Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/06/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi George, You see things much the way that I do. I bought my first Leica body and lens in 1952, probably much earlier than most on this list. Though the IIIa was made in 1935, it had been serviced and had a new shutter when I got it. Though it definitely needs a CLA, it will make images, reliably, to this day. That is what started my appreciation of Leica products. Their digital products seem to be built for a limited lifetime. The two lines are entirely different, as I see them. I have a difficult time "buying into" their current approach to digital camera bodies. Jim Nichols Tullahoma, TN USA ----- Original Message ----- From: "George Lottermoser" <imagist3 at mac.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org> Sent: Wednesday, June 26, 2013 5:55 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Buying Leica..... > > On Jun 26, 2013, at 5:25 PM, John McMaster wrote: > >> With hindsight I would still go Leica, nothing to touch the lenses for >> different looks and I prefer the simpler operation, but if I had not used >> them what would make me spend 'rather a lot' more on Leica than Fuji? >> Does 'full frame' or the build quality make enough of a difference for >> the price jump to most people? > > The piece of this "to Leica or not to Leica" quandary that throws me > is the relatively recent "lack of reliability and maintenance." > For over 30 years I KNEW that my Leicas would stand up to daily use; > be able to be CLA'd and maintained for the duration of my life. > > When the digital R path ended abruptly - doubt set in. > > Recent stories of lack of parts or repair paths for 5 year old cameras > seems totally unacceptable for "any" camera company; > let alone a high end, premium camera company. > > I expected that, what ever its flaws may be, that I could keep my M8 > making photographs for as long as I chose to hang on to it; > just like every other Leica camera that came before it. > > The idea that $7K camera bodies are simply disposable hardware > with a useable life of a two year warranty - feels totally unacceptable to > me. > If not unacceptable - certainly unaffordable - to me. > > I'm coming from that place where the 50 year old Linhof Tech IV > I just sold works every bit as well the day I handed it to Forrest > as the day it left the factory. > > This whole new device, whether computer, camera body, phone > whatever - simply feels quite "wrong." > > I welcome technological advances and their concomitant costs; > while also expecting that if I choose to remain a couple generations back; > that high priced hardware continue to perform somewhere close to specs; > and be designed for adjustment back to original specs. > > Regards, > George Lottermoser > george at imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com > http://www.imagist.com/blog > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > >