andybarton Posted January 13, 2010 Share #61 Posted January 13, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I think that Leica M photography is about purity. Not more and more gizmos, just because the big two think that's the way forward. "Me too" never was a brilliant strategy. Sorry to divert this thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 13, 2010 Posted January 13, 2010 Hi andybarton, Take a look here How to link a M9 with GPS data. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
stunsworth Posted January 13, 2010 Share #62 Posted January 13, 2010 Sorry to divert this thread. Don't worry, the initial question was answered ages ago. It occurred to me that if someone doesn't want to go down the whole geotracking route, all they need to do - assuming they have a smart phone like an iPhone - is take a photograph with the phone when they arrive somewhere, doesn't matter of what, and the phone photograph will have the co-ordinates embedded in it. As I mentioned earlier, the occasions when I want, or need, to do this are the exception, not the norm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 13, 2010 Share #63 Posted January 13, 2010 Good idea, Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bo_Lorentzen Posted January 13, 2010 Share #64 Posted January 13, 2010 Andy, Agree, part of the attraction of M photography is a functional clean camera. But as far as I know, Leica have produced a world of bizarre attachments, close-up legs for books, etc, bunches of little specialized devices with the specific objective of making Leica M cameras, all things to a lot of people and I think they have succeed over the years. Many of those devices were clever mechanical gizmos reflecting the time in history they were devices. It seems reasonable to me that a part of the user-group today would still require some gizmos, one maybe being a GPS solution. Personally I prefer stuffing that solution in my camera bag, but some may prefer a camera installed option.. The point is, GeoTagging is becoming a sales point, just like keyworded images are, since leica is to some degree also marketing to professional users, it is perfectly reasonable to expect a percentage of todays M users to "need" to geo-tag their images. don't matter to me if it is a leica or a Samsung solution, but it does not distract from M photography. (not any more than fiddleing with a frankenfinder and a zoom-m lens for sure) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 13, 2010 Share #65 Posted January 13, 2010 Bo I agree completely ....Very well articulated. I also like your reference to "user group" as I think that is what this forum is. Surely the objective here is to identify the items we would like to see, the issues we identify with Leica equipment and the support we get from Leica. Hopefully the guys in Solms do take note. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 13, 2010 Share #66 Posted January 13, 2010 I see a reasonable thread has become soapbox-shaped again... I have said it before and I will say it again. We are not a representative cross-section of Leica customers. We are a self-selecting group existing within a relatively narrow socio-economic strata who have: a) An internet connection Found the forum c) Time (in some cases too much) to post d) Enough of a grasp of English or German to participate e) An ego big enough to think that others may be interested in what we type We know Solms watches the Forum, and that there are a number of active and passive participants. I fervently hope that they disregard the vast majority of the hot air that is generated here; the evidence is that their "bullshit-filters" are quite effective - long may that continue. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #67 Posted January 14, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) Bill I am intrigued where you get the data that suggests that this Forum is not representative of Leica users. It seems to me that there are a lot of Leica users covering a spectrum of amateur and professionals represented here. The postings suggest that many people actually know a great deal about Leica products and have a detailed view on issues and possible improvements to the portfolio. Many forum members do not own a M8 or M9 and shoot with Canon or Nikon DSLR which I find odd but I admit that this gives a valuable reference point to compare Leica digital products against. Are you pointing to these people as not being representative? I guess that includes you doesn't it as I believe you do not have a M8 or M9? I recognise that many Leica owners are dentists, architects, performers, CEO's and other high earners and many buy because of the status of the brand, rather than for the photographic experience Leica offers. They probably do not read this forum. Are you suggesting that this is the representative group for Leica? You remind us that Leica management watch this forum and filter the material. I would hope they do as surely this forum is a great place for Solms to learn what active users think about their products. I believe that constructive critique is healthy for any comapny and that is different from being a soap box, which seems to me to give a negative tone. The issue for me is that Solms management filter to a level that hurts the brand, and do not address issues that are easy to fix. I have a long list of examples. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted January 14, 2010 Share #68 Posted January 14, 2010 Do you really think that is is foolish to filter out arm-chair CEOs, prophets of doom, crackpot gimmick-adders, Leica-bashers, the list is endless...? My experience is that Leica picks up reasonable posts, evaluates them and will act on them if they deem it sensible. It is not their fault that a large number of suggestions falls far short of sensible. Before I get accused of arrogance - I cannot remember a single instance of an idea of mine being implemented by Leica. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 14, 2010 Share #69 Posted January 14, 2010 Read my post, Frank. Try really hard to understand what I am saying. It answers all your questions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 14, 2010 Share #70 Posted January 14, 2010 Many forum members do not own a M8 or M9 and shoot with Canon or Nikon DSLR which I find odd but I admit that this gives a valuable reference point to compare Leica digital products against. Are you pointing to these people as not being representative? I guess that includes you doesn't it as I believe you do not have a M8 or M9? Ownership of any particular Leica model is not a requirement for forum membership. I would hazard a guess that most forum members do not own an M8 or an M9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #71 Posted January 14, 2010 Do you really think that is is foolish to filter out arm-chair CEOs, prophets of doom, crackpot gimmick-adders, Leica-bashers, the list is endless...? My experience is that Leica picks up reasonable posts, evaluates them and will act on them if they deem it sensible. It is not their fault that a large number of suggestions falls far short of sensible. Before I get accused of arrogance - I cannot remember a single instance of an idea of mine being implemented by Leica. Jaapv please read what I wrote: "You remind us that Leica management watch this forum and filter the material. I would hope they do as surely this forum is a great place for Solms to learn what active users think about their products. I believe that constructive critique is healthy for any comapny and that is different from being a soap box, which seems to me to give a negative tone" My own view is that ANY company would do well to listen to their clients and Leica given its recent history and current delivery woes should be more receptive than most. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 14, 2010 Share #72 Posted January 14, 2010 Perhaps Leica consider it better to have their staff making things than reading the internet forums? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #73 Posted January 14, 2010 Read my post, Frank. Try really hard to understand what I am saying. It answers all your questions. Bill I have reread your original posting again. Essentially you are suggesting that forum members are people with lots of time, an internet link and have huge egos.....You then imply that Forum members have nothing to offer Leica and that the hot air they generated should be removed by the "bullshit filters" at Solms. Personally I think nearly all threads in the Forum come from people who actually use Leica products and have valuable opinions to give. In an era of continuous improvement and companies wishing to be client driven I believe that the combined experiences from people who use M8 or M9 for example is valuable for Solms as they develop M10. I also think the understanding the frustrating experience of waiting for products ordered since months that have not yet arrived is also relevant for a company with a brand such as Leica. Finally returning to the original thread I believe that there is a need for some users to have a GPS positioning item that elegantly interfaces and cosmetically fits a M8 or M9. An item like the MR light meter would do nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbaron Posted January 14, 2010 Share #74 Posted January 14, 2010 Most of the information that Leica relies on gets fitered back from pros via reps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #75 Posted January 14, 2010 Ownership of any particular Leica model is not a requirement for forum membership. I would hazard a guess that most forum members do not own an M8 or an M9 This is clearly the case but there is a downside for those that actually own a M8 or M9 and want to buy and influence the next model. Too often the none digital M owners express opinions that for example a GPS accessory is not required...they refer to it as a gimmick! I for example as an M8 owner actually want one for some types of photography. Bo like me mentioned the various accessories that Leica used to offer in the 80's and he like me actually uses a digital M. Frankly I am usually more interested in the opinions of those such as Bo that actually use the digital M cameras than those that do not. I also am interested in learning from Canon and Nikon DSLR users when they compare those or other competing products with the Leica M. This happened when I last November started a thread on the suitability of M9 for professional photography, and I learned a lot from those exchanges. I think it amasing however that some "observers" feel able to give very strong opinions that actually contradict those that regularly use a digital M. I guess that would be similar to me joining the S2 Forum and telling the few pros that use the S2 that they are wrong and do not need tethering or whatever! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #76 Posted January 14, 2010 Perhaps Leica consider it better to have their staff making things than reading the internet forums? Andy gosh I hope that you are wrong and that Leica is not inward facing. These days most successful companies are actually moving towards being client driven. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BigSplash Posted January 14, 2010 Share #77 Posted January 14, 2010 Most of the information that Leica relies on gets fitered back from pros via reps. I am afraid that you are correct and that is a big problem in my view. According to the thread I started in November I was amased to see that Leica was not today the camera of choice for most pros. Certainly many street photographers and some wedding photographers use the Leica...but fashion, war correspondents etc seem to use other makes. When I spoke to Stefan he suggested that Leica enjoys most of its sales from high income people (dentists, architects, performers etc) and they use the camera I guess like many of us on this forum do. For these reasons it seems to me strange that Solms rely mainly on the pros. when this forum is so rich in feedback. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted January 14, 2010 Share #78 Posted January 14, 2010 ...this forum is so rich in feedback. Perhaps they prefer quality to quantity? The mistake that some people make is that they confuse what _they'd_ like to see on a camera with what the buying public as a whole would like to see. Some people become obsessed with the idea that if only Leica would implement their changes the company would prosper, ignoring the fact that the camera has to sell to people other than themselves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 14, 2010 Share #79 Posted January 14, 2010 According to the thread I started in November I was amased to see that Leica was not today the camera of choice for most pros. Seriously? Leica hasn't been "the Pro's choice" for decades. It's the doctors and the dentists and people like me who are their customers these days. The forum is rich in discussion, true, but it's the pros who do use their Leicas that tend to push them much further than "amateurs". That said, several of the problems that were manifest in the M8 were discovered by non-pros on the forum, and this is where the forum is very useful to Leica in getting feedback from lots of people quickly, in one place. But, as far as "I think that Leica should do this" threads, I suspect that they are pretty much passed over. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted January 14, 2010 Share #80 Posted January 14, 2010 Andy gosh I hope that you are wrong and that Leica is not inward facing. These days most successful companies are actually moving towards being client driven. If Leica really thought that this Forum was a useful feedback vehicle, they wouldn't have decided to close it down three years ago. It's only through the very hard work of Andreas, that we still have the Forum today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.