[Leica] Buying Leica.....

[imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)]

On Jun 26, 2013, at 5:25 PM, John McMaster wrote:

> With hindsight I would still go Leica, nothing to touch the lenses for 
> different looks and I prefer the simpler operation, but if I had not used 
> them what would make me spend 'rather a lot' more on Leica than Fuji? Does 
> 'full frame' or the build quality make enough of a difference for the 
> price jump to most people?

The piece of this "to Leica or not to Leica" quandary that throws me
is the relatively recent "lack of reliability and maintenance."
For over 30 years I KNEW that my Leicas would stand up to daily use;
be able to be CLA'd and maintained for the duration of my life.

When the digital R path ended abruptly - doubt set in.

Recent stories of lack of parts or repair paths for 5 year old cameras
seems totally unacceptable for "any" camera company;
let alone a high end, premium camera company.

I expected that, what ever its flaws may be, that I could keep my M8
making photographs for as long as I chose to hang on to it;
just like every other Leica camera that came before it.

The idea that $7K camera bodies are simply disposable hardware
with a useable life of a two year warranty - feels totally unacceptable to 
me.
If not unacceptable - certainly unaffordable - to me.

I'm coming from that place where the 50 year old Linhof Tech IV
I just sold works every bit as well the day I handed it to Forrest
as the day it left the factory.

This whole new device, whether computer, camera body, phone
whatever - simply feels quite "wrong."

I welcome technological advances and their concomitant costs;
while also expecting that if I choose to remain a couple generations back;
that high priced hardware continue to perform somewhere close to specs;
and be designed for adjustment back to original specs.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist