[Leica] Buying Leica.....

[john at mcmaster.co.nz (John McMaster)]

Doesn't matter, there were not the choices that there are now... 

john
________________________________________

But that's 20,000 in 2013 dollars.  How much was that in 1973 dollars?

Tina


On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:48 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz> 
wrote:

> And be able to invest +20K USD into it? That is the the entry level for a
> basic two camera kit these days....  It can/will go much higher with
> certain lenses ;-)
>
> john
> ________________________________________
>
>
> I think if I were buying today I would look at photos made by photographers
> using Leicas and photographers using disposable Fujis and come to the same
> conclusion I did 40 years ago.
>
> Tina
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:23 PM, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.nz>
> wrote:
>
> > Agreed, but that is with hindsight.
> >
> > If you were buying now, with no experience of Leica, could you justify
> the
> > cost over half a dozen 'disposable' Fujis? We are talking a couple of
> > cameras and a few lenses so somewhere over 20K USD initial investment....
> >
> > john
> > ________________________________________
> >
> >
> > I also bought a Leica 40 years ago because I knew it would stand up under
> > all kinds of conditions that other cameras would not.  I still feel that
> is
> > true with my digital Leicas.  I don't know what the reason is, but I've
> > never had a problem with my digital cameras that wasn't fixed immediately
> > by Leica.  I dunked two M8s in a river, dried them by a fire, and they
> kept
> > working.  Maybe I'm just lucky when it comes to cameras but I still
> believe
> > in Leica.  I don't think I could have dunked my Canon 1DMII or 5D in a
> > river and still had them work.  I love the simplicity of the Leica menus,
> > buttons and knobs that I can use in the dark by feel.  I love rangefinder
> > focusing.  I love my old Leica lenses.  I would put up with a lot of
> quirks
> > to be able to use my old lenses full frame but I don't have to.  I'm a
> > happy camper.
> >
> > Tina
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 7:06 PM, Jim Nichols <jhnichols at lighttube.net
> > >wrote:
> >
> > > 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 <
> > http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist>
> > >>
> > >>