Doing my Leica Duty

[NB23]

In a trendy part of the city, saw a guy with a Sony.

I opened my watery eyes, pointed at him with a slightly idiotic look on my face, and excitedly asked him “WOW IS THAT A LEICA??”

- no, it’s a Sony
-oh gosh, sorry.

———
I probably made his day.

 

[Huss]

How can you confuse a TV with a camera?

 

[Paul Howell]

Wow, a Leica and a Sony. Although I've had folk on the street ask me how any MPs my Mamiya Press has.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

I would have taken the 'Is that a Minolta?!' angle but that probably wouldn't have elicited a thoughtful response either.

Users of Sony digital gear probably like to be thought of as Leica-adjacent, so the query was still in the ballpark.

 

[NB23]

I don’t discriminate, ANY and ALL cameras qualify for my good’ole “WOW IS THAT A LEICA?”.

The only condition is that is has to be in a trendy neighborhood, to be fully effective.

 

[MattKing]

Well, if it had been a Panasonic, it might have had Leica on the lens .....

 

[Huss]

I don’t discriminate, ANY and ALL cameras qualify for my good’ole “WOW IS THAT A LEICA?”.

The only condition is that is has to be in a trendy neighborhood, to be fully effective.

Oh, a Sony is a camera? I thought he was leaving BestBuy with a new 50" OLED TV.

 

[Huss]

Well, if it had been a Panasonic, it might have had Leica on the lens .....

This is why I modify my Leicas so people know what I am using. That way they know my pics will be incredible in advance, and so get out of my way.

 

[Huss]

Also an optical lens helps people ID your Leica

 

[madNbad]

Just be sure there're red dots and not Red Hots. The Red Hots tend to melt.

 

[Huss]

Just be sure there're red dots and not Red Hots. The Red Hots tend to melt.

I recommend Red Hots if you use a Kiev.

 

[__Brian]

I was at a Folk Festival almost 20 years ago, had my Leica M3 and Summicron taking pictures of a Scotsman in a Kilt, playing Bagpipes.

He stopped, and called out "Is that a Kodak Retina!"

"No, it's just a Leica."

He was disappointed, but I explained that Leicas were almost as good.

 

[Huss]

I was at a Folk Festival almost 20 years ago, had my Leica M3 and Summicron taking pictures of a Scotsman in a Kilt, playing Bagpipes.

He stopped, and called out "Is that a Kodak Retina!"

"No, it's just a Leica."

He was disappointed, but I explained that Leicas were almost as good.

Well he was Scottish and if you ever lived in the UK there is a certain known frugality about them. (No idea if justified)

 

[NB23]

I was at a Folk Festival almost 20 years ago, had my Leica M3 and Summicron taking pictures of a Scotsman in a Kilt, playing Bagpipes.

He stopped, and called out "Is that a Kodak Retina!"

"No, it's just a Leica."

He was disappointed, but I explained that Leicas were almost as good.

Damnnnn, that guy outplayed me, and 20 years ago at that!!

From now on whenever I see another Leica will ask if it’s a Hasselblad. Kodak retina is most probably a lost refeence on the modern Leica user.

 

[BrianShaw]

Well he was Scottish and if you ever lived in the UK there is a certain known frugality about them. (No idea if justified)

It is justified, and considered a valuable positive attribute that lasts for many generations.

 

[Huss]

It is justified, and considered a valuable positive attribute that lasts for many generations.

Totally agree.

 

[rulnacco]

From now on whenever I see another Leica will ask if it’s a Hasselblad. Kodak retina is most probably a lost refeence on the modern Leica user.

If it's a chrome Leica, you could ask them all excitedly if it's a Zorki. That might fall flat as the proverbial lead balloon for the reason you've cited, but if it's a hipster who's actually done some homework, it might elicit the desired response. (If the first of those happens, you'll probably *get* the desired response, but only after the user has a chance to Google it, so you may not be around for the lolz.)

 

[__Brian]

The Scotsman that asked me- explained his Father had used a Kodak Retina when he was growing up. For that day- wish I had brought the Retina IIIc or IIa. The Schneider Xenon 5cm F2 is a first rate lens.

 

[gone]

The barista once asked me if my camera was a film camera, or a digital camera made to look like a film camera. That was a pretty savvy question. I told her neither, it was steam powered.

 

[gone]

If it's a chrome Leica, you could ask them all excitedly if it's a Zorki.

I can't wait to try this out, just to see their face.

 

[__Brian]

The barista once asked me if my camera was a film camera, or a digital camera made to look like a film camera. That was a pretty savvy question. I told her neither, it was steam powered.

There was one camera that used CO2 cartridges for the film advance.

 

[NB23]

You shoulda seen today’s Rolleiflex guy’s absurd reaction to my “WOW IS THIS A LEICA?”

Boy I looked stupid

 

[film_man]

I saw someone with a Leica M246 the other day and I said "IS THAT A LEICA?" and he said yes and I said "Yeah I know I have the exact same one in this bag" and we cried and then two rainbows came out in the sky even though it was cloudless and they were black and white because we both had monochrom Leicas and I found a penny on the street so now I am 1p richer. Goodnight.

 

[NB23]

I saw someone with a Leica M246 the other day and I said "IS THAT A LEICA?" and he said yes and I said "Yeah I know I have the exact same one in this bag" and we cried and then two rainbows came out in the sky even though it was cloudless and they were black and white because we both had monochrom Leicas and I found a penny on the street so now I am 1p richer. Goodnight.

That was a great “wow is that a Fuji?” opportunity IMO.

 

[Huss]

That was a great “wow is that a Fuji?” opportunity IMO.

I carry a whole selection of cameras with me so I can pick the right one for the situation.