Why I bought an m240 ...

Sorry to hear about your good friend, Keith. As another long time RFF member said, it's later than you think… so the 240 and a handful of nice lenses and some time outback sounds like exactly what you need to do.

Enjoy your picture-taking, my friend. I've visited the towns you're going to visit, but only while passing through 40 years ago. I'll look forward to seeing what you make of it.
 
The only one digital camera which makes sense for me as joy to use is any of FF Leica Ms.
The rest is nothing, but tools.

Enjoy!
 
Well, there is always a good side to things. Personally, I would prefer to die from cancer quickly, rather than become demented, but I guess it comes up to individual preferences... I am sorry for your friend, I hope he can be proud of his life so far.
As to the camera - hmm... you might have created yourself a problem, because your expectations will be very high, and what if the camera has issues, and what a new one will come out soon and you will feel obliged to UPGRADE ?
 
mfogiel said:
Well, there is always a good side to things. Personally, I would prefer to die from cancer quickly, rather than become demented, but I guess it comes up to individual preferences... I am sorry for your friend, I hope he can be proud of his life so far.
As to the camera - hmm... you might have created yourself a problem, because your expectations will be very high, and what if the camera has issues, and what a new one will come out soon and you will feel obliged to UPGRADE ?
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Why should anyone ever feel *obliged* to upgrade? I'd only feel obliged to upgrade if Leica or a client paid me to do so.

I might *want* to upgrade if there was some advantage to the new model, as there is from M9 to new M, but that's hardly feeling obliged.

G
 
The best to your friend and his family.

Enjoy your M. Although they are often thought of as expensive toys, I think we are blessed to be able to enjoy these unique cameras.

Have fun on your trip.
 
All best wishes for you both.
You'll bond quickly with your M. It really feels like a film M.
As they say in Marin County, California:

Oh Wow. Oh Wow.
Go for it. Right now.
 
Keith said:
Next Tuesday morning I'll be jumping in my car and heading west to wherever ... Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Cunamulla ... all places I've wanted to see for a long time.

I'll have the 240 and four M mount lenses ... 15mm, 25mm 35mm and 50mm and nothing else photographically. Two weeks holiday and little to do except look, take photographs and get to know the digital M and also get to know Australia and the people who choose to live in these dryer more remote parts of this amazing country. :)
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That sounds like a great trip and a great place and time to get to know the 240. Congrats on getting this. As a leuk who miraculously recovered from hellish times and now appreciates the people and places and wonderful nature around us, I have to second the motion about going for it now, getting the joy of shooting with a great camera.
 
Keith said:
Next Tuesday morning I'll be jumping in my car and heading west to wherever ... Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Cunamulla ... all places I've wanted to see for a long time.

I'll have the 240 and four M mount lenses ... 15mm, 25mm 35mm and 50mm and nothing else photographically. Two weeks holiday and little to do except look, take photographs and get to know the digital M and also get to know Australia and the people who choose to live in these dryer more remote parts of this amazing country. :)
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Sounds like a fun trip, looking forward to some photos when you get back!
 
back alley said:
the wrong side of 60…
i'm beginning to hate that term!
i'm on the wrong side of 60 and sometimes it scares the crap out of me…

very sorry about about your buddy…people around me are dropping like flies lately and death seems like it's become a neighbor…always close by.

i might have gone for the monochrom myself with a nice 35mm lens...
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Joe,

Between the age of 40-55 you statistically are the least likely to die, but by 65 fifty percent of the people you graduated high school with will be dead. Basically between 40-55 you can over eat, smoke, drink and party like you have a get outa jail free card, but after 55 you have to pay up.

My friend Dave has said, "It's later than you think." Also nothing wrong with living life fully instead of dragging it out untill one is feeble. For me its all about a qual;ity of life issue.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
Joe,

Between the age of 40-55 you statistically are the least likely to die, but by 65 fifty percent of the people you graduated high school with will be dead. Basically between 40-55 you can over eat, smoke, drink and party like you have a get outa jail free card, but after 55 you have to pay up.

My friend Dave has said, "It's later than you think." Also nothing wrong with living life fully instead of dragging it out untill one is feeble. For me its all about a qual;ity of life issue.

Cal
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i'm 63 and i have lived longer than my parents…dad died at 23 and mom at 55…i always feel like i'm on borrowed time.
 
Keith,

I bought a Monochrom in a similar manner as you did your M-240, but in my case I'm a person with a lympho prolific disorder, that is uncurable, that can be considered a slow growing Cancer, and that at this point requires no treatment. If my disease ever makes the jump into an aggressive Cancer the research suggests I will pass rapidly, yet there is a 90%-95% chance that my rare disease might never make the jump. My only lifestyle change is that I must avoid the cold, and I exercise religiously to mitigate the fatigue that is a symptom of my disease.

I kinda live life in a way that if I won the lottery that my life would not be all that different. Currently I own a lot of nice cameras, and if I won the lottery perhaps the only camera I would buy is a M-240.

I know that I have a good chance of outliving my disease without complications, but I also realize that I have a 5-10 percent risk factor of my life dramatically changing rather suddenly. On the other side of the coin is my poor illiterate dad who had a brutal life lived to 94, and there is good reason that I will enjoy longevity. In my case I have to plan for both.

I'm sure both you and your friend are trying to live life more fully as not to waste any precious time.

Cal
 
back alley said:
i'm 63 and i have lived longer than my parents…dad died at 23 and mom at 55…i always feel like i'm on borrowed time.
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Joe,

See my other post to Keith. We are all on borrowed time.

I'm 56, and they say you need to plan for retirement a decade ahead. I'm looking at the numbers and I have a really good plan on sustaining myself for the long term, but it is difficult knowing that I have a hand grenade right next to me that can explode at any time.

I'm doing everything I can to stay healthy, but... a great underlying uncertainty is a bitter backdrop.

All I can suggest is to live life fully to avoid any regrets. BTW the Monochrom is a real game changer and has made me into a better photographer. I stll love and shoot film, but digital is less forgiving than film, and the demands of digital for me raised the bar. I say get that Monochrom if that's what is good for you. Also know that having met you I did not think you were older than me.

Cal
 
Sorry to hear about your good friend. The close friends u make in your life are special. I am also on the wrong side go 60.. Life is short, enjoy it.. Good for u on getting that m240. Enjoy that extended vacation and post those pics.

Gary
 
sorry to hear about your friend, times like this put things into prespective, I decided that this year I would take more photos and with cameras that would breath new life into me, I survived a fire at the end of 2013, (and after a stint in a burns unit), I decided to grab life by the full, good luck with your new Leica
 
Right side, wrong side, eh? I'm going to be 60 in 25 days. I doubt that I'll feel terribly different from how I do now in 26 days, which is "... Pretty good, given the mileage." ];-)

G
 
Calzone said:
Joe,

See my other post to Keith. We are all on borrowed time.

I'm 56, and they say you need to plan for retirement a decade ahead. I'm looking at the numbers and I have a really good plan on sustaining myself for the long term, but it is difficult knowing that I have a hand grenade right next to me that can explode at any time.

I'm doing everything I can to stay healthy, but... a great underlying uncertainty is a bitter backdrop.

All I can suggest is to live life fully to avoid any regrets. BTW the Monochrom is a real game changer and has made me into a better photographer. I stll love and shoot film, but digital is less forgiving than film, and the demands of digital for me raised the bar. I say get that Monochrom if that's what is good for you. Also know that having met you I did not think you were older than me.

Cal
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Also know that having met you I did not think you were older than me.

i knew i liked you for some reason! ;)
if i had the money, i would buy the monochrom but alas it is not to be...
 
Godfrey said:
Right side, wrong side, eh? I'm going to be 60 in 25 days. I doubt that I'll feel terribly different from how I do now in 26 days, which is "... Pretty good, given the mileage." ];-)

G
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i hate to be the one to tell you…but it's like a light switch…you turn 60 and your body turns on against you…oh the aches and pains...
 
It's a dance of the decades...
At 20 we're lucky to have survived the dangerous youth years
At 30 entering the bloom of adulthood we have lost the trust of the younger generation
At 40 we've gotten past the mating game and rearing of the youngest children
At 50 we're officially "over the hill" and part of the older generation, having avoided many health dangers.
At 60 there's that light-switch of the body turned against you!
At 70 we've gotten into retirement, grandparenthood, cancers, and an uncertain future, while having great fun. :)
At 80, well, we shall see!

Have fun, Keith, with the M(240) :D
 
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