how many people use M's camera in the world?

[Herr Barnack]

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Does not sound like a successful photographer, just one who is in the grind and is a yes man to a client base.

 

I am steadily using more and more Leica images shot on film every month, can see getting a decent used M9 for my corporate journalism work.

 

I bet you would be surprised at how many high end and successful pros have added Leica into to the fold for feel, look, mood and presence.

 

But more than that, I bet you would be stunned at how much more fun it would be to be a successful pro than a day job working amateur.

 

There are many ways to define photographic success. The friend in question is successful at operating a commercial photography studio, successful at always having work to do, successful at making money with his D800 and his skills and successful at satisfying his clients. His work life does appear to be somewhat of a grind (to me), but he seems satisfied with his situation so I suppose that on the whole, he is successful by his criteria.

 

In my view, I'd certainly rather have his career than I would have a career as a auto mechanic, attorney, accountant or aluminum siding salesman - but his career is still not quite the stuff that dreams are made of (again, to me).

 

Making money doing something you love in the world of photography has never been easy for most of us. But then again, photography isn't just about money. There are other measures of success for a photographer to aspire to.

 

...I bet you would be stunned at how much more fun it would be to be a successful pro than a day job working amateur.

Probably so, provided that you were doing something in photography that you love - or like - or is at least more fulfilling than being semi-tolerable. I have had careers that were semi-tolerable. The result is always the same: Living a life of quiet desperation, feeling as if you are being dragged down a path in life that you don't want.

[furcafe]

Can't believe you're surprised. In my experience, that's true of photographs made w/most nice lenses/cameras. I'm also sure pro golfers would say that about clubs, pro tennis players about racquets, etc.

 

A lot more people can afford great gear than are able to use it to its fullest potential. And I'm not being negative as I put myself squarely in that category. I can't recall ever being able to honestly tell myself that it was my cameras or lenses that let me down; even if the equipment was flawed, it was still my choice to use it.

 

As an aside, I have just bought another 50 Lux Asph after not having one since 2010 so I while I await it's arrival, I went to Flickr to do a search and see what people were up to with it lately, get inspired.

 

Well lets just say after pouring through thousands of photos, I was impressed, but not for the reasons you may think....

 

I was totally blown away if not FULLY dumbfounded by how *BAD* the imagery was, and I am not even talking about the rank and file, comes-with-the-territory wide open happy snaps of bokeh-lishious bottles, hand rails and stop signs. I mean we are talking thousands of poorly exposed, composed and executed snap shots, I might have found a dozen or so pictures that showed that the owner of the lens actually *got it* and made a great photograph.

 

Whisky Tango Foxtrot?

[stephen.w]

World wide probably less than 0.10% or less. Ask yourself how many other photographers have you seen in the past ten years using any kind of Leica? For me that number would be around six or seven.

Mr. B

I've just spent 9 days in Paris and saw more than that number in just that time. (My Ms stayed at home though, in favour of the X100S.)

[essvaun]

I'm out in Sydney a lot, population 4 or 5 million (?).

I've seen a Leica in someone's hands thrice that I can recall over the last five years or so, one an M6, one an M3, one not sure just spotted it at a glance.

One of those owners is now a mate, the other an acquaintance (Leica - bringing people together!).

I've caught a lot more people looking at me so people clearly know what they are.

Or I do look as weird as I think. But it's probably the camera.

Hope so.

[a911s]

Long time pro here... over 20 years full time.

 

Mostly Canon 5D III (filmmaking with Leica R lenses), yet I still use a M6 and M9-P as I can for stills.

 

Something about that tactile and optical quality...

[Jessestr]

Here in Belgium.. As a young (21 y/o) photographer. Leica is still known by average people. Some stop by to look at my M6 or some are just really staring.

 

3 of my friends shoot Leica too (M6, M8 & M240). Soon an M2 will be added to my inventory and a friends inventory. And I know a few other people who shoot Leica too.

 

Regularly seeing or meeting people on the street with an M. (Much with Monochrom's, don't know why).

I have the feeling that it's still used a lot more than we think. Not everyone that I know that shoots Leica is on forums like these. Maybe people are getting by there senses again. Trying to convert some friends from a DSLR to a rangefinder Leica and it's going pretty well so far. Currently two friends going for an M soon.

 

Mostly showing a Tri-X 400 shot with the M6 does the trick to drop their jaws.

 

I can understand the point that most guys grab a DSLR, as everyone does it? I never owned a DSLR before I owned my first Leica (M8). Used DSLR's before though. I sold the M8 as I wanted to try more lenses and use cheaper gear to try out more. So I got a Canon 7D for like a month.. It was not worth it. I thought I was going to use lots more lenses, but no.. The urge was too big to get a Leica back. Everything about it is so perfect.

 

And then back to the M8. I traded it for an M6 later on as I want to shoot film only.