Re: [Leica] What the "other guys" are saying about Leicas

[Steve Hickel <smhickel@x2.alliance.net>]

Chewwe,

M6 is good because it...

- -- is extremely quiet.
- -- allows hand-held photos at wide open aperatures down to 1/8 or slower(no
vibration).
- -- uses some of the best designed and sharpest lenses in the world and
fastest (noctilux).
- -- is lightweight and inexpensive looking from other than close up.
- -- focuses extremely fast and accurately in low light.
- -- let others fill in from here...

- --
- --
- --

Steve

At 10:49 PM 1/25/98 -0800, you wrote:
>
>Some postings to the rec.photo.equipment.35mm newsgroup that may be of
>interest to the list:
>
>
>Hi,=20
>
>I have been using Canon and Nikon for years. Now thinking of getting a
>totally manual , mechanical camera for shooting travel and portraits.  Is a
>Leica M6 worth its high price????  It is more than 3 times in prices just
>for the body  alone. And the lens cost a bomb too.  Is it just a rich man's
>toys or the technical excellence is that great?
>
>Any comments appreciated much.
>
>Million Thanks,
>
>chewwe@cyberway.com.sg
>
>
>Answer #1:
>
>Keep your Nikon.  Other than physical size and weight I can see no reason
>to
>switch.  I have yet to see a photograph that can demonstrate superiority of
>Leica over Nikon or Canon.  Besides, if the portraits you are talking about
>are
>"travel portraits" ok, but for most portrait work a rangefinder is not the
>ideal tool( pretty tough to focus on an eyelash through that tiny frameline
>for
>the 90mm lens, and changing film is a pain).
>-steve
>
>Answer #2:
>
>Hi,
>
>I follow the same path,...durng years I bought the last SL35 camera, and
>using the last best lens, my "excellence quest" oblige me change every two
>years a new camera, and everey two years a new camera was (is) lunch, and
>so
>and so. For the year the bodys comes more sophisticates, the lens
>better,...and selling and buying...I lost money because when you buy  an
>expensive body (Canon EOS5, F90, etc...) and when you sold it, you can't
>beleve why is so cheap
>I used Nikon, Canon for ergonomy and cheapest (used) lens. Years after
>years, every time I acquire a new body, an marvelous Hitech object, more
>and
>more time I need to read the manual and diffcicult to undertstand and
>memorize these manual...
>Until one day I say STOP! I was tired to be perhaps a "gogo" of marketing
>strategies, and not necessarely to need these "desert warm tecnology tool"
>to do best pictures.
>Also I read many interviews of photographs, and I understand that what use
>the photograph is usually give free from the brand or his photo employer,
>except for some professionnal photo reporter that use Canon essentialy due
>to the fast lens focus with the USM inside motor of lens (until future
>month
>now with Nikon perhaps...
>When you read some art photograph or even reporter interviews(ex: Depardon,
>Sieef, etc)...many use the famous leica, and also mechanical Nikon/lens
>bodies (FM,F2). and Hasselblad 6X6.
>I don't say that todays bodies are not good, non, they are all tremendous
>machines, with fabulous technology. Today lens with optic formula from
>computers are also very nice, unbelevied 2O years ago.
>But some former brand already have an excellence level, with the "art of to
>do handcraft" that even computers, with no soul, can equal...Like Leica.
>So, I "passed" I choose an M6 Leica. An used Leica M6 with 35mm and 90mm
>(all used), because new is too too expensive.
>I bought an M6 because as photograph, in your life you must have a "legend
>body", like a mortorcycle man one day must have an Harley Davidson. I
>regret
>it? NO, why?:
>- is  very compact (bofy and lenses), you don't need a big bag to go
>outdoor
>- you re-discorver the real pleasure to compose a shoot, before shoot you
>think, you compose througt the eye
>- is true the lens is marvellous (quality, compacity), with hi speed
>(1.8F).
>- it's mechanical, and you don't depend of the life battery, you are always
>OK.
>Only these  aspects, the other aspects have many, many inconveniants.
>In an objective opinion, buying a leica is more an subjective, irrationnal
>,
>affective act then a professionnal view.
>The ratio technical caract=E9ristics/price, is completly "out". Can you
>imagine that this body for exemple doesent't have a security for accidental
>shoot ?! The light meter like a 70' body Canon or Nikon ?! (you must have a
>manal light meter in difficults cases), Motor-Winder ? pfffffff, forget it
>(price and caract=E9ristics), Animal, nature photography ? Finish, above 90
>mm, the leica is a "impossible" (" " are mine...), when you remember the
>reflex camera you will understand...etc.. etc...The pleasure of Zoom
>feeling? Forget it, To charge and decharge roll film? AhAh Ah AH!...Firts
>time I spent half an hour tryng to know if he real take it or no,...Etc,
>etc...
>I remember an article in the Chasseur d'image (french technical photo
>magazine) intituled: Why I never buy an M6 Leica. After reading it, you can
>only say, these guy is correct,  buying a leica is only an irrationnal act.
>When you buy a Leica, prepare you TO CHANGE YOUR MODE OF MAKE PICTURES,
>before waiting quality prints. Many people who come from SLR are some time
>disapoointed for the "difficulty" to "approch" a Leica.
>An other aspect, on quality prints. To real aprecied quality throught Leica
>lens, my opinion is that you must "your self" treate the film and prints,
>or
>go in a real professional developper. Going in a normal developper, you
>don't "use" the real Leica quality, so whay pay more to have less  or at
>lleast same -(in technical aspect and ergonomy).
>Think it before all these aspects to pass act. If you want a body with
>excellents lens to make good pictures and want buy some lenses, for me you
>don't need to buy a Leica. Canon with his L series Lens, or Nikon and even
>other do it, and at equal equipment you will have more and more in quatity.
>I have a leica M6, but when I need some special pictures I take my Canon
>EOS
>5 or NIKON F70,or even FM2 with lenses or zoom...and I enjoy it.
>Buying a Leica today is like this people that prefer buy an old jaguar that
>the lastest Chevrolet or Ford.Don't try to understand with today think,
>it's
>people who like objects out of time, who pass the years, resist at all,
>even
>at...the fashon.
>
>For the end, I remember a sentence from J/L.Sieff photograph:
>- Do you ask at a painter what kind of pensil or bruch he used to do his
>work?.
>
>Thank you, don't hesitate to contact me for more information.
>
>P.S: some ref are from european market body, excuse me if it's differentent
>in US, I don't know.
>magazines ref:
> -"a photograph and his camera" in Photographe Magazine
>- Chasseur d'images.
>
>
>
>
>