Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/08/14

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Subject: RE: [Leica] depressed about investment
From: "Jonathan Borden" <jborden@mediaone.net>
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 12:14:06 -0400

I own an Olympus Stylus (~$100). It fits into my shirt pocket. I take it
sailing and other places where I won't get terribly upset if it gets
trashed. It takes great snapshots. The image quality is quite good for the
4x6 prints we get from the 1 hour photo lab.

I own an EOS 10s with a zoom. Its terrific for action shots, kid's soccer
and football etc. Closeups of the pets. etc.

I wouldn't dream of selling my M6. I use it for everything else save the
above. It is unparalleled for unobtrusive street photography and nature
photography where you have to travel some distance on foot (and you don't
have someone willing to pack 100lbs of equipment for you). For example if I
were allowed to take one and only one camera on a trip to Baffen Island...

I am seriously considering purchasing an 8x10 wooden field camera. (It is
either that or another exersize machine :-))

All the above formats/tools have their uses. To the 8x10 enthusiast, the M6
is a point and shoot. There are loads of occasions where a P&S is an
excellent choice. It all depends on your perspective.

Jonathan Borden


>
> I was recently traveling to a family reunion, and chose to only bring a
> Yashica T-4 Super. I haven't used it in a very long time. No Leica, no
> contax III a color dial, no Nikon,...
>
> The color  print, slide, and B&W results left me somewhat sticker
> shocked. I
> haven't used this point and shoot for some time, and was stunned
> by the high
> quality results. I showed the prints around to my photog friends, and they
> got depressed, too,  until they realized that their Canon, Leica,
> Nikon gear
> have the added advantage of wide selections of lenses and accessories. I
> guess all that differentiates a pro from the rest is the accessories. They
> also have the added advantage of being able to spend obscene amounts of
> money on these items.
>
>  They were still  stunned by the quality of the prints,...
>
> Sure, the lens testers can prove the differences on the test
> bench. Nothing
> like an advantage at f2.0 but  nowhere else, and it only costs $1000.00
> more. But good luck actually seeing a difference in your prints.
> Good thing
> the quality P&S makers have not figured out that they only need to make
> interchangeable lenses to wipe out the spendy competition
> (remember Retina).
>
> Oh well, I am contrary enough to feel I "need" a Leica. I just
> can no longer
> prove it.
>
> VEK
>
>
>
>