Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/02/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Wouldn't you rather see Porsche buy Leica instead of BMW? ;-) Kit - -----Original Message----- From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Martin Howard Sent: Sunday, February 23, 2003 5:04 PM To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica does it again Adam Bridge wrote: > On 2/23/03 Martin Howard wrote: > >> >> Can't BMW buy out Leica and beat some sense into these scarfmakers? >> > > Yeah yeah - I want a dual overhead-cam Leica that goes 0-60 in 35 > frames. Hehe, well, maybe not ;) But it seems to me that Leica were in a position to be perhaps the last manufacturer of truly useful, truly bulletproof, truly high quality photographic gear, for those of us who would rather not throw away our EOS-whatever when it breaks and get a new one. They've done wonderful things with their lenses and, while many will disagree with me, I think the R8 is a fantastic example of ergonomic design. But Leica's legacy in the the rangefinders. While digital photography is increasing, I find that shooting film and scanning it is -- at least for the forseeable future -- capable of providing better quality and flexibility than digital cameras. OK, so it may not be fast enough for D1s wielding PJs shooting sports, or UN conventions, but there are a lot of photographers out there who do not fall into that bracket. It seems to me that one of the Leica rangefinder's strengths is it's suitability as a tool for capturing and documenting everyday life. And with the increasing availability, quality, and affordability of web publishing it strikes me as the near perfect tool for that -- combined with an aforementioned film scanner. If an image captures someone's eye, they can still get an archivally processed, selenium toned, 16x20" FB print to hang on the wall. To my mind, with this latest "offering", Leica has finally proven that it has ceased to manufacture photographic equipment and is wholly devoted to designing and producing fashion accessories for people who probably could care less about the photographic qualities as long as the brand name is right and the price sufficiently exhorbitant. Rather than seeing digital photography and cross-media publishing as a challenge and an opportunity, Leica appears to be sticking it's head in the sand, showing its arse to the world and pretending that we're all stupid enough to be fooled by a company who's sole purpose these days seems to be to commemorate its own glorious past by releasing lesser-quality, basterdized versions of past cameras. Not that I care: I have my M2 and M6TTL and I doubt very much that I'll ever buy any Leica M camera manufactured after the year 2000. I am, however, looking forward to seeing what Cosina/Voigtländer will be producing in the future. M. - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html