Guest tanks Posted August 8, 2013 Share #1 Posted August 8, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Thought some might like the article. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/08/technology/personaltech/leica-cameras-have-eye-popping-prices-with-photos-to-match.html?_r=0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 8, 2013 Posted August 8, 2013 Hi Guest tanks, Take a look here NY Times Article About Leica Ms. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Chris101-MM Posted August 8, 2013 Share #2 Posted August 8, 2013 Any article that refers to Ken Rockwell as an expert on cameras and lenses... Well, I'll shut up now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Leica! Posted August 9, 2013 Share #3 Posted August 9, 2013 I haven't posted for a while here, but that article made me laugh. Not necessarily in a good way! " today’s abundance of buttons and features on most cameras often makes people take poorer pictures." Laugh. Cough. Look up any top pro who uses top of the line DSLRs and tell them that with a straight face. "The shutter on a range finder is also incredibly still and quiet — unlike the D.S.L.R., in which the mirror flips up and down at the moment a photo is snapped" Laugh. Quiet mode on a Nikon D7000 is as quiet as, maybe quieter than, any Leica that I've heard. "The M Monochrom can also shoot at an ISO up to 10,000, which allows pictures to be taken in extremely low light." Laugh. My old D3s could do that (and go higher), and that's almost four years old. “The Leica glass,” Mr. Michel said, “adds that special ethereal quality to the image that no D.S.L.R. can match.” Laugh. That's totally a matter of opinion and artistic taste. I think that article would turn people off Leica rather than encourage them to try it. And yes, "Ken" "Rockwell" "expert", three words not to be used in the same sentence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted August 9, 2013 Share #4 Posted August 9, 2013 My wife sent me that article and I was not going to comment, but now I must. The writer is clueless. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted August 9, 2013 Share #5 Posted August 9, 2013 The guy writes for a New York paper and doesn't know that Leica has repair facilities practically next door in New Jersey. And he's their lead technology writer and researcher. Good to know that M pics are crisper because the lens is closer to the sensor. But apparently that only matters in daylight when pics are flawlessly clear. And he owns the system. I wonder if this article was really written by the guy who posts ? Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted August 9, 2013 Share #6 Posted August 9, 2013 You guys are way too tough on this reporter. He is writing for a general audience and he provides a balanced view: The gist is there are people who swear by these things and they take fantastic photos, but they require skill to use. What is wrong with that? OK, the Ms are not as silent as he suggests, but many have noted that they are quieter than many DSLRs. As for repairs: Fortunately I haven't had that problem yet, but there have certainly been enough posts from U.S. users about needing to send cameras and lenses to Germany rather than New Jersey. And if you are reporter writing this sort of article, Ken Rockwell is exactly the type of person you are going to speak with. He doesn't know about you guys. Like it or not Rockwell has made a name for himself. Best Jack Siegel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
platypus Posted August 9, 2013 Share #7 Posted August 9, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) This facile little article left me feeling mildly disgusted with it's repetition of cost, cost, cost. Is the writer attempting to induce a shocked reaction in his "general audience" or motivate them to envy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted August 9, 2013 Share #8 Posted August 9, 2013 He's not a novice when it comes to technical matters, Jack. Read the bio I linked. He owns the M9-P and 50 Summilux, and has tested "almost all the company's cameras and lenses." And he didn't just say that many folks have to send equipment to Germany for repair; he said Leica only has a repair facility in Germany. He's their lead tech reporter. Sloppy reporting is sloppy reporting. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotografr Posted August 9, 2013 Share #9 Posted August 9, 2013 Wow! Tough crowd here. The writer is obviously a Leica affectionado who thought he was doing a positive piece about the cameras we all use and love. Ah, well. When you're done ripping him a new one, turn the page over and read about the new HDR software. It sounds pretty interesting. http://www.unifiedcolor.com/products/32-float-3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Leica! Posted August 9, 2013 Share #10 Posted August 9, 2013 Like it or not Rockwell has made a name for himself. The biggest mouth does not necessarily utter the wisest words. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinnfell Posted August 9, 2013 Share #11 Posted August 9, 2013 Say what you will about Rockwell, but he sure does have a way with bold statements. And journalists just looooove people who make bold statements, since most "experts" make statements with all sorts of reservations, to the effect that the content becomes too woolly to understand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted August 9, 2013 Share #12 Posted August 9, 2013 The biggest mouth does not necessarily utter the wisest words. Absolutely true. There are many websites that deal with photography. I have 7 or 8 of them bookmarked and regularly read them. Ken Rockwell's is not one of them. I have stumbled on to his site through Google searches, but his name doesn't cross my mind. In other words, he isn't a factor. For those who intensely dislike him, his site, or his opinions, why do you waste your time worrying about him? Stop looking and find someone who is more to your liking, or is he the proverbial lose lose tooth in a six-year old's mouth? It is fun to wiggle it. Jack Siegel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted August 9, 2013 Share #13 Posted August 9, 2013 Jeff: I have reread the article. You are correct: He did say "only" But the statement is accurate in spirit. I can understand why a cracked sensor would need repair in Germany (I don't know if that is what always happens, but people seem to send them to Germany when it happens), but I am a bit surprised that the lugs need fixing in Germany. I did send a broken lens to Leica New Jersey to get a repair quote--just getting the quote took 2 months and Leica N.J. consulted with Leica Germany in putting the quote together. Other than that, however, I find the criticism in this thread to be off base. He didn't say the lenses were better than any others in the world. He did quote two "experts" who said the lenses were great. Had he asked many of the people on this Forum, he would have received similar quotes. A reporter needs a storyline to draw people in. Certainly in writing to a general audience where the vast majority know photography through their smart phones or cheap point and shoots, price is a hook to draw people into the article. Moreover, unlike some of the more mainstream articles about the M, his price reference is tied to skills and quality. Normally, when we read about the M9 in the mainstream press, the reference is often to a luxury good for rich celebrities. Everyone on this list should love another point that he makes several times: Equipment does not produce a good photograph. He says you need skill. As a general observation: Back in 1971 or 72, my father handed me a copy of the op-ed page from the Wall Street Journal. There was a commentary or review of a rock group that I was really into at the time. My response was much like some of the comments in this thread: "So what, what would those idiots know about music?" My father wisely responded, "You may be right, but the significance of the article is not what it says, but the fact that WSJ has even published it." His point was that the article demonstrated the that rock music was becoming mainstream and that this was also a sign that the WSJ's demographics were changing. I think similar conclusions can be drawn about NYT's article on the M series. The mere existence of this article says something about the state of photography in modern society. And who knows, it may sell a few more cameras, which keeps Leica in business (assuming they can produce the cameras:D) Best Jack Siegel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Me Leica! Posted August 9, 2013 Share #14 Posted August 9, 2013 Say what you will about Rockwell, but he sure does have a way with bold statements. And journalists just looooove people who make bold statements, since most "experts" make statements with all sorts of reservations, to the effect that the content becomes too woolly to understand. Well, he is certainly good at promoting himself, and you're right: journalists like things which seem too good to be true, because they usually are:D Rockwell once said that the M9 was the best digital camera ever made, now he's passed that honour on to something else, maybe the Fuji X100s or something. It'll change again in a few months, no doubt. He's like the Lady Gaga (or Madonna) of photography writing: not really that talented, but undoubtedly good at attracting attention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted August 9, 2013 Share #15 Posted August 9, 2013 Jeff: I have reread the article. You are correct: He did say "only" But the statement is accurate in spirit. I can understand why a cracked sensor would need repair in Germany (I don't know if that is what always happens, but people seem to send them to Germany when it happens), but I am a bit surprised that the lugs need fixing in Germany. I did send a broken lens to Leica New Jersey to get a repair quote--just getting the quote took 2 months and Leica N.J. consulted with Leica Germany in putting the quote together. I've owned Leica M cameras for over 30 years, including 2 digital versions in the last four, and never had to send one to Germany. The article discusses various M models, not just the new M. Strap lugs are an anomaly, and cracked sensors were a teething issue with the M9, as it was the first 'full frame' version. His statement is inaccurate, period, not in spirit. There are also numerous Leica repair experts across the US and elsewhere, but that's another matter. For the rest, we just disagree. Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanyasi Posted August 9, 2013 Share #16 Posted August 9, 2013 OK Jack Siegel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted August 9, 2013 Share #17 Posted August 9, 2013 You guys are way too tough on this reporter. He is writing for a general audience and he provides a balanced view: The gist is there are people who swear by these things and they take fantastic photos, but they require skill to use. What is wrong with that? I agree totally, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted August 9, 2013 Share #18 Posted August 9, 2013 My wife sent me that article and I was not going to comment, but now I must. The writer is clueless.. Most writers are clueless regardless of subject matter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted August 9, 2013 Share #19 Posted August 9, 2013 Most writers are clueless regardless of subject matter. Hey, I am a writer.You are hurting my little bitty feelings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted August 9, 2013 Share #20 Posted August 9, 2013 I think most respondents here are sort of missing the point. Nick Bilton is a technology reporter for the Times, and a good one. He is also a dedicated a Leica photographer. Who cares whether or not he quotes Ken Rockwell -- from the perspective of what is helpful to Leica, the brand we care enough about to spend time on this forum -- this was the most positive media development in a decade. They built a Lens section site using Nick's photos. The story was played in a single page in the Business Day section of the most prestigious newspaper in America. They built a page for the NewYorkTimes.com, and for their iPad edition. The story clearly states, and shows good pictures to prove it, that there is something special about this camera system we love. I've worked in media relations for more than 30 years; the reaction of my friends on this site to this story reminds me of the (dozens of) times a terrific story would run about my candidate/company/client and everyone would focus on the one botched quote! But it was a great story on the cover of X, I'd say. "Yeah, but the picture shows the CEO with spinach in his front teeth." One gets inured to reactions to media, but still is left shaking one's head. This story is a triumph for Leica. We should be happy for the brand and not be snarky about any of its deficiencies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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