Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/20

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Subject: [Leica] Mike's comments
From: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl>
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 11:58:53 +0200

I fully endorse Mike's comments. It is really a joy to be able to 
discuss differences of view and opinion with an open mind on both 
sides. It takes the heat away from many topics. I  told Mike in our 
discourse that I overreacted in my post as I felt that the clearly 
stated preference for some M model was unnecessarily connoted to a 
negative assessment of another M model. I did not defend every new 
Leica product with blind faith. I objected to the false impression 
that could be inferred from arguments to explain the preference. Any 
prospective buyer of whatever Leica model should be able to get 
reliable information about the strengths and weaknesses and yes 
he/she my also be aware of emotional or esthetic arguments.
See my site's page: how to choose an M camera for some assessments.
I told Mike that I will next time do what my grandmother told me: 
wait a few days before reacting and sort out what you really want to 
tell in language that is as clear and concise as you can.
But the Lug is a volatile beast:  topics come and go with alarming 
speed and when you wait a day, we are all busy with some other topic. 
- -:)
Anyway: I agree with Mike that the choice for whatever  Leica M model 
is partly emotional and we all know that is natural to explain and 
justify what she/he likes.
I owned M2/CL/M3/M4-P and a several M6 models. I still have the M3 as 
an example of engineering inspiration and an opto-mechanical 
instrument of the highest calibre and quality. And I am not immune to 
its seductive lines and smooth, yet solid feeling and its shutter 
pressure is still not equalled by the M6. My workhorse is the M6 
however.
I do get hundreds of inquiries by people all over the world  with 
just this question: which M to buy?
I try to explore their needs, emotions and goals and then I give my 
view, which does not exclude any M model. Indeed there is no bad M 
model, and the low esteem of the M4-2 is not justified. It is 
different from an M2 or M4 or M6 but in competent hands a redoubtable 
photographic instrument.
But photography as Mike remarks is a way of life and I too love 
classical 35mm photography. And I see with some distress that the Lug 
is doing so much digital, that the love for a fine B&W print may be 
lost shortly. It is  my view that Leica and large B&W prints match 
excellently in feeling and image quality.
If someone does not feel confident with the tools she/he uses, no 
good photography will result. And I would really deplore it if 
prospective Leica buyers would feel insecure about buying/using an M6 
because there is a stigma that this particular body is not up to 
classical Leica standards.
There is no easy talk here. I am aware of (maybe in more detail than 
most of you)  many  incidences of defects and faults in the current 
Leica products, including the M6. But to acknowledge these incidences 
is not equal to stating that current Leica products are of lower 
quality. And the other way is also true: you can state that current 
Leica products are of very high quality with the confidence based on 
the records of thousands of repairs that the incidence of failure of 
any Leica product is small, but not negligible and that is now and 
was the same in the heydays of the M3.
As long as we have an open mind, are sensitive to facts, even if that 
would imply changing our opinion and sensitive to emotions, even if 
that means accepting the view of another person, we can do what Mike 
mentioned: pursue the love of classical 35mm photography and do this 
with that finely engineered product: the Leica.
We should realize that a 35mm camera becomes an extension of the 
user's personality, and however good an M6 might be, for many reasons 
a user may  swear by an M2.
Therefore I try to maintain an objective approach, weighing the 
subjective comments and taking into account the technical and 
engineering data to present a body of information on which a personal 
investigation of the reader may be based to make his/her choice. I am 
happy if the choice works for the person and I am not trying to 
persuade that person to buy my personal choice.

Erwin


Bottom line is, I really love
classic 35mm photography.

I can't defend that; it's just the way it is for me.