Re: [Leica] Put Up or Shut Up

[Ed Buziak <ed.buziak@camera-and-darkroom.co.uk>]

Marc,

Mike Johnston is a fine journalist and a photo magazine editor... as such he
hears many things, some of which cannot be passed on openly. Although more
of a "rookie", as you say across the pond, I am in a similar position and
have heard opinions on the matter from someone who knows more about
repairing (and, thus, the construction of) Leicas than most today... like he
has serviced around *one hundred* Leica-250s!

After I sold my M6 and replaced it with an M3 I asked my friend if the
earlier model was indeed a better instrument, as it truly felt, but do you
know, his "wise-old-owl" reply was...

    "...if you are attracted by the features which are exemplified by
rangefinder camera design, then    
    despite its age, the M3 is still an excellent choice. However, the Leica
M series has evolved and
    doubtless will continue to do so. The current M6 with its TTL metering
really does provide the
    photographer with a tool that is capable of excellent results." 

I can't tell you what he *really* said because (like Mike rightfully argues)
it's off the record. But I feel confident enough, having been told by an
authority, to pass the information on as *fact* if I am asked... and would
feel rather disappointed to receive the retort "so much BS" for my
unattributed advice. Mike and fellow editors (and Erwin) may or may not know
something from time to time of what is being planned for the future at
Solms, Tokyo and elsewhere... and we receive "secret" internet addresses
which show products and press releases for inclusion in forthcoming
publications... we can't tell you even if we wanted to... and even if we did
we couldn't reveal our sources, period!

Ed Buziak / Publisher
"Camera & Darkroom"

ed.buziak@camera-and-darkroom.co.uk

* Web site under construction *

- ----------
>From: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
>To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: [Leica] Put Up or Shut Up
>Date: Wed, Jan 19, 2000, 3:20 pm
>

>At 08:26 AM 1/19/2000 +0000, Mike Johnston wrote:
>>PMFJI, but the repair people to whom I spoke asked not to be quoted.
>
>Sorry, Mike, but that is so much BS.  By quoting "unquotable" sources, you
>set yourself up to automatically win, as your sources are beyond
>confirmation or refutation.  It's not fair and it's not tolerable in honest
>disputation.
>
>Marc
>
>msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
>Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>