Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/03/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On Mar 11, 2008, at 9:54 AM, Chris Saganich wrote: > When I wake up in the morning I think I'd be happy to own an M8 but > then I have this problem regarding the proliferation of the digital > image. My problem is simply that the signal to noise ratio > regarding digital images is so high I'm generally turned off from > even looking at images unless I know their coming from a reliable > source. I figured that an M8 in the hands of the M community would > improve this situation but I think many have bought into the "get > more for less" mentality which seems nothing more then another > scam. As far as I have seen digital has disproportionately > benefited the consumers of the snapshot rather then artists and > professionals. Most bread and butter photographers when I have > seriously asked feel like they were forced into the digital world > without much benefit to them. Even at the higher end photographers > are getting screwed. I have friends who have given up standing > behind the camera because the image processing fetches a higher > professional service fee, so they work the computers all day and get > paid more then the photographers. When clients need more images or > different ones from a particular shoot they go to him, he keeps the > images and not the photographer. The photographer has become a > technician and the computer operator has become the artist. My > neighbor went so far as to start a business renting image processing > equipment to the computer operators for commercial shoots. All I > can say is that the $$$ is very good in the processing but not in > actually using a camera. I see a different future for digital > cameras where the term "camera" becomes meaningless, technical, and > not artistic. The "camera" as we we have come to know it is no > longer intimately tied to image making, rather the evidence suggests > computer processing is where the images are created so however you > get the image into a computer is fair play. The camera takes a back > seat to the computer in this digital world and I don't believe this > market trajectory will suddenly change, (so why should the camera > survive?). The term digital camera doesn't even make sense to me > anymore. The only hope is the continued drive people have for > serious creative self-expression and self-exploration through images > for which the computer still remains marginal. I see people doing > less of this the more digital they become. while I agree with what you say Chris...sadly it has a ring of truth... I consider your wonderful bw images, which in some ways I connect with Steve Unsworth's wonderful bw images taken with the M8.... it leads me to the conclusion that you are thinking way too much... instead of taking photos... with an M whatever... Steve > > > > > At 10:14 AM 3/11/2008, you wrote: >> The M8 has a more limited audience than Leicas of the past. That >> must be >> a challenge for Leica. >> >> The M8 makes a lot of sense for someone who will photograph a lot >> before >> the warranty expires or before a better alternative comes along. But >> it's not like a film M that you could justify buying even if you >> were a >> weekend photographer. You knew the film M would require little >> maintenance and probably hold its value over time. A lot of people >> bought film Ms and hardly used them. And film M's still have value >> today. >> >> Even my 50-year-old plus film M is still a working camera. With a >> Noct >> attached and my favorite BW film inside, it is still without peer. I >> can't duplicate the image quality with software (although maybe >> someone >> out there can). >> >> Gone, too, it seems is the limited edition market for Leica. I >> wonder if >> we'll ever see a limited edition digital M. That would be good news >> because it would mean digital was reaching maturity. I used to >> scoff at >> things like Ostrich skin and Titanium shell on the M6, but deep >> down I >> secretly wanted to own one. >> >> DaveR >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > Chris Saganich, MS, Sr. Physicist > Weill Medical College of Cornell University > New York Presbyterian Hospital > chs2018@med.cornell.edu > http://intranet.med.cornell.edu/research/health_phys/ > Ph. 212.746.6964 > Fax. 212.746.4800 > Office A-0049 > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information Steve "I never wanted to be famous" now available at www.blurb.com kididdoc@cox.net