AI of a cell phone can do all of the relevant corrections on any photo, color or b&w, better than most people can do with Photoshop or Lightroom.

It's not Leica that may become irrelevant. It's all traditional camera manufacturers. Cameras of the future will be cell phone sized. Computers will do all of the work. The images will be just as good (on a screen, at least) than anything made before.

I try not to sweat it because I love my film cameras (especially the Ms and my Nikon F4) and love film photography. Something about it just feels real in a world where everything now is digitally stored on a remote computer server somewhere. People should buy and enjoy what they like -- whether it be film, a digital M, a mirrorless camera, whatever. The only thing I would hope for is that camera manufacturers will work to make cross-platform lens mounting a reality, especially with mirrorless. More Techarts and less proprietary mounts.

 

[Calzone]

I think we are rapidly moving towards an era where all non-cell phone cameras will become irrelevant, unless you simply enjoy the craft of film or digital photography. The vast majority of images that people see are on computer and phone screens. You do not need a 3K lens or 8K camera body to produce a fantastic image on that medium. For a while, one could say that "at least my camera can produce nice depth of field unlike the fixed-lens cell phones." Now that is not going to be the case anymore with cell phones using multiple lenses. Also, the AI of a cell phone can do all of the relevant corrections on any photo, color or b&w, better than most people can do with Photoshop or Lightroom.

It's not Leica that may become irrelevant. It's all traditional camera manufacturers. Cameras of the future will be cell phone sized. Computers will do all of the work. The images will be just as good (on a screen, at least) than anything made before.

I try not to sweat it because I love my film cameras (especially the Ms and my Nikon F4) and love film photography. Something about it just feels real in a world where everything now is digitally stored on a remote computer server somewhere. People should buy and enjoy what they like -- whether it be film, a digital M, a mirrorless camera, whatever. The only thing I would hope for is that camera manufacturers will work to make cross-platform lens mounting a reality, especially with mirrorless. More Techarts and less proprietary mounts.

David,

My gal returned to me a Leica CL (digital) with an AF 23 Cron because as you say a cell phone does what she requires, and know that she is a big time blogger.

Cal

 

[Bill Blackwell]

Personally, I've had my issues with Leica throughout the years, but they are doing their best to survive in a very competitive, and I dare say - a largely dying industry. My primary concern for Leica is that they're pricing themselves out of what little market share they have (enter economies of scale - yes, I get that).

Leica branded cell phones are in our future - I'm sure of that, but they will still build $5,000 film cameras (seriously!?) for the film purists. However, that expensive film camera will still be shooting cellulite, although with inferior results when compared to whatever digital counterpart there might be at that time (that would be the trade-off), for your grandchildren.

Given it's market share, I wouldn't blame Leica if they dropped the [digital] M camera altogether in favor of EVF.

So I guess I really don't get what Puts' problem is. So Leica is launching headlong into the digital world? And the Leica M is no longer its flagship? - This has happened before, BTW.

And he's abandoning Leica in favor of what?