That's why Leicas are so expensive

darkosaric · Sep 8, 2012

georg16nik said:
You guys happen to own a dog example camera that has been examined by Frankenstein beforehand?

Problem was in my case that from around 15 Soviet cameras that I had only one was working without problem, all other were problematic. Then I gave up. I wanted to save money by not buying Leica - and Soviet cameras cost me much money on the end. Maybe that is why I feel little hostility toward Soviet cameras. But with Soviet lenses I don't have an issue .

davela · Sep 8, 2012

darkosaric said:
Problem was in my case that from around 15 Soviet cameras that I had only one was working without problem, all other were problematic. Then I gave up. I wanted to save money by not buying Leica - and Soviet cameras cost me much money on the end. Maybe that is why I feel little hostility toward Soviet cameras. But with Soviet lenses I don't have an issue .

I agree about the lenses. Some of them are good bargains for the money. My favorite is the early 5cm F3.5 Collapsible (by Fed and others). The Jupiter-12 is pretty good too - not a Biogon by any stretch of imagination, but good optics for the price. A fair number of the lenses have factory defects, but enough are OK to make it worth checking out if one is one a budget.

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 8, 2012

One does not exclude the other. Just because I enjoy the tools I use doesn't mean I don't enjoy the rest of it. Why not enjoy ALL of it?

Dali said:
I am enthusiastic with my practice, not the tools I use, being car, motorcycle or camera.

summicron1 · Sep 8, 2012

darkosaric said:
Problem was in my case that from around 15 Soviet cameras that I had only one was working without problem, all other were problematic. Then I gave up. I wanted to save money by not buying Leica - and Soviet cameras cost me much money on the end. Maybe that is why I feel little hostility toward Soviet cameras. But with Soviet lenses I don't have an issue .

reminds me of the time i tried buying a kiev 88 -- the damn thing had to go back three times in the space of a month and after the second time I was scared to even pick it up, and when I did and just tried working the shutter a few times it went kaflooey again and i swear pieces started falling out.

back it went on a one-way trip and I spent the rest of the month hugging my Rolleiflex.

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 8, 2012

I do understand where Thomas is coming from. I also enjoy cooking. I used to buy cheap knifes. I splurged and bought a $30 Henkle paring knife. It feels like a part of my hand. The cheap $10 are still good, but they're not so well balanced, doesn't fit my hand has well and I have to sharpen them more. Having an expensive knife won't make me a better cook. The only way to get better is to practice. Cooking is very much like Photography. It's an art, science and a craft.

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 9, 2012

Mainecoonmaniac said:
I do understand where Thomas is coming from. I also enjoy cooking. I used to buy cheap knifes. I splurged and bought a $30 Henkle paring knife. It feels like a part of my hand. The cheap $10 are still good, but they're not so well balanced, doesn't fit my hand has well and I have to sharpen them more. Having an expensive knife won't make me a better cook. The only way to get better is to practice. Cooking is very much like Photography. It's an art, science and a craft.

Spend $80 on a handmade Japanese paring knife and you'll wonder how you ever stood for the Henkel.

Slixtiesix · Sep 9, 2012

I find that German cars lack any soul whatsoever. They're just cold and efficient.

Funny, since that´s exactly what´s my impression of japanese cars. I must also admit that design-wise, German cars are becoming more ugly every year now IMO, but I really adore many vehicles from the late 80s and early 90s, especially Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes and BMW. I´m a Bentley-Fan too!

Thomas Bertilsson · Sep 9, 2012

Different people like different things. Cars, knives, etc.

I think my point was that I do enjoy photography whether I use the Pentax or the Hasselblad, or the Leica. But I enjoy it more with certain tools than others, and that elevates the enjoyment to a higher level. If the tools fit how I work I can focus more on the pictures and their content; it becomes synergistic in a way. That's just my experience, and might not apply to others.

Cars and knives? I use the best I can afford. German blades and Korean wheels. A nice cutting board helps too. Just like a nice tripod does. The less any of it gets in the way of 'doing', the better it is, for me anyway. I like to not tinker with the equipment, and only tinker with what I'm creating/experiencing , be it meal, print, or a road trip. For others this might be complete nonsense.

- Thomas

Mainecoonmaniac · Sep 9, 2012

It's really not about the stuff. Stuff is nice, but cameras allow us to make photos for people to enjoy. Knifes allow us to cook meals for friends and family. Cars allows us to take trips that make memories. Zen saying about the most useful part a bowl is the empty space. Consumerism can make us fixated on the bowl and forget about the useful empty space.

Chris Lange · Sep 9, 2012

Schott glass is only as good as any other kind of glass after proper usage of a shot glass...

Red Robin · Sep 10, 2012

i now own perhaps 15 or so camera systems. When I returned to film photography it was with a 3rd hand XGM. Much-much different than my old P&S Kodak's of the '50's &'60's. To me learning any skill involves a lot of study, practice, and thought. One of the early readings was of Mike Johnson. His suggestion was to purchase a Leica, any Leica, and use it exclusively for one year , I should have listened. Now I have a lot of good to pretty good cameras but use only a few . saving up for the best now makes a lot of since now . An old song stated "once you've had the best, it's hard to settle for anything less- -once you've had the best". I get it. So now I'm finally saving up for my Leica. .. ... could a' been using it and still had a pile of cash. Go figure. .. ...

Dali · Sep 10, 2012

Red Robin said:
i now own perhaps 15 or so camera systems. When I returned to film photography it was with a 3rd hand XGM. Much-much different than my old P&S Kodak's of the '50's &'60's. To me learning any skill involves a lot of study, practice, and thought. One of the early readings was of Mike Johnson. His suggestion was to purchase a Leica, any Leica, and use it exclusively for one year , I should have listened. Now I have a lot of good to pretty good cameras but use only a few . saving up for the best now makes a lot of since now . An old song stated "once you've had the best, it's hard to settle for anything less- -once you've had the best". I get it. So now I'm finally saving up for my Leica. .. ... could a' been using it and still had a pile of cash. Go figure. .. ...

Leica, the snake oil of photography...

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 10, 2012

Mainecoonmaniac said:
It's really not about the stuff. Stuff is nice, but cameras allow us to make photos for people to enjoy. Knifes allow us to cook meals for friends and family. Cars allows us to take trips that make memories. Zen saying about the most useful part a bowl is the empty space. Consumerism can make us fixated on the bowl and forget about the useful empty space.

Yes, in my many travels I've seen Buddhist monks out begging with their alms bowls, the bowls were very utilitarian and seemed to work fine. I did not ask if their bowl manufacturer made cameras too but if they did I doubt it would be one I'd enjoy using even if it got the job done adequately.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 10, 2012

Chris Lange said:
Schott glass is only as good as any other kind of glass after proper usage of a shot glass...

Now I want a Schott glass shot glass.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 10, 2012

Red Robin said:
i now own perhaps 15 or so camera systems. When I returned to film photography it was with a 3rd hand XGM. Much-much different than my old P&S Kodak's of the '50's &'60's. To me learning any skill involves a lot of study, practice, and thought. One of the early readings was of Mike Johnson. His suggestion was to purchase a Leica, any Leica, and use it exclusively for one year , I should have listened. Now I have a lot of good to pretty good cameras but use only a few . saving up for the best now makes a lot of since now . An old song stated "once you've had the best, it's hard to settle for anything less- -once you've had the best". I get it. So now I'm finally saving up for my Leica. .. ... could a' been using it and still had a pile of cash. Go figure. .. ...

There is no more expensive tool than a bad one.

That's why Leicas are so expensive

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