Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1995/11/27

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

To: Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>, leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: purpose of leica-users mailing list
From: beamon@primenet.com (Roger L. Beamon)
Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 21:30:11 -0700 (MST)

> * Buying and selling and trading cameras to other users, without
>   accidentally tripping over camera collectors. We are first and
>   foremost photographers and not collectors, but you can't take
>   photographs with a camera if you don't have that camera.

You surprise me, here, Brian. This opens you up to one of the most
aggressive group of enthusiasts in photography; Leica owners! Even if you
limit it to personal as opposed to commercial sales, you have indeed opened
Pandora's Box. 

>There have been 127 messages to Leica-Users in the month of November.
>Of them, the ones that seem to me to be least relevant to the intended
>purpose of this list are those about the ownership of Leica GMBH,
>extended discussion of the Leica Historical Society, extended
>discussions of film, and questions about the number of cameras of one
>type or another that might have been manufactured.

With the exception of the extended film discussions, I think that the others
that you list in the above paragraph are extremely relevant to Leica users.
Ownership certainly impacts the possible future direction of Leica camera
products and thus influences the mood of the Leica public. LHSA activity is
of interest to the Leicaphile even if he is a shooter only, with no interest
in collecting. Leica shooters can be shooters only, but rarely is a Leica
collector not a Leica Leica shooter also. Chronology and history of
manufactured pieces has more interest to Leica users than the same factors
to users of other marks. Leica folk are different. I would submit that the
most blasé Leica owner has a greater interest in his equipment's pedigree
than users of other cameras. There *is* a Leica mystique, and vive la
mystique! Without, it is just another nice camera.

You are the boss, Brian and will do as you see fit. I, however, would hate
to see  the list limited to the "nuts and bolts" only of Leica ownership and
use.

Regards,

Roger Beamon,   Natural History Interpreter & Photographer
                           Docent, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
                           The INTERNET: beamon@primenet.com
                           CompuServe: 70413,1720


Replies: Reply from Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> (Re: purpose of leica-users mailing list)