I get it.

[JDFlood]

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When I was 16 years old, I really wanted a good camera. It was not to come from my parents, so I snuck into the bank and cashed the single hundred dollar bond my aunt had given me. It was a Minolta rangefinder. A good camera, but not the SLR I really wanted. I got inexpensive Nikons until I got a Maymiya 645 after college, before my first vacation to the South Pacific. After my MBA, work became 70 hours a week and I did light photography through the end of the film era… a inexpensive film Leica was an amazing alternative to the cheap film cameras colleagues had in the mid 90's. I climbed up the small digital since the late '90s. Then Nikon D700, then D800 preorder as DSLs started to approach film resolution… and I really made progress as a photographer, with the instant feedback. Preordered Leica X2, Fuji XE-2, then Xpro-2 for international travel. So, for the last 6 or 7 years I have been improving as digital cameras and my 1,000 to 2,000 photos per month and international travel would permit. The 25 or 30 lenses for the systems helped as did Lightroom. My like my Leica for local street photography, but when I go to a remote city, I want big glass for shooting at night, and real wide. So it is D800 or Fuji.

 

I appreciate the finer things in life. Fountain pens, high end audio, fine wine, and have always found the value in really expensive stuff. I am careful, research the living daylights out of things and then purchase. I am at the time of life when a Rolex was appropriate. I dipped my foot in with a Tag Heuer as a way of getting to know the terrain. I was stopped dead. What do you mean accuracy of one second a day? Luxury means best performance AND aesthetics. I was really disappointed. So I finally went with a Seiko Astron… the ultimate in accuracy and really good looking, but not a Rolex. When I bought my Lexus, I was ecstatic because I got so much more than I expected… that is the way luxury goods work…well unless you get fooled, I don't get fooled. My $14K preamplifier is incredible… beautiful and unparalleled performance.

 

So here I find myself pondering a Leica M10… is it like a Rolex or Lexus, you can find articles proclaiming either, overpriced anachronism, or pinnacle of contemporary perfection? I have two Takahashi telescopes… optics are superb, I have always been rewarded when spending really large amounts on optics. So, a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a M10 and Summicron 35. I have had it for 2 days: I get it, wow, it is there, it is not subtle, incredible output, beautiful, a sense of quality throughout the device. Something I can be proud of owning and use to reach new levels in photography. Huge sense of relief, and excitement anticipating all the wonderful things we will achieve together. New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, Pacific Northwest forests here we come! The Leica M legend, I get it.

Edited September 29, 2017 by JDFlood

[hollisd]

Xx

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[Ko.Fe.]

I coming to NY next month, but haven't decide which camera, yet. Maybe just Zorki.

 

When I was 16 years old, all I wanted is working camera. So, I took over my parents FED-2. I went to University mostly because of the war in Afghanistan, if not University then if was army. I was using same FED-2 and I'm still using it. In 2013 I get my first used, cheapest film Leica (M4-2) and it wasn't inexpensive. LN Bessa RFs where going for twice less...

 

I don't have MBA and I worked for 100 hours per week and traveled to the point I have no idea where I was if waking up in the middle of the night and to have jet lag becoming as illness.   

On travel I had one camera, one lens. And still do it this way.

I'm still wearing Cardinal (FSU for export) watches I purchased in eighties. Watches which works without service for almost thirty years by now.

 

My M3 DS ELC is called Bodo. After name of nice person and Leica Midland technician who showed me this camera, but passed away before I purchased it.

My M4-2 is called as Gerry. Bodo saved big money for me by fixing RF after I dropped the camera, first. And Gerry fixed it even more after I took couple of thousands of exposures with this M4-2 and worn it out.

Bodo and Gerry are Leica legend for me. Trained by Leica technicians and able to use it to make it for living by fixing Leica cameras and by been involved with Leica gear. 

Edited September 29, 2017 by Ko.Fe.

[Guest Nowhereman]

Xx

 

I prefer the text that was deleted. The OP sounds like a celebration of rampant consumerism; not much to do with photography.

_______________

Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

Edited September 29, 2017 by not_a_hero

[@ndy_ellis]

Takes all sorts

[jaapv]

Ad-hominem attacks are not allowed on this forum.

[Jeffry Abt]

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JDFlood, Have fun with your camera! I enjoy my M10 as well.

[bocaburger]

The analogy between cameras and watches or fountain pens worked better in the film days than now in the digital days.  If you buy a Rolex or Montblanc today, it likely will never be radically outperformed by newer models, will be repairable for the duration of your lifetime if not far beyond, maintain its panache/snob-appeal among afficionados (if one cares about such matters), and resellable for a majority of what you paid.  That was pretty much the case with film Leicas, but not digital ones.  The better analogy today is with expensive automobiles.  Unless money is no object, it's not so much can you afford the purchase price, but can you afford the depreciation.  For that reason, I have decided to stay one generation behind and buy demo or pre-owned.  Yes it's a compromise in terms of never having the latest and greatest, but I feel like Leica's advances have been thus far evolutionary, not revolutionary. 

[Paulus]

When I was 16 years old, I really wanted a good camera. It was not to come from my parents, so I snuck into the bank and cashed the single hundred dollar bond my aunt had given me. It was a Minolta rangefinder. A good camera, but not the SLR I really wanted. I got inexpensive Nikons until I got a Maymiya 645 after college, before my first vacation to the South Pacific. After my MBA, work became 70 hours a week and I did light photography through the end of the film era… a inexpensive film Leica was an amazing alternative to the cheap film cameras colleagues had in the mid 90's. I climbed up the small digital since the late '90s. Then Nikon D700, then D800 preorder as DSLs started to approach film resolution… and I really made progress as a photographer, with the instant feedback. Preordered Leica X2, Fuji XE-2, then Xpro-2 for international travel. So, for the last 6 or 7 years I have been improving as digital cameras and my 1,000 to 2,000 photos per month and international travel would permit. The 25 or 30 lenses for the systems helped as did Lightroom. My like my Leica for local street photography, but when I go to a remote city, I want big glass for shooting at night, and real wide. So it is D800 or Fuji.

 

I appreciate the finer things in life. Fountain pens, high end audio, fine wine, and have always found the value in really expensive stuff. I am careful, research the living daylights out of things and then purchase. I am at the time of life when a Rolex was appropriate. I dipped my foot in with a Tag Heuer as a way of getting to know the terrain. I was stopped dead. What do you mean accuracy of one second a day? Luxury means best performance AND aesthetics. I was really disappointed. So I finally went with a Seiko Astron… the ultimate in accuracy and really good looking, but not a Rolex. When I bought my Lexus, I was ecstatic because I got so much more than I expected… that is the way luxury goods work…well unless you get fooled, I don't get fooled. My $14K preamplifier is incredible… beautiful and unparalleled performance.

 

So here I find myself pondering a Leica M10… is it like a Rolex or Lexus, you can find articles proclaiming either, overpriced anachronism, or pinnacle of contemporary perfection? I have two Takahashi telescopes… optics are superb, I have always been rewarded when spending really large amounts on optics. So, a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a M10 and Summicron 35. I have had it for 2 days: I get it, wow, it is there, it is not subtle, incredible output, beautiful, a sense of quality throughout the device. Something I can be proud of owning and use to reach new levels in photography. Huge sense of relief, and excitement anticipating all the wonderful things we will achieve together. New York, Shanghai, Tokyo, Pacific Northwest forests here we come! The Leica M legend, I get it.

 

I'm glad for you! It's a wonderful feeling to buy a Leica set. I still remember the joy of my first. I thought it was very expensive , but the moment I opened the box, I knew it belonged to me in a proud way. 

[pico]

I had a Rolex but it didn't make bad times good. The morning I bought it I was late to work.

[scott kirkpatrick]

I had a Rolex but it didn't make bad times good. The morning I bought it I was late to work.

I've always been amused by the fact that expensive mechanical watches are not particularly accurate.  Quartz controlled humble watches, like Seiko and even Timex, are good for only a few seconds drift in half a year (the time between daylight to regular time changes).  You can set them from the network time signals or the NBS website.

[Paulus]

I've always been amused by the fact that expensive mechanical watches are not particularly accurate.  Quartz controlled humble watches, like Seiko and even Timex, are good for only a few seconds drift in half a year (the time between daylight to regular time changes).  You can set them from the network time signals or the NBS website.

 

I always thought that time is relative, so if you travel to much in a speedy vehicle, your watch is bound to be not accurate. Even a quarts ( or especially? ). The only place where there is really a need to have the accurate time is on a Swiss or Japanese railway station.  And even there it's alway nice to arrive a few minutes early. 

[Herr Barnack]

I've always been amused by the fact that expensive mechanical watches are not particularly accurate.  Quartz controlled humble watches, like Seiko and even Timex, are good for only a few seconds drift in half a year (the time between daylight to regular time changes).  You can set them from the network time signals or the NBS website.

The accuracy debate regarding watches - mechanical vs. quartz - reminds me of the sharpness debate in photography.  Sharpness is not the be all and end all of photography. 

 

My 15 year old Submariner loses one second a day, which for a mechanical watch is astonishingly accurate IMHO.  That is well within the accuracy requirements for Swiss chronometer watches.

 

Regarding timekeeping, nothing is perfect - not even atomic clocks. 

[JDFlood]

I prefer the text that was deleted. The OP sounds like a celebration of rampant consumerism; not much to do with photography.

_______________

Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

Or perhaps a sincere appreciation for the apex of technology in fields that I are truly passionate. My love and interest in fountain pens comes from when I was approximately 8, playing at my Grandmothers house. A passion that has remained with me throughout my life. Sorry you are so cynical, spending a ridiculous amount of money on an item reminds me of all the other times I spent a rediculous amount of money on something. That moment afterwards always remains... elation or disappointment. ‘I get it”, was my joy and elation, that I made the right choice, and that I have a new tool / piece of art to passionately pursue the next level of performance in my passion for photography. JD

[mdemeyer]

Passion is a good thing. :-)

[Paulus]

 

I prefer the text that was deleted. The OP sounds like a celebration of rampant consumerism; not much to do with photography.

_______________

Alone in Bangkok essay on BURN Magazine

 

Maybe, he is the same person, who will buy a wonderful photo because he appreciates the finer things of life? 

[jmahto]

You love your M10, that I get it. What I don't get is why do you have to tell me cost of your preamplifier in photo forum.

 

Enjoy.

[farnz]

I've always been amused by the fact that expensive mechanical watches are not particularly accurate.  Quartz controlled humble watches, like Seiko and even Timex, are good for only a few seconds drift in half a year (the time between daylight to regular time changes).  You can set them from the network time signals or the NBS website.

 

I can't recall ever hearing of a three-way conversation that goes like this:

 

Person 1: "What's the time?"

 

Person 2: "It's 10.29 and 17 seconds."

 

Person 3: "No, it's 10.29 and 18 seconds."

 

Person 1: "Oh no, I'm late by one second!"

 

I'm not being cynical here, or having a go at you, Scott, just being practical since I'm an Engineer.  Usually the answer to "What's the time?" is: "It's about half past ten."  Invariably when I get time from other than the watch I'm wearing, for example a station clock or one in a town square or on a cafe wall, I have no idea how correct they are or how well they keep time but they serve their purpose by informing me of roughly what the time is.  A few seconds either way is going to make very little difference to me or to most people I should think.

 

Pete.

[FrozenInTime]

A few seconds either way is going to make very little difference to me or to most people I should think.

 

For those few situations where seconds mattered, watches with a hacking function allow stopping of the second hand for short term synchronization.

Ships chronometer - there's a situation where accumulated error mattered:

Though classic styled marine deck watches with small second hands still seem to lack the hacking function - guess the navigator just transferred time from the main chronometer and remembers the seconds delta when taking a sighting.

 

I guess those shooting chromes on film Ms worried about shutters running half a stop slow and appreciated quartz timing of the M7.

Today preferring something mechanical is all about the feel and mechanical appreciation - rather than the best possible accuracy.

Edited October 1, 2017 by FrozenInTime

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[PeterGA]

Seriously funny!