where leica fits into my world...

As the owner of an M6 and more recently, an MP, I can see where the OP is coming from. The "Leica" I love probably disappeared in 2006, or whenever they released the m8. Without meaning to offend, I think of all the digital models as iPhones in M6 clothing. Apart from the great lenses, Leica's genius was analog; minimalist teutonic engineering, fantastic craftsmanship. That's what made Leica, and what defines Leica, in my admittedly biased opinion. But that Leica is gone. I only wish another producer, even a boutique company, could manage to keep producing analog rangefinders. A dream, probably, but a good one.
 
PointOmega said:
As the owner of an M6 and more recently, an MP, I can see where the OP is coming from. The "Leica" I love probably disappeared in 2006, or whenever they released the m8. Without meaning to offend, I think of all the digital models as iPhones in M6 clothing. Apart from the great lenses, Leica's genius was analog; minimalist teutonic engineering, fantastic craftsmanship. That's what made Leica, and what defines Leica, in my admittedly biased opinion. But that Leica is gone. I only wish another producer, even a boutique company, could manage to keep producing analog rangefinders. A dream, probably, but a good one.
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Wow! Passages like this would be better served as a quotation on a day calender.
 
While I also found it odd that someone would want to make this opinion public (I mean surely there are more people in your situation than those who collect Noctluxes and SE M9, right?) I see where you're coming from.

I don't have a very expensive lifestyle, I buy used gear which I use often and I don't keep gear that I don't use. Works for me
 
analogue leica bodies are affordable for just about anyone, especially LTMs. but the lenses. my word! i badly want an m-mount lens for my r2m. it will be a while, even for a non-leitz one ... :(

meanwhile, my om-1s are my "leicas" ...
 
PointOmega said:
As the owner of an M6 and more recently, an MP, I can see where the OP is coming from. The "Leica" I love probably disappeared in 2006, or whenever they released the m8. Without meaning to offend, I think of all the digital models as iPhones in M6 clothing. Apart from the great lenses, Leica's genius was analog; minimalist teutonic engineering, fantastic craftsmanship. That's what made Leica, and what defines Leica, in my admittedly biased opinion. But that Leica is gone. I only wish another producer, even a boutique company, could manage to keep producing analog rangefinders. A dream, probably, but a good one.
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Analogue rangefinder? Why bother? There's enough used Leicas around to satisfy the potential buyers. Not to mention the NOS that some are no doubt hoarding.
 
If we eliminated all the opinions and "I'm just saying" posts from this site, the site might cease to exist.

That said, Joe, you seem to do pretty well with whatever tool as at hand. If it's your current RD-1 or something else, I for one never find myself when looking at your images (or anyone else's) preoccupied with "what camera and lens did he use" questions. I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the difference in anything but a side-by-side comparison. Having more tools or more expensive tools doesn't make any of us better at this. I've watched you cycle through gear and share your feelings about the gear, the work of shooting and life in general. I'm not sure that then lens you used has ever once influenced what I though about the results.

Now, about that other thread, the new one about those Canadian man purses ... I mean macho camera bags ...:D
 
back alley said:
i was going to call this where leica fits into the world but decided that was a bit presumptuous...

briefly...it doesn't!

more wordy?

i know that it's there but for me it may just as well not be there.
if i wanted to buy new gear (a rare treat these days) i just could not afford it.
i don't make enough of a salary to pay bills, eat and buy new leica gear...and i don't see any of those other things going away anytime soon.

if i wanted to stick with used gear then i really still can't afford leica!
a used leica 75/2.5 lens is about 4 times what a cv 75/2.5 lens would cost. i doubt that it is 4 times 'better'...and the way i treat my gear the cv does not have to be 4 times better built to survive in my camera bag.

an m9 would be most welcome here at casa back alley but i doubt that's ever gonna happen...no complaints...i was smart enough to get a good paying job but i chose to work in the not for profit sector and it really is not for profit;)
somebody has to do it...

so, when i read all about 7k lenses and digital b&w cameras it's interesting but not of my world.
i think this story rings true for many rff members.
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in 9 years of posting here i think this is the first time anyone has asked me why i posted something!?
i'm surprised at that. is that not what we do here? i mean, not just me but all of us?
i spoke about leica because it is so 'unreal' to me, considering that photography is such a big part of my life and rangefinders have always been my main shooters...yet leica...THE NAME in rangefinders has no impact on my photo life.
i have owned an m3 and an m4-p...a summicron 50 and an elmar 50...and if i had the slightest inkling that those 2 lenses could have sent me on a european tour for months i never would have sold them when i did.
but in the world of digital which i have totally embraced, as has much of the world, leica is a dream.
 
I definitely don't have the budget for it and all I have is a few Nikons but if I can just come up with a couple of grand I could get some Leica R lenses and a Leitax adapter for my Nikons! LOL
 
According to CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association, Japan):

117.3 Million digital camera will be sold in 2012.
18.3 Million of them will be Interchangeable Lens Cameras.

Leica is about 1/1000th of the 18.3 Million; for each 1000 interchangeable lens camera sold, Leica is planning to sell one.

Being not capable of following the technology of the day closely, they surely will strive to create and maintain an "aura of exclusivity" to survive; not unlike what the car company Morgan was trying to do amongst some 80 Million vehicles produced by other brands... So it may not fit into everyone's world..
 
back alley said:
it's what i do...have you not been paying attention?

i doubt highly that it will have much impact on leica...not as much as it's had on you, i suspect.
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No impact on me at all. I'm just curious why people do the things they do.

I am fortunate enough to be able to own and work with a Leica M4-2 and M9, and a modest kit of lenses that I like. I like them, I have little need or reason to pronounce why or what I feel their value is to the world other than to respond, when asked, that they make nice photos and I like the way they allow me to work. I'd rather have the M9 and one lens than a bushel of other gear, but that's just a personal preference.

And no, I don't pay attention to you any more than I do to anyone else on the forum. Just as I don't presume you pay attention to me, other than to engage in pleasant conversation from time to time as interests and topics come up.
 
Godfrey said:
No impact on me at all. I'm just curious why people do the things they do.

I am fortunate enough to be able to own and work with a Leica M4-2 and M9, and a modest kit of lenses that I like. I like them, I have little need or reason to pronounce why or what I feel their value is to the world other than to respond, when asked, that they make nice photos and I like the way they allow me to work. I'd rather have the M9 and one lens than a bushel of other gear, but that's just a personal preference.

And no, I don't pay attention to you any more than I do to anyone else on the forum. Just as I don't presume you pay attention to me, other than to engage in pleasant conversation from time to time as interests and topics come up.
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just want to point out that it said 'my' world...not the entire world.
and i do 'talk' alot...
 
Leica is definitely not a part of my world these days ... they are just not necessary for photography to me.

The one Leica I own that has any meaning to me is my Leica 1a ... it's a piece of hsitory that I have little intention of using ... or ever selling!
 
I can agree with back ally, on how he feels, I too have owned Leica stuff, but when my
Leica shutter went , I sold it and the 35mm f2 (version 4) which was a okay lens, I
had some earlier versions which I thought were better, not having a film rangefinder
I really missed it so I purchased a Nikon S2, and I really like it , and there still lenses
for it either other Nikon or the VS lenses. but if I came across a nice used M6, I might
get it (might) but with a Zeiss lens on it.

Range
 
Well, I'm on the cusp of selling my remaining Leica equipment. I'm down to one battered M3 plus 50 Summicron, 90 Elmar and the 15mm VC. I really need to get my stuff down and I'm finding it less and less sensible to use 35mm for my needs. On the other hand, I've got a lot of emotional investment in this stuff, so I can understand the OP's desire to vent.

Perhaps I should dump some digital instead. After all, who needs 9 :eek: digital cameras?

:D
 
PointOmega said:
As the owner of an M6 and more recently, an MP, I can see where the OP is coming from. The "Leica" I love probably disappeared in 2006, or whenever they released the m8. Without meaning to offend, I think of all the digital models as iPhones in M6 clothing. Apart from the great lenses, Leica's genius was analog; minimalist teutonic engineering, fantastic craftsmanship. That's what made Leica, and what defines Leica, in my admittedly biased opinion. But that Leica is gone. I only wish another producer, even a boutique company, could manage to keep producing analog rangefinders. A dream, probably, but a good one.
Click to expand...

I may be stating the very obvious here, but there are still film range finders being made. There is the Bessa range, the Zeiss Ikon, and of course the Leica ones. If you like medium format, there is the Mamiya 7 and the GF670 too.

If you want very boutique, there is Yasuhara, no longer in production, but looks very cool.
 
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