imported_reinierv Posted August 21, 2010 Share #1 Posted August 21, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) I recently was asked to give a course in photography as a present to a woman who just got a new, complex, camera as present, but wasn't really into photography and didn't know what to do with it. So I said I can do that (more or less expecting it would be some low-end DSLR). So we agreed on date etc etc and then I said I need to know which camera she has got to prepare for specific details...it proved to be an M8.2 Now who gives an M8 as present to someone who doen't know anything about photography... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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250swb Posted August 21, 2010 Share #2 Posted August 21, 2010 Now who gives an M8 as present to someone who doen't know anything about photography... Somebody who thinks she should stay in the kitchen? Its not a kind thing to do (when you consider all the user friendly DSLR's out there with zoom lenses), so I would suppose its to make her give it up quickly. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xmas Posted August 21, 2010 Share #3 Posted August 21, 2010 Hi Leica lenses have depth of field scales... People training photogs have borrowed my camera in the street to illustrate depth of field scales... Noel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoki Posted August 21, 2010 Share #4 Posted August 21, 2010 As a new convert to rangefinders, I think that more thought may have been put into this present than first meets the eye. After all, photography is about being able to see a picture as well as being able to capture it. It also relies rather heavily on having a camera with you when you need it - size and portability counts. For seeing the picture the rangefinder has the pros of being able to see around the frame albeit with inexact framing. However, precise framing isn't available on most smaller DSLRs either as cameras with 100% viewfinders tend to the large size… It is necessary to learn the importance of light/lighting, but adjusting for correct exposure though halving/doubling the speed setting or the aperture is pretty simple. Aperture Priority makes this easier still, with ISO adjustments as an option to keep camera shake at bay. Digital allows for rapid feedback to allow the effects of the different settings that were used to be understood while they can still be remembered. EXIF data helps this also. The women I know tend to have a different (perhaps more sensible) set of priorities, caring more about the photograph itself than some of the issues that all to many of us obsess over. My wife, for example, hates delving though menus. With a Leica of course, there's precious little to delve through. Of course, alternatively, the present giver may not understand about cameras either - or maybe just wanted to 'borrow' it. The latter is a risky strategy as a Leica can be rather easy to fall in love with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clandrel Posted August 21, 2010 Share #5 Posted August 21, 2010 I never understood who gives a $3000 - $6000 gift? There is a guy who has an M9 for sale here, as he has one from before, and received the second M9 as a gift. Who are these people? I thought people with that kind of money stayed out of forums... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
poptart Posted August 21, 2010 Share #6 Posted August 21, 2010 Now who gives an M8 as present to someone who doen't know anything about photography... Someone with a lot of money, someone who loves photography and wants to share? And are we assuming that just because this woman doesn't currently know anything about photography that she is stupid and can't learn???? Susan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted August 21, 2010 Share #7 Posted August 21, 2010 Advertisement (gone after registration) To be fair, it was an M8.2 and it does have the much-touted "S" mode, which according to Leica they put there for precisely the kind of person who doesn't know much about photography or doesn't want to be bothered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted August 21, 2010 Share #8 Posted August 21, 2010 ...Who are these people?... Those who said thank you above perhaps? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manolo Laguillo Posted August 22, 2010 Share #9 Posted August 22, 2010 Now who gives an M8 as present to someone who doen't know anything about photography... I do teach photography since 1980, threfore long before the digital technology appeared, and the majority of my students till more or less 1990 learned with cameras that were completely manual: no autofocus, no programs, no menus, only speed, diaphragm, manual focusing, a simple lightmeter (the Canon Ftb, or the Nikkormat...), in short, like a Leica M. What's the problem with the M8, then? I think the person who made that present loves that woman a lot, and knew pefectly well what he/she was doing:) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted August 22, 2010 Share #10 Posted August 22, 2010 Get her to log on to the forum so she can tell us herself. Be interesting to be a fly on the wall at your lessons then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob_x2004 Posted August 22, 2010 Share #11 Posted August 22, 2010 :D:D:D I jsut saw this; ...Elvis has left the building... M9 Summilux 35mm ASPH II Summilux 50mm ASPH Summarit 50mm Good to see some people in here have their feet firmly grounded and dont spend a mint on their hobbies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuxBob Posted August 23, 2010 Share #12 Posted August 23, 2010 Somebody wanted an M8.2 to use himself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym911 Posted August 23, 2010 Share #13 Posted August 23, 2010 Was probably her husband who gave it to her and he is smarter than all of us Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overgaard Posted August 23, 2010 Share #14 Posted August 23, 2010 Only sensible camera to give to somebody you would like to learn photography. It's intuitive and sexy and portable. Those so-called easy-to-use dSLR camera depend on the user to stay ignorant enough to not care what went wrong in the 30% of the cases where it didn't turn out well. I know (one) who got a Leica as a gift and is now having photo expos. I would rather give my kids an M8.2 or M9 or Digilux 2 than buying a dSLR. And I guess principles have a cost and that might explain it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aymoon Posted August 23, 2010 Share #15 Posted August 23, 2010 Only sensible camera to give to somebody you would like to learn photography. It's intuitive and sexy and portable. Those so-called easy-to-use dSLR camera depend on the user to stay ignorant enough to not care what went wrong in the 30% of the cases where it didn't turn out well. I know (one) who got a Leica as a gift and is now having photo expos. I would rather give my kids an M8.2 or M9 or Digilux 2 than buying a dSLR. And I guess principles have a cost and that might explain it. I agree 99%, the only difference being that I'd give my kids a film M instead for a stiff learning curve... if film still exists then (Love your website by the way, great work!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_reinierv Posted August 23, 2010 Author Share #16 Posted August 23, 2010 the reason they give her the course is because she doesn't use the camera at all because she doesn't understand it... I hope I can make a change here Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 23, 2010 Share #17 Posted August 23, 2010 A blank canvas- the pedagogue's dream Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted September 1, 2010 Share #18 Posted September 1, 2010 Hello Everybody, Jaap - You are much too smart to think anyone, or anything, is a blank canvas. People, as with everything else, come pre-packaged with all kinds of this and that. As for the rest of the Post: An M as a teaching tool beginner or more experienced is a good idea. M's are to a great degree intuitive cameras - something many of us encourage newcomers to choose exactly for that reason. A better tool which acts more in the manner of the perceived concept of what someone is doing better allows someone to concentrate on aspects which relate to photography. Not the conceptual or mechanical proclivities and deficiencies. These take away from the learning curve. Don't forget this means she will now be able to concentrate on things like lighting, proportion, exposure and so on. Don't forget M's are cameras which require that people think. Being Digital will allow her a more immediate means of seeing and analyzing what she is doing. An advantage. Sounds like there may be some degree of sour grapes and "I had it rough so should she" mixed in with a little: She is a woman and therefore........ Come on people. This is a person, regardless of her background or potential, who is lucky enough to have someone who cares enough to choose an appropriate learning device that anyone on this Forum would be happy to have as we speak. For sure. Why not treat her like a person and genuinely wish her the best and if she should be lucky enough to write to anyone reading this now I would hope they would give her the good advice I know they posses. Best Regards, Michael. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_reinierv Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share #19 Posted September 1, 2010 sorry...it was more a person with the attitude "I heard that Leica is the best so I will buy a Leica" but I hasn't got a clue why, the guy himself drives a porsche...heard enough??? Now the woman was stunned by all I explained to her about thinking before you shoot and why to use what, so I wonder. At least she was very enthousiastic to get on with it, after having stored it in the box for a year. The shop that sold it was at least kind enough to advice her: to put it in auto-iso and A mode so "nothing could go wrong", but now she knows what is possible se was eager to try it out... the world is an amazing place, not particularly a good one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted September 2, 2010 Share #20 Posted September 2, 2010 Hello imported_reinerev, My comments were not directed @ you but rather to the negative responses of some of the other people. I know it's frustrating @ times to have a student whose perspective, qualifications and personal goals may not be what you would like them to be. Especially when you do not have the support and direction you might want from those around them. What I do (I teach on occasion) is try to see where each student is and where they would like to be. Then I try to guide them to where they would like to be in a manner also acceptable to me. This sometimes requires the development of background skills and perspectives of the person more than you might expect. Best Regards, Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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