I am revealed as a fraud.

[Anasebi]

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I am female and can say this as fact: openly psychotic women can survive and thrive in a way men cannot. They always have some poor soul-dead man, father or hen pecked husband supporting them. A long tenure in the service industry and meeting many of the ultra rich crazies my grandmas and mom had the misfortune of knowing makes this pattern plain as day.

 

Sorry its just the ramble by that women brings back bad deja vu from dealing with those pill popping lunatics. There are lots of crazy men like this too; but they always end up on the streets or institutionalized.

[roguewave]

I'm surprised at these responses, but then I live in NYC. It doesn't matter if I'm using an M8, M2 or M3. most people that make a comment know it's a Leica & it's iconic. They don't ask if it's a Leica, they tell me how nice that Leica is.

[siglo]

I've never faced a similar situation with my M9. I just tend to confuse people I see regularly since I either carry a black M9 or a black MP. So they either get surprised that my camera has a shiny piece of glass on the back or lacks that shiny piece of glass

 

Most people don't really care what camera I use, and I've never met a single soul outside a camera store that identified a Leica I carried. I did get stopped by one guy in London once who got overly excited and correctly identified (but mispronounced) my voigtlander lens. He failed though to identify my leica MP and pretty much knew nothing about rangefinders. Maybe he was familiar with voigtlander lenses because of Micro four thirds and sony nex cameras.

[Archiver]

That has to be one of the oddest comments I've heard about a digital M. "You're a fraud - it just looks a film camera." She actually sounds mildly deranged, and if she was on a forum, she's the kind of person you'd put her on your Ignore list.

 

Friends and workmates (non-camera buffs) have asked me if the M9 is a film camera. They've also asked if the M7 is a digital camera masquerading as a film camera! Someone at work shot with a rangefinder the first time last night when I handed him my M7, showed him how to focus, and how to wind on. He was shocked to discover that it was a film camera.

 

Two people have commented when I've had a Zeiss Ikon around my neck. One was a recognized Australian sculptor who asked me if it was an old film camera. The second was a photography buff who I met outside a camera shop; he asked me if it was an old film camera as well. I think that both would have recognized a Leica if it had been so.

 

And my best friend exclaimed, 'I didn't know you had a Leica,' when he saw my chrome M7. I think the red dot helped with his recognition, as he failed to know that I'd been shooting in front of him with a black-taped M9 for several months beforehand.

[Xmas]

hi

 

The other side of the coin, is most people detect my camera is a Leica and say wish they could afford one, they have a big DSLR.

 

No I say this is not a 5k GBP M9 but a 375 GBP M2 just got it in camera shop three blocks away in Old Street, lens 180 GBP same place (a CV).

 

Looks new they say - where did you say again?

 

Chip of vulcanite...

 

Noel

[jsrockit]

A lot of fantasizing that other people are overly concerned about your camera. Nobody cares about what camera you are using.

 

In NYC, I get comments all of the time... so I guess they do. Sorry nobody cares anough about you to approach you.

[prunelle]

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...I caught up with her later and tried to explain, but whilst she became a bit more friendly on a personal level, she never was convinced that I was anything but a fraud. ...

That's what happens with ignorant people; they always think they know. Did you direct her to the Leica website?

[tdtaylor]

I have actually received quite a number of comments on my M9, which typically falls into two camps. Photographers who often "wish I could afford one" and drool, or the "my father/grandfather" had a camera like that- and quickly walk away when they find it is a digital Leica- after all, it can't be that good because it is small compared to the pro Nikons and Canons

 

Suits me just fine.

[gjames9142]

In Toronto I get the occasional "cool camera, dude," but most people ignore it. The brass around the edges of the body is starting to make it look like an antique, which is fine by me. It also doesn't have priapic lenses, so the threat factor is small. Works for me.

[gearoido]

Every once in a while one of these threads pops up and it always amazes me how different my experience is with the public and Leica. I never meet anyone who has the slightest notion about my camera.

 

Honestly, I've barely met anyone who knew what my M8 or my M9 were. And, if they do, they don't know anything about it. Most I've met haven't heard of Leica.

 

For example, in my Optometry practice, I walk into exam rooms and very often throughout the day someone will have picked up the photography magazine to read while they wait. I always toss out a friendly comment like, "so, are you a photography enthusiast?" And, then ask about their camera or style or what not. As I work the name Leica into the conversation it always goes right past them. Nobody even has it on their radar screen or knows anything about Leica. Conversations always center around all of the semi-pro equipment they have (D90, D50, D300...). When I mention the FF pro Nikon or Canon stuff it is always rebutted as being ridiculously expensive and something that is not worth buying and they would never consider it.

 

So, I stopped telling anyone about my Leica stuff long ago because I've learned: 1) nobody knows what I'm talking about, they just change the subject back to Nikon or Canon. And, 2) God forbid I answer their questions about what it costs. That goes nowhere fast and it just ends up making me sound like somebody buying something expensive for the sake of status.

 

Mine, is a lonesome path.

 

 

Well I bought my Leica for the sake of status - for all the good that did me. Like this thread says - no one has heard of Leica. So I have had to learn how to take pictures with it. Please notice I said pictures, not photographs. Someday I may advance to that.

 

GaryO

[Peter H]

In Toronto I get the occasional "cool camera, dude," but most people ignore it. The brass around the edges of the body is starting to make it look like an antique, which is fine by me. It also doesn't have priapic lenses, so the threat factor is small. Works for me.

 

Priapic! :D

[Dabow]

I had someone ask me a couple of months ago if my camera was a new one trying to look old. I think I muttered something about age not being a factor, it was the end product that counted.

 

I must say her odd reaction sounds a bit snobbish, especially for an exhibiting artist. Was her artwork any good? Personally, looking at some of the stuff that passes as 'art' these days I may have found myself asking her the same question! That's perhaps just me though... I have quite particular tastes

[luigi bertolotti]

The different situations and reactions when someone takes note of your digital M is one of the funny colletarals of our passion... last week I went at Mille Miglia start (see "Sport and Leisure" ... ) ... many foreigns on the street... I noticed a person around, I'd say, its 60s, probably German or Swiss... with a fine Rolleiflex 3,5F, and istinctively smiled to him... he noticed my M8 (5-6 meters far), smiled too... no words, and we were taking attention to cars arriving... but I did notice that when he saw me, after a shot, looking at the LCD, he showed a mix a surprise/perplexity/delusion maybe...

 

Then there are the many times in which I acted with my daughters and her frends... being them 13-15-17 the general mood is, of course, of the kind "why your dad uses such an old camera ?"

[Peter H]

I had someone ask me a couple of months ago if my camera was a new one trying to look old. I think I muttered something about age not being a factor, it was the end product that counted.

 

I must say her odd reaction sounds a bit snobbish, especially for an exhibiting artist. Was her artwork any good? Personally, looking at some of the stuff that passes as 'art' these days I may have found myself asking her the same question! That's perhaps just me though... I have quite particular tastes

 

Actually, she's a very nice, slightly old-fashioned and incredibly talented ceramicist who makes the most fantastic huge vases that stand on the floor and dazzle everyone. I forgive her!

[satureyes]

I was shooting in a local park a few weeks ago trying my new 90mm out for a few shots. It was about 26 degree heat (unusual for April in the UK) and a guy comes over in a beanie hat and exclaimed 'wow that's an old camera' I thought- 'here we go again'. I said it kinda was and he went on to pull out a crappy compact and talk to me about it for 15min. He looked again at the M9 and said 'so- that must cost ..hmm..about 300 quid. I said 'not quite' he replied 'oh more like 500?' I said yes (then I walked away)

 

I am over telling people how much it

cost. Especially odd chaps wearing a woolly hat in a heatwave.

[brill64]

she has a valid point. photography is perceived by some as to not be a real art form. the propaganda can be very strong. no doubt this is her personal philosophy which is all part of her make up as an artist. she sees photography itself as a kind of fraud and in a modern world, digital photography, god forbid, even more so. you're cheating by looking at what you've captured rather than knowing. just look around at the vast majority of gaudy advertising photography where every inch is infinitely considered, post processed, satisfied perfection. there's absolutely no escaping it's endless grip. she would rightly question that perfection, otherwise she would not be an artist. if she is a painter, probably even more so. it would be vile to her. therefore it doesn't matter what kind of person you are, however rich, however nice or whichever kind of camera you use...you will still be a fraud and simply guilty by association because of what you adhere to. you are a scapegoat.

[Falstaff]

I'm surprised at these responses, but then I live in NYC. It doesn't matter if I'm using an M8, M2 or M3. most people that make a comment know it's a Leica & it's iconic. They don't ask if it's a Leica, they tell me how nice that Leica is.

 

Pretty much my experience too Ben and not just in my "home" town but wherever I've been.

All along I used to think I was the magnet but reading these threads suggest otherwise.

Crushed again .

Falstaff

[markdownie]

Next time, say it dates from 1975 then wait... then walk away.

 

The penny will drop 3 days later.

[pico]

[...] Had the artist not cared enough to come over to me to challenge me about my camera, this thread wouldn't have existed.

 

This thread should not have existed. It is up to you to disregard nonsense or to promote it. You chose the later. How unfortunate.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Solar B]

Oooh Pico ... i do hope that you and your camera are all mended now , i think Peters

 

just really happy about owning an M9 and wants to talk about it ... (i would to) ... no

 

harm in that is there. I guess if your a pro and its a tool then things are a bit different.

 

Brian