Why the obsession with "Leica Killers?"

[burancap]

Did you not see anyone talking about Leica and its prices?

Tough thing this. It would seem the point some folks may be missing is that Leica and their prices (not perceived value) invariably come into play in the launch of any competitive world class camera kit. Leica has been the yardstick for so long that who else would be mentioned as the victim and have it still hold any weight? They have always had a bullseye on their back.

I think the problem arises in the Widget A vs Widget B debates that the web make all too easy today. The ephemeralness of the new digital age does not tend to weigh any of the history and feel in comparative evaluations. Not that that is necessarily something quantitative anyway, but how does one measure that -the 10% difference that costs 50% more?

Folks tend to see dollars spent and results returned. I suppose I do too, but life is short and there is simply more to the Leica experience and the results obtained than something that can be crunched out of a spreadsheet. And you know what, that is what photography really is all about, the experience -film, digital, RF, SLR, whatever (to me, of course).

 

[jsrockit]

I agree burancap. I understand why Leicas cost what they cost. Many seem not to though. But you are dead on ...who else would they be trying to kill at this point.

 

[Wulfthari]

(1) Learn to read more carefully: "I don't want/own/use digital Leicas," (emphasis added to help you)

(2) Do not pretend that having an MSc and design experience in a completely different area is of any relevance whatsoever. Arguments from authority are dubious at the best of times. They are even more dubious when you don't actually have any authority.

(3) If it's not your problem, why do you keep advancing feeble, fallacious or simply irrelevant arguments in an attempt to bolster your untenable position? For that matter, what on earth is your reason for calling me "Leica man" and accusing me of being asleep? I'm the one that's awake and open to what actually exists. You're the one who is dreaming of how you think the world ought to be. Unfortunately for you, the world refuses to fit your fantasies. I'd say that was your problem, and quite a big one at that.

Cheers,

Roger.

1) Well, that's not relevant to the discussion. Please note that it's bold to help you. I thought we were talking about the Leica killers, the Leica men, how the brand is perceived and all the other good things, not your preferences for digital or film Leicas.

2) I just find hilarious that you said it's hilarious that I support a position on a technical solution over another, I don't care much about my MSc but 10 years as a mechanical design engineer taught me something,if you can't accept that because you're a Leica fanboy that starts to cry as soon as the Holy Red Dot is touched I would suggest to try to study a little bit how to design and manufacture some precision mechanism like a camera, a gearbox or a gas turbine, you'll learn many good things.

3) Feeble, fallacious, simply irrelevant? It's not that it becomes true if you keep on repeating yourself.

Anyway you're at freedom to do that, you're pretty entertaining.😀

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality.

Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see,
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy,
Because I'm easy come, easy go,
Little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me.

Mama, just killed a Leica,
Put a gun against it's head,
Pulled my trigger, now it's dead.
Mama, life had just begun,
But now I've gone and thrown it all away.

Mama, ooh,
Didn't mean to make you cry,
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters

.........................................................
...........................................

Ahahahaha! Anyway the winds blow.

from another thread on the same subject:



well said sir! Yes, the new Leica disembowler also sharpens wit 😉

meanwhile:
Industar 61 on a7 (not r)

Krzysztof Szablisty
lens:

btw, a7r is sold out till Jan at many outlets, supposedly.

On the otherhand, M9s down to 3500 in good shape, which getting tempting. I may be able to earn enough with A7r to grab one 😉

Mmm...serious pictures. Makes me feel enthusiast of the I-61 and its radioactive Lantanium coating.

 

[uhoh7]

1) Makes me feel enthusiast of the I-61 and its radioactive Lantanium coating.

Oh yeah 🙂 Sometimes when I go to bed I put the i-61 on one side of the living room and an equally toxic Canon FD 35/2 SSC on the other.

Next morning they are together. 😉

Seriously, I had high hopes for the pictured I-61, which I ordered from Ukraine and waited along time for. Awful copy which I never could get to work.

On the other hand

This one, which passed through Sweeny's hands at one point, is quite good. 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

Yeah this. And, though I like uhoh7's work (Again, go look at it if you haven't) I can't see the incremental difference. I really can't. Maybe if you held two prints up and TOLD me which one was which I might be able to build a corroboration, but I don't look at stuff in that way, so I'm not very good at it.

I'm still bashing at my D3s with an X100. Sometimes I use a Panasonic GX1.... I look at the things in the photograph, I guess.

You look at framing and content instead of bokeh and lens signatures? 😱

 

[jsrockit]

"As for killing a Leica? Not really because again, it is basically a DSLR in a new shape using the same old DSLR lenses. I always shot Leica not only for the image quality and RF experience but the smaller size AND tiny amazing lenses. I have no doubt Nikon will beat the M 240 for overall IQ but for size no. Mojo? Maybe 🙂 It is going to be an exciting rest of the year!"

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2013/10/28/the-new-full-frame-nikon-df-is-coming/

 

[uhoh7]

Just an update on the subject.

Steve Huff feels A7r performance with cv 34/1.2 and 50 summilux superior to Leica M, though perhaps not superior to M9. Also says cv 21/1.8 is fantastic on A7s

http://youtu.be/uAg3kVjv7q0

Brian Smith (pulitzer winner) claims zm18 and 24/2.8 elmarit are "razor sharp to the edges" on the A7r:

http://youtu.be/UJYLZlr3ra8

supposedly the WATE is excellent. (in spite of the fact Steve says it's not going to be good on the A7r)

other LTM and M wides not so great, e.g. CV 21/4 which looks fuzzy at the edges.

We are still waiting for definitive sample shots, infinity beyond 200ft with details in the corners (landscape style)

There is an in camera lens profile "app" which supposedly will write colorshift corrections to RAW, however these corrections will be seen by some editors, like the sony software, but possibly not others.

That is all 🙂

 

[pdh]

but everyone appreciates a razor sharp landscape shot with legendary lenses.

Not me, matey boy, not me