Re: [Leica] Pros, Leicas, and losing market share.

["Robert Shaw" <crown4@worldnet.att.net>]

Ask David Alan Harvey (Nat Geo among others) if he's ready to give up his M
camera(s).
See his book on Cuba? The photos are outstanding!
Rob Shaw
- ----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Durling <durling@widomaker.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 7:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Pros, Leicas, and losing market share.


> I know a wedding photog who uses nothing but R4s.  He says that they
> eventually wear out but they are pretty plentiful used so he just replaces
> them.
>
> Mike D
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter) <peterk@lucent.com>
> To: 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
<leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
> Date: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 5:48 PM
> Subject: [Leica] Pros, Leicas, and losing market share.
>
>
> >Mark,
> >
> >One reason that Leica may be losing the pro market is the wider range of
> >digital 35mm cameras being employed by newspapers.  Take a look around.
> >Between Nikon and Canon the Daily News in NY, NY Times, and many others
are
> >digital these days.
> >
> >Forget skateborders, but autoeverything cameras are convenient.  There
are
> >many wedding pros these days that are using Nikon F90s/F100 cameras and
> >EOS-1Ns with zooms.  As much as you and others may not like it, its true.
> >Take a look at the JFK Jr. wedding pix.  Denis Regie made them using a
> >EOS-1N and 28-70mm lens.  I know this because I know Denis and we have
> >discussed this.  He does also use a 'blad but loves the EOS-1n for what
it
> >can do.  Hey don't get me wrong, I am not knocking an M camera.  They are
> >great for what they can do, but few wedding pros would even consider one.
> >They want fast AF and good TTL flash.  While I am sure there are probable
a
> >few Leica R users that will indicate they use theirs for weddings, they
are
> >few and far between.  Even look at Nat Geo.  Pop Photo had a write up on
> >their photogs and found that a great many (more than half) have moved
away
> >from the Leica M camera.  WHY!  Because with an SLR, what you see is what
> >you get.  No compromise.
> >
> >Peter K
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Mark Rabiner [mailto:mrabiner@concentric.net]
> >Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 11:55 AM
> >To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> >Subject: Re: [Leica] Pros
> >
> >
> >><Snip>
> >> It may be a troll, Mark, but it's a bullseye as well. The Leica M is
the
> >> ultimate pro camera that is used more by "non-pros" than by pros,
because
> >> the majorit of today's pros have been forced by the demands of their
jobs
> >to
> >> use autoeverything cameras.
> >>
> >> B. D.
> >
> >Any camera with a possible exception of a Sinar P has a thousand non pros
> >using
> >it for every pro.
> >
> >It hasn't been established that Leica has lost market share with pros
over
> >the
> >past autoeverything decade.
> >If it is true that Leica has lost market share to pro's which I doubt I
> >doubt is
> >it because the demands of their jobs required autoeverything cameras.
> >Talk to ten pros. How many of them have skate boarders rushing at them at
a
> >million miles an hour with the light changing?
> >We've been though this before but...
> > ...and therefore feel they really need and do really need the modern
> >automation.
> >I suggest such fast breaking photography is not typical to most pros work
> >and
> >that they know it.
> >But the modern cameras are just to wonderful to pass up. They may not
care.
> >I
> >used them for a few years and I feel I mastered them.
> >
> >I say to the doubters, shoot with an M6 for a week or two and you'll find
> >out
> >why there is a long list of top pros who have that camera as their
favored
> >one.
> >You want to tell these greats who we all know that their camera is not a
> pro
> >camera!
> >They will show you their ledger and their photos and look whimsical.
> >And there are less dramatic examples of pros who always have an M6 around
> >even
> >if it's not their main camera but wouldn't dream of leaving it at home.
> Lots
> >of
> >photogs are in that category.
> >The M6 remains the most desired and respected and used cameras among
other
> >than dilettantes.
> >
> >I had doubts in the beginning as was only going to use mine for my
personal
> >work. What initially helped change it first and most was a current shot
of
> a
> >war
> >photographer with a slew of M6's slung all around him. He had just been
in
> a
> >war
> >was dodging bullets, diving in trenches and had brought back the shots as
> >always
> >with his Leica M6's.
> >Covered with dust and dirt and Leicas he looked serious,
> >and professional.
> >Mark Rabiner
> >
>
>