Leica Interesting Video: Sold all his gear to switch to Leica

My aversion of shooting with a Leica is not about other folks recognizing the brand. Ok, I guess that might be a tiny sliver of it, certainly less than 1%. Another maybe 2% would be just making myself a target for thieves, but as you note, most folks don't recognize the significance of the red dot and I assume that holds true for most street criminals. The remaining 97+% is mostly down to my own understanding of what my needs in a camera are. Or maybe that's just how I keep myself from catching a case of red dot fever. ;)

- K

I'm broadly generalising, but common street thieves don't know what they're stealing.

I saw this article in the news a few days ago where some valuable art was stolen from a museum, one of those pieces of rare art was found on eBay for $250:


Street thieves are just targetting tourists with big fancy cameras, I can't imagine they'd know what the red dot means. I've never seen any logic in putting black tape over the dot.
 
I will pass then, joining that club in terms of picture quality is not worth the investment. Thanks for your thoughts

It's like auto racing. Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? Like it or not, Leica does offer some lovely images. I cannot account for that but I can observe it. Maybe if I shot the same lens on the M9 and then on the A7M III I would not be so enamored of Leica. Then again, maybe I would be.
 
Depends on the model and condition, most are worth repairing. I was given a pair, both needed some light work.

If you want a good rangefinder for film, the Canon P is an excellent choice. These go in the $200 range with a lens.

Retirement- I've been asked to setup an internship program for computer engineering. I've worked with students as interns for 25 years.

A fellow I know who has also retired, a CE, and loves retirement because he gets to do all the things he always wanted to do. Last year it was perfecting his pizza. And as a Purdue CE you know he was long in "lab" work. He sorted out the best pizza flour, best sauce, best cheese, best topping, best oven and even the best peel. The year before it was mastering BBQ smoked meats. His neighbors love him and he is having a great time, and eating really well.

That has been the joy for me, too. First it was recording music and I got pretty good at that. Now back to cameras. I do what I want, when I want and enjoy it and learning how to do it a mite better. I worked 40+ years for this and really enjoy it. You will, too. Every day is Saturday. When I had a job my neighbor retired from the local fire department. He told me after he retired when he washed his car the whole day was shot. He didn't know how he got anything done when he was working. ;o)
 
I'd like a Leica rangefinder, because I really enjoy real rangefinder focusing and composing, and Leica is the only one currently making real rangefinders. If someone else wants to make a good rangefinder with an M mount, I'd be interested.

Careful shopping will land you a Leica RF. I got in with an M8.2 which is a respectable camera. Watch eBay for a few months and get a feel for the market. If this is not a good time do you really think next year will be better?
 
And, lots of painkillers ... :( .

This is my painkiller:

2022-03-27_07-26-30.jpg
 
I understand what you're saying, but for me it might be the opposite. If I had a camera and lens worth north of $5K I think I would feel self-conscious, unworthy and a bit embarrassed every time I pulled it out of the bag.

Please don't misinterpret this as any judgement against you or any proud Leica owner. I don't begrudge those who use them, it's just not for me. Besides, it'll take a LOT of improvement on my part to get to the point that the relatively pedestrian gear I own is holding me back.

- K
I once entered Leica's annual contest in the hopes of winning the Grand Prize, a digital Leica rangefinder and their f/.95 50mm lens. When I told my better half, she said, "Would you be comfortable walking around with a camera/lens combo that is worth the price of a car?" I had to admit I would not; it would be like owning an original 427 Cobra sports car. Now they are worth $500,000. I would be terrified to take it out in traffic . . .
 
I once entered Leica's annual contest in the hopes of winning the Grand Prize, a digital Leica rangefinder and their f/.95 50mm lens. When I told my better half, she said, "Would you be comfortable walking around with a camera/lens combo that is worth the price of a car?" I had to admit I would not; it would be like owning an original 427 Cobra sports car. Now they are worth $500,000. I would be terrified to take it out in traffic . . .

Owning that kind of car is different though. Another photographer is not likely to crash his Sony point-n-shoot into your Leica M11.
 
I once entered Leica's annual contest in the hopes of winning the Grand Prize, a digital Leica rangefinder and their f/.95 50mm lens. When I told my better half, she said, "Would you be comfortable walking around with a camera/lens combo that is worth the price of a car?" I had to admit I would not; it would be like owning an original 427 Cobra sports car. Now they are worth $500,000. I would be terrified to take it out in traffic . . .

OTOH you can take the low-roller route I have followed. As I posted above I got in with an M8.2, under US$3K. I then picked up an M9 for a similar price. My current favorite lens is a '57 KMZ 50mm Jupiter 8, eBay for US$65, delivered. The most I have spent for a lens on eBay is ~US$400 for a Canon 28mm LTM f/2.8, worth the price. I have a Canon 50mm LTM f/1.8 recommended by a moderator here and it is a really lovely lens, <US$150. I also have a Jupiter 9 and a Jupiter 11 which came in at <US$150 each. If you want to get within spitting distance of Leica lenses, Voigtländer will do it for a reasonable price.

The M9/J8 combo will do yeoman work for a reasonable price. I do not know about you but the limiting factor for me is me. The M9 will give you beautiful color. Just about any lens I have put on it works very well. If this is not a good time to buy the gear will next year be better? You are getting older, not younger. Buy it now and be using it. They will not depreciate much more than where they are now so you can get most of your money back if you change your mind. It is not like owning a 427 Cobra in terms of a price/performance relationship. An M9 or an M240 are both pretty affordable. Each has it pluses and minuses.

Am I biased? Of course. So?
 
I once entered Leica's annual contest in the hopes of winning the Grand Prize, a digital Leica rangefinder and their f/.95 50mm lens. When I told my better half, she said, "Would you be comfortable walking around with a camera/lens combo that is worth the price of a car?" I had to admit I would not; it would be like owning an original 427 Cobra sports car. Now they are worth $500,000. I would be terrified to take it out in traffic . . .

Also, I would 100% enter a competition to win an eexpensive car. If I won it, I'd sell it at a 25% discount and still make a lot of money.
 
Teetotaller since 1986 here. Family history of alcoholism ... :( .

Besides, alcohol is contraindicated with at least half of my (many) medications.

My lumbar spine is just short of comprehensively knackered - 5 discs and all the facet joints. My heart is in roughly comparable condition. Several other 'minor' issues :rofl: .

But, I'm still here; thanks mainly to medical science, good doctors and hospitals.
 
Teetotaller since 1986 here. Family history of alcoholism ... :( .

Besides, alcohol is contraindicated with at least half of my (many) medications.

My lumbar spine is just short of comprehensively knackered - 5 discs and all the facet joints. My heart is in roughly comparable condition. Several other 'minor' issues :rofl: .

But, I'm still here; thanks mainly to medical science, good doctors and hospitals.

I understand. Beer is not necessarily the best medication out there. Nor is it a recommended remedy by the medical association. Speaking as someone who is a published (ex)medical scientist.
 
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