Vlad Posted June 29, 2009 Share #1 Posted June 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Please don't get me wrong, I do not mean to offend with this thread in any way. Is it almost expected that you are past your, say, 40s in order to be of proper Leica film age? Is that the time when you are more likely to get that nostalgic feeling, you turn your back on that new-age digital and relive your childhood? Reason I ask is, I went through airport security in Frankfurt last Thursday. After running through the scanner, a lady escorted me to a backroom where they swiped my M7 for explosives. Not only did the two security people look at my Leica in complete disbelief ("this must be an ancient relic!"), but they were completely dumbfounded that it was loaded with film, instead of a CF card of sorts. I am 29 myself, am I a rare breed of sub-30s that enjoys film for all its qualities? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 29, 2009 Posted June 29, 2009 Hi Vlad, Take a look here Advanced Age pseudo-requirement for film Leicas?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
JBA Posted June 29, 2009 Share #2 Posted June 29, 2009 Perhaps the reason people who use Leicas tend to be a bit older (I started at age 44) is that they can finally afford them. For me, using film has nothing to do with nostalgia and everything to do with loving film. I decided to get a Leica M when I looked into getting a DSLR and found I hated everything about it, especially the autofocus and all the fussy buttons, nested menus, etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. I realized pretty quickly that I'd get sick of that within a couple of months. No regrets about going for the Leica instead. Last month I bought my 4th film Leica. When I brought my Leicaflex SL2 and M6 along with several rolls of film back from the US last year, I asked security to hand check the film and camera. They were glad to comply, but I had to step aside while they swabbed my cameras and looked into each lens. They were very efficient and didn't even raise an eyebrow at the equipment, as if dozens of people came through each day with the exact same request. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
antistatic Posted June 29, 2009 Share #3 Posted June 29, 2009 Please don't call 40s "advanced age" I resumed my film days after a fling with digital at 39. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted June 29, 2009 Share #4 Posted June 29, 2009 I decided to get a Leica M when I looked into getting a DSLR and found I hated everything about it, especially the autofocus and all the fussy buttons, nested menus, etc., etc., etc. ad nauseam. Couldn't agree more! Having just put the trusty M6 through its paces today, I am still delighted how this camera just goes and goes. It's always a delight to use, simple and intuitive. And though digital is handy, I like the results I get with film. A friend told me when he was stopped at the airport with his M4 he was asked to "switch it on." At 46 digital is still a novelty for me -- it's only been in serious use for the last 10 years or so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemal_mumcu Posted June 29, 2009 Share #5 Posted June 29, 2009 I'm sub-30 and shoot %100 film. Being a film shooter ranks high in post-modern coolness and culture. Its not about ease or else I'd be shooting more digital, its really come down to preference and passion, and a bit of lifestyle. I remember one time recently going through a security gate and being told to remove all items electronic. Figuring that wouldn't involve an M2 I left it in the bad. The bag went through the scanner and the man almost had a fit. "What's this!!" he exclaimed pointing toward a big metallic lump on the screen. I swallowed the lump in my throat and told him it was a camera to which he reacted with chastisement. He calmed down when he saw the M2 and then his reaction turned to one of disbelief. It isn't electronic. But I always pull it out now at security. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 29, 2009 Share #6 Posted June 29, 2009 I bought my first Leica, a lllf, when I was 17, I traded in my almost new Nikon SLR for it at the time! I don't think you can judge anything from airport security people - sometimes my bag is scanned (film cameras, light meter, film canisters etc) and they take me to one side to search it thoroughly, the next time it will go through no questions asked. I think its a numbers game really, or simply that some staff recognise camera equipment and others don't.......it seems all very random. Of course they will see some odd things on scanners and have gut feeling about some people but I think its more a case of being seen to be doing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth Posted June 29, 2009 Share #7 Posted June 29, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) I would say that Leica M film cameras are appreciated by those of us senior in age and yes they are a little quirky and dare I say retro hence the recent popularity of Leica camera with the glitter-arty but they will soon get attached to some other fun thing and leave us more senior, in age not skill, to get on with our rather amusing little old cameras. I wonder if most Leica users were steam train spotters in thier youth? Interesting Poll question- I wonder if most Leica users were steam train spotters in thier youth? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mongrelnomad Posted June 29, 2009 Share #8 Posted June 29, 2009 Just turned 30 (three weeks ago) - pretty much always have my trusty MP/MP3/M7 with me. Unless I want throwaway shots then I'll be holding the M8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leica dream Posted June 29, 2009 Share #9 Posted June 29, 2009 18 months ago I was on a coach tour of Scandinavia with a party of people from the USA and they were most intrigued that I kept changing film in my camera. Indeed, many were so intrigued that they wanted to handle it and take some shots. Almost disbelief that I should not want to see my pictures until they had been processed and, I suppose that they could not see the shots they had taken instantaneously. I am 68 and the experience convinced me to go digital (V-Lux1), but I now have the feeling that the real "art" has gone because what I shoot can be manipulated later with greater ease. I have to admit, though, that a more instant assessment of a shot does have advantages. Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted June 29, 2009 Share #10 Posted June 29, 2009 66 and have Nikon D700. Also have Leica M`s and regularly put film into the old brass cassettes with a bench winder. Also have R cameras. Digital is cool, so is film. The problem is most people need to depend on commercial processors most most give screwed up results. The other problem is most think digi is cheaper when in fact it is far more expensive. But the general public is not too smart. Just look at what they elected for president in the USA. Film is coming back. Poll popularity on policy is dropping and soon the personel popularity will follow. Everything swings back and forth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobtodrick Posted June 29, 2009 Share #11 Posted June 29, 2009 It's amazing how fast this happens. I remember my last year of high school, the last year before calculators were allowed to be used during final exams. In my physics final the room was a hush, except for the swishing sound of people using their slide rules. Two years later you couldn't find a store that sold them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernmelder Posted June 29, 2009 Share #12 Posted June 29, 2009 I'm 25 and consider myself lucky to have worked hard to get a Leica M4 + lens. Usually I'm considering the average Leica user to be over 40, too. Just because they cost so much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kirkmingle Posted June 29, 2009 Share #13 Posted June 29, 2009 (...) I am 29 myself, am I a rare breed of sub-30s that enjoys film for all its qualities? A rare breed? In this forum, yes I guess so. But not out in the real world I am glad you didn't ask about young photographers that actually use Leicas because then I would feel even more alone...... I am 28 btw and I have a MP and a M8 plus 2 lenses. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 29, 2009 Share #14 Posted June 29, 2009 Interesting Poll question- I wonder if most Leica users were steam train spotters in thier youth? Not me, that's for sure. I grew out of my train set by my teenage years. Nothing against train spotters (but really, get a life!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted June 29, 2009 Share #15 Posted June 29, 2009 I would say that Leica M film cameras are appreciated by those of us senior in age and yes they are a little quirky and dare I say retro hence the recent popularity of Leica camera with the glitter-arty but they will soon get attached to some other fun thing and leave us more senior, in age not skill, to get on with our rather amusing little old cameras How can Leicas be "retro" when they still make M7s and MPs? They aren't "retro", they're not "old", they're current. They may have been around, in M form, for 55 years, but that doesn't make them "retro". "Retro" is when you make something for 5 years, stop making it for 50 years, then start making it again to appeal to old gimmers who bought the original in the first place. And their grandchildren who think that old stuff is better than new stuff. Leica just isn't in that market at all. They just keep selling the same old stuff. As do a lot of other brands. Just my 2 credits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
poynterama Posted June 30, 2009 Share #16 Posted June 30, 2009 A colleague of mine made me smile the other day- I was asked to be the official photographer for a conference hosted by our University late last year. I used my digilux 2 for the occasion and took some 400 shots over the course of the 3 day conference. My colleague came up to me last week, saying that she remembered seeing me with 'that old-looking digital camera'. Apparently she had been looking for a 'cheap' digi and was a little surprised to find that these 'old-looking ones' are a little hard to come by and not as cheap as she was expecting! I find it interesting that Kenneth suggests M cameras are appreciated by those of more advanced age. What are your thoughts on the R series? For what it's worth, I'm 25 and while my personal choice is a R4s, I occasionally take my dad's IIf out for an airing (it sat unused for some 30 years because he has too much fun with his M3!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riccis Posted June 30, 2009 Share #17 Posted June 30, 2009 It's never too early... I'm 33 and have been using them for about 3 years... For the past 2 months I've put the M7s and MPs down and done all my work on M3s (I'm also about to add an M2)... If you are shooting film and wanting to try rangefinders, there is no better time to jump in as film Ms are really inexpensive right now (excluding the collector crap ) I travel a lot for my wedding commissions and the security guys are always excited to see film (specially when they see me carrying a couple hundred rolls at a time). The ones that know Leica always state how it is the best camera (some of them have even told me they own one). Cheers, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman Villain Posted June 30, 2009 Share #18 Posted June 30, 2009 Leica's are expensive, so that might have something to do with it I'm 34...and this is the first time in my life that I've been in the financial and professional position to switch to leica. But, I would have loved to own a Leica back at age 19 in college... that would have been amazing but just not possible Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentleman Villain Posted June 30, 2009 Share #19 Posted June 30, 2009 It's never too early... I'm 33 and have been using them for about 3 years... ah...that might explain why I relate well to a lot of your posts around here...Both of us are solidly Generation X We're a strange group...we spent half of our lives without email and the other half living through the digital explosion...In many ways, our generation is in the unique position of having one foot in the old world and one foot in the new world. Those of us that started in photography at a young age are often equally comfortable working in both film and digital...That might make us a very practical generation to help define film's role in the new era. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
poynterama Posted June 30, 2009 Share #20 Posted June 30, 2009 So how many other "MTV Generation"-ers own and use film Leicas? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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