Sold Everything For A Leica

Roger Cole · Mar 3, 2016

Ken Nadvornick said:
This is APUG, dammit. He needs to buy both the M6 and the M4. And more lenses.

What's wrong with you people...?

Ken

And the Hasselblad. Don't forget the Hassleblad.

And after that we can send him off to acquire a Gandolfi, maybe a superbly restored Deardorf...

blockend · Mar 3, 2016

I'd give out the same advice to anyone whatever their age. People are free to draw their own conclusions, but I'd urge caution on the "one ring, er, camera to bind them all" approach that's so prevalent in photography, especially if that camera is a Leica. This being an internet forum they are then completely free to ignore the advice. If people don't want opinions, it's best not to post on web sites that are full of people with them. Purchasing a camera, any camera, is the least difficult part of becoming an interesting photographer, and I don't believe it merits a lengthy thread. The cheer-leading mindset leads to the horror of un-boxing videos.

That said, I wish the OP good luck with his photography and his degree.

guangong · Mar 3, 2016

Many years ago I did as the OP...took my Pentax spotmatics and several lenses to Willy Schwarz, owner of Foto View Central in nyc and traded it all for an M4 and 50mm sumacron and never regretted my trade. Then, little by little accumulated more cameras and accessories than I will ever need. Willi was a Viennese gentleman of the old school who admired cameras and lenses from Germany above all. Are there any apug members from nyc who remember Photo View Central, located not to far fron Grand Central Station?

E. von Hoegh · Mar 3, 2016

Bah Humbug. I sold my Leicas - a Pair of M3s and a IIIG decades ago.
Now I have a real camera - a Contax II.

Roger Cole · Mar 3, 2016

I just think that advice should be reserved for times when people actually ask for it, and even then offered only very carefully. If someone asked about how to balance study and hobby, that's one thing. Someone just saying they're in school and bought a Leica - well whether or not one approves of that choice, it isn't the matter for discussion. Maybe "too much information" was provided in the sense he could have just said "I use my university darkroom, and I just sold my other gear and bought the Leica I always wanted" and let it go at that and probably no one would have said anything. But being a bit prone to over-share myself I sympathize.

If anything, I found that being in college felt like I had far more freedom than after. Of course there are study obligations but otherwise very few worries for most people at that age, no concerns about employment stability, no mortgage payments to meet, generally few family obligations etc. It's certainly a time to study but also a time to explore life and enjoy being young and relatively care-free. At least that's my view. I'd love to do it over again, especially if I could know what I know now. But that line of thinking leads to my frequent complaint about how "youth is wasted on the young" and we've far too much crotchety old guys growling here already.

ColColt · Mar 3, 2016

alex2293 · Mar 3, 2016

First, congratulation for the great camera you bought.

I am studying mechanical engineering in Quebec. I am finishing my third year, one and half to go.

I think that today's engineering studies are probably not the easiest ones, but in the end I'll get a job, a good one. So spending a thousand or two on a camera is not the end of the world. In fact it is a far better investment than buying 50$ of beer/pizza/bar every week for 4 years or going to Cuba during spring break and the hours spent on photography are relaxing. Study breaks are needed, no one can study 24/7. The value of this kit is not going down, although in a few years you probably will not want to sell it because you took great photos of your college years with it.

Keep studying and having fun at the same time.

Alex.

Sirius Glass · Mar 3, 2016

Enjoy the journey as well as your education. I am a retired hardware-software systems engineer who taught in Universities, conducted research, wrote books, invented and was a director of engineering. Hint: you are allowed to take photographs along the way as long as it is not classified stuff.

CropDusterMan · Mar 4, 2016

Man...as I look back on it...this thread was a disaster. Quite a shame.

blockend · Mar 4, 2016

If it's been a disaster, it's because people perceive anything except gushing admiration as a personal attack. APUG isn't Instagram or the Lomography forum, it's full of practical advice and strong opinions. Our critical faculties have been softened by exposure to universal platitudes, and it does people no favours. I checked the original post to see if it warranted comment, here's what I thought worthy of note:

"The first thing i posted on apug was my new Canon A1, at the end of 2014. Heres's a quick update.

Since then i have started university to study Engineering and last month sold pretty much all of my equipment and bought a Leica M6 + Voigtlander 35mm 1.4".
The wisdom of that is debatable, but it's a common theme. I always want to ask "why?" and what is it the new camera offers the old one lacks? People almost never tell us, and I think it's a legitimate question.

"I found an old darkroom at my uni, filled with enlargers and old equipment so have started developing/scanning/printing (Actual Printing) my own stuff and it's great".
Excellent news, most institutions have scrapped their darkrooms long ago.

"I had never used a rangefinder before but i got kinda bored of my F3+50 1.2, the F3 is the best slr i have ever used and will buy another when im no longer a poor student".
He bought a different type of camera on spec, while thinking his old one was the best he'd ever used. And why an f1.2 lens? More questions.

"So yeah dropped a big chunk of my student loan on this and couldn't be happier with it, perfect camera and perfect darkroom setup".
We've done this point.
It still reads like someone making a potentially expensive leap in the dark. It's one he's fully entitled to make, but to say the thread only warrants unalloyed praise and not a single caveat is not born out by the information provided. If people want mindless superlatives there are no shortage of forums offering "Wow!", "Cool!", and "Amazing!" as the limit of their critical insight. APUG generally reaches higher, and those who see only grouchiness and cold water might be better suited to social networking sites. I'd still like to know the OPs train of thought, and don't think it rude to ask or comment. YMMV.

Roger Cole · Mar 4, 2016

I haven't heard ANYONE say it "only warrants unalloyed praise." What *I* have said, and I think what many others agree about, is that it's on APUG and warrants only conversation about Leicas, rangefinders, using university darkrooms and other matters related to the photographic discussion. It doesn't warrant unsolicited financial or educational advice. Well meaning or not, well reasoned or not, he didn't ask for it so people should keep that to themselves.

blockend · Mar 4, 2016

Roger Cole said:
I haven't heard ANYONE say it "only warrants unalloyed praise." What *I* have said, and I think what many others agree about, is that it's on APUG and warrants only conversation about Leicas, rangefinders, using university darkrooms and other matters related to the photographic discussion. It doesn't warrant unsolicited financial or educational advice. Well meaning or not, well reasoned or not, he didn't ask for it so people should keep that to themselves.

Any information offered is potentially of interest. Not to you, perhaps, but if I say I bought my Leica from a one-legged brothel keeper in exchange for the location of the Florentine Diamond, your first question might not be 2 lug or 3 lug, rangefinder thread or not. If people don't want the context to a purchase to be part of the thread, there's a simple answer.

Roger Cole · Mar 4, 2016

Oh? And the "simple answer" to a question you haven't even explained or asked would be?

You probably mean just not to say anything about how he financed the purchase. I suspect many people are rather like I am - they type quickly, tend to over-verbalize and over-share, at least in the view of many more reticent types, and don't really give much thought to every single thing they include, just telling a story of the camera acquisition.

Whatever. I prefer people to mind their own damned business when it comes to things like that.

Sirius Glass · Mar 4, 2016

Roger Cole said:
I haven't heard ANYONE say it "only warrants unalloyed praise." What *I* have said, and I think what many others agree about, is that it's on APUG and warrants only conversation about Leicas, rangefinders, using university darkrooms and other matters related to the photographic discussion. It doesn't warrant unsolicited financial or educational advice. Well meaning or not, well reasoned or not, he didn't ask for it so people should keep that to themselves.

Roger, I do not understand why your upset. The OP over-verbalizied and over-shared. When my oldest was in college, I told her that she had to stop using my credit card to spend $1,000 a month when her room and board were already paid by me. When she did not stop, I called in the credit card as lost. She was embarrassed in front of her friends and called me. When I told her why I did it, she said, "But my best friend's parents had just done the same thing!" I said well I guess there is a pattern. She got the message. College student parents should stick together. You need to get the twist out of your panties.

calebarchie · Mar 4, 2016

Why isn't this thread locked yet?

SchwinnParamount · Mar 5, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
Roger, I do not understand why your upset. The OP over-verbalizied and over-shared. When my oldest was in college, I told her that she had to stop using my credit card to spend $1,000 a month when her room and board were already paid by me. When she did not stop, I called in the credit card as lost. She was embarrassed in front of her friends and called me. When I told her why I did it, she said, "But my best friend's parents had just done the same thing!" I said well I guess there is a pattern. She got the message. College student parents should stick together. You need to get the twist out of your panties.

What Sirius Glass said... Except that I might have typed "you're" instead of "your"

darkosaric · Mar 5, 2016

i dont know what is the usual way in the States - but here in the old continent* usually one must work during studies. i did, my sister did, almost all friend that I know did. there are lucky exceptions, but not much.

*of course i dont know the situation in whole Europe, I speak about Germany, Poland, Croatia and some other countries that i am familiar.

baachitraka · Mar 5, 2016

I worked for €400-600 to pay rent, insurance and beers. But it was hard to focus on studies though.

blockend · Mar 5, 2016

Roger Cole said:
Whatever. I prefer people to mind their own damned business when it comes to things like that.

The internet doesn't work like that. Nor is the thread about this poster's financial arrangements. It's descended into people kicking up a stink and seeing offence where none is intended. I am genuinely fascinated why people sell a camera "they love" and intend buying again, to finance a camera with which they are unfamiliar. People habitually sell entire systems to replace it with a single camera, then announce the fact to the world. What is the appropriate response to such a post? Mind your own business? Well done? What the hell were you thinking, if anything?

Vaughn · Mar 5, 2016

darkosaric said:
i dont know what is the usual way in the States - but here in the old continent* usually one must work during studies. i did, my sister did, almost all friend that I know did. there are lucky exceptions, but not much.

I did not. Instead I took a quarter off each year and worked longer in the summer, plus some time to travel to photograph inbetween school and working. I tell people I graduated two years early on a ten-year degree program, lol. As I was a Natural Resources Management major, the summer jobs were with the US Forest Service and related to my major. That way, my time in school could be spent concentrating on my studies (which seemed to include a photo class at least once a year). But this was at a time when I could go to uni for about $250 a month (includes rent/food/tuition/books/gas). Not enough money for beer, though. For that, I put signs up in the Art Dept saying that I would cut window mats in exchange for beer (tho the faculty generally paid cash).

Sirius Glass · Mar 5, 2016

SchwinnParamount said:
What Sirius Glass said... Except that I might have typed "you're" instead of "your"

mehguy · Mar 16, 2016

This thread has turned into how the OP should partition his funds more so than talking about the camera itself.

Pioneer · Mar 16, 2016

Enjoy the Leica. It is a magnificent camera and worth every cent you paid for it. I have a wonderful M3 and an even nicer MA. If I had followed the advice of most who have posted here I would never have been able to buy the MA.

Take as many photographs as you possibly can and continue to learn. If you want, take some time off and take even more photos. Don't get too concerned about the financial advice posted here. I suspect there may be just a touch of jealousy involved.

Each and everyone of us spends our money as we please until we get married. After we get married we still spend our money as we please but we never seem to have as much as we had before.

Sooner or later the government gets its own back, no matter what we do.

Xmas · Mar 16, 2016

In life you have gotta learn who is giving you good advice and follow it and who is giving bad advice and not even tell them it is bad advice...

I use LTM lenses Canon and Cosina Voightlander on my M2s, can't tell any difference from the Leica lenses cept I sold the Leica ones for a pretty penny.

NB23 · Mar 17, 2016

I say let's kill the OP

Bwaaahahaa

Sold Everything For A Leica

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