At 21:04 8/5/99 , Will von Dauster wrote:
[snip]
>One of the things I like about my Leicas and OMs is that they both seem to
>supply me with just the right amount of technology to do the type of
>photography I like to do. Both are relatively simple and reliable. Both have
>outstanding optics. I feel no need to "upgrade" my cameras on a regular
>basis. The few times I have bought and used different systems, I have latter
>regretted it. I suppose this makes me a marketer's nightmare.
>
>The Arts and Crafts movement (Morris, Ruskin, et al) of the last century and
>early part of this one stressed craftsmanship, and the ideal that it is
>better to have fewer "things," but that those things that one acquires be of
>exquisite quality. In the case of my tools, Olympus and Leica seems to have
>met that criteria well.
[snip]
Just recognize that is the exception today, not the rule.
[Gustav Stickley came from the same mold. He even published a magazine on
how to build some of his furniture so you could do it yourself. An
interesting concept as he was a furniture manufacturer too.]
There are those who buy the Leica because of what it can do know how to use
it to its fullest advantage. For them it is a tool. Then there are the
"wannabes" who buy it to make everyone around them *think* they are a great
photographer, have no idea how to begin to use it effectively, and do not
want to learn (i.e. don't care about their photography). For them personal
image is everything and it becomes jewelry. In the end, it depends on
whether the owner is a photographer or a shutter release pushing camera
holder. I think we have all seen both.
It is unfortunate that Leica, Rollei, Contax (both Kyocera and Zeiss Ikon)
have attracted enough camera holders because of the price tag and mystique
surroundig them. Those who own them become suspect without looking first
at the photographs taken with them. An image conscious camera holder
should do it right and not with one of the aforementioned cameras. See the
following from Stephen Gandy's CameraQuest site:
http://www.jetlink.net/~cameras/imagecon.htm
Stephen has the right idea on how to do it properly ;-)
Alas, this is not the correct audience for teaching those who need to know
these secrets!
-- John
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