Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] The new MP is out for auction
From: Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2003 07:04:59 -0800
References: <9A205CEA32FED411B6670002A513ABCE195E136E@exlon01.lehman.com>

"Beddoe, Neil" wrote:
> 
> I find eBay an excellent alternative to hiring gear.  Buy something, use it
> for a few months and then sell it for what you paid for it.
> 
> Neil
> 

I find the idea contemptuous.
I think people should buy a camera and take pictures with it. Die with
it. That's the full cycle of the thing.

It's not a baseball card.

Pass it on to your grandchildren. I think that's what a tool Like a
Leica M camera is all about.
It stays in your family for a few generations.

I've got a nephew I've never met just signed up for photography courses
at Columbia University in New York City.
I'm leaving him quite a few zero's worth of cameras in my will.
The kids barely heard of me. For all I know they've kept me a secret. I
hope he gives the Leicas a fair shot before he sells them to buy more Nikons...
or a Chevy Bronco.

Buy a camera, marry it. Get to know all it's nuances.
These people who trade systems every year - ASK TO SEE THEIR PRINTS!
Half the time they won't have any at all the other half it will be a
stupid short stack of un-edited 4x6 machine prints.

The sad fact i feel that most people don't realize
is that once people buy a camera; there's nothing left to do but to take
pictures with it.
 The game is over. It's a tool. You bought it you use it.
It's a shame when the thrill comes from the buying and selling and not
the using.

This buying and selling; buying and selling is not photography.

And as this list is called the Leica USER group. Not Leica BUYER AND
SELLER Group, it's not what we are all about.

But if we run out of money we just SELL SOMETHING ON EBAY (almost as
much fun as buying) and that frees up more loot to then BUY SOMETHING ON
EBAY. So we can keep it for a month and a half.


We had "Guilt" in a tread heading even though it was mostly talking
about something else.

The "Guilt" of buying an expensive camera like a Leica and especially
Leica because it's low tech approach would apparently not justify the expense.

The me the "Guilt" comes from not using the camera. Months later having
few prints to show for it or slides. I see guilt in that.

I cant see any "Guilt" coming from a camera one carries around every day
- -- at any price.

But i do see "Guilt" from complaining about it to give an excuse to
trade it in for a new toy a short time later.

"I think the Canon lenses are better, I'm going Canon"

Me I don't enjoy buying stuff. Makes me very nervous. I sweat blood when
ever i have to spend more than a grand on something. Pink stuff rolls
down my forehead.  And I try to buy stuff as close to home as possible
and from people (camera stores) which already know me. ...a repeat
customer. That way if it DOES screw up I come back there and slap it
down on the counter. And expect another one which works on the spot.

Don't suck us into auction threads folks!  
Money money money. Greed, Avarice, dilettantism.

We need to get back to owning what is ours. Taking care of it properly.
And see what it really can do for us.

As the Ebay mentality takes over more and more our overall concept of
ownership completely fades. We never own anything. We are just playing
auction games with it. Have we enjoyed using it as much as we've enjoyed
buying and selling it?
But more importantly. Have we given the thing a fair shot? I think the
people who designed and built it, marketed it and sold it deserve at
least that.


Mark Rabiner
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.rabinergroup.com
Email: mark@rabinergroup.com
Fax: 503-221-0308
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Replies: Reply from "Nathan Wajsman (private)" <nathanw@bluewin.ch> (Re: Auction site (WAS: [Leica] The new MP is out for auction))
In reply to: Message from "Beddoe, Neil" <nbeddoe@lehman.com> (RE: [Leica] The new MP is out for auction)