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Leica spotted


mikpeter

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That's funny, because I live in New York and if I'm out shooting for more than an hour or so I generally have at least one person come up to me and ask me my opinion of the M8, what lens is that, etc.

 

Mostly other photographers who shoot with film Ms wanting to know my experience with it and if it was really worth it, tossing the decision in their minds, or late teens/early 20s photographers saying they wish they could afford it.

 

Maybe the difference is in the guy behind the camera.

It might be that you have a friendly face that invites people to start a conversation.

 

Hans

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Bit off thread but I can remember last spring being on the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and wanting someone to take a picture of me and my partner with my M8...

 

I spotted a young German guy who had a Nikon Dsomething with a bazooka like lens and thought he would be able to handle the shot... I motion to him to take our picture and handed him my camera... He took my camera in his hands and than made a HUGE howl "AOU!!! LI -KA!!!" in a deep German accent... Now all 50 people up there were riveted upon our shot....

 

The Germany guy then went lame as he could not grasp the concept of the focus patch... Me back and forth... the crowd become unruly as we take up prime space as I deal with a focus training for the German guy... And the final shot was still out of focus when I reviewed it :(

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Bit off thread but I can remember last spring being on the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa and wanting someone to take a picture of me and my partner with my M8...

 

I spotted a young German guy who had a Nikon Dsomething with a bazooka like lens and thought he would be able to handle the shot... I motion to him to take our picture and handed him my camera... He took my camera in his hands and than made a HUGE howl "AOU!!! LI -KA!!!" in a deep German accent... Now all 50 people up there were riveted upon our shot....

 

The Germany guy then went lame as he could not grasp the concept of the focus patch... Me back and forth... the crowd become unruly as we take up prime space as I deal with a focus training for the German guy... And the final shot was still out of focus when I reviewed it :(

 

 

Kevin,

 

Well, that happens for cruising a young German guy... I hope he was cute :D :D :D

 

I would have set my Summicron 28 @ f/11 or f/16 and ISO @ 320 and I would have asked a pretty girl... This technique never fails...

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Before i did any real research re price, i just loved the idea that an M8 would be more discreet than my DSLR, but by the time it had it's first outing i was obviously rather more aware of the value of the camera and lens hanging around my neck and i was worried that this would draw attention to me.I very quickly realised that, really no one knows the value of this thing and it goes completely unnoticed in my rural neck of the woods. The only exception to this was when my daughter and her friends had a great laugh when they saw it. "Did you get that from a jumble sale"?...."That looks like a part from a submarine", and from my brother..."Is that a first world war camera?"..I'm pleased, I think!!!!

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Kevin,

 

Well, that happens for cruising a young German guy... I hope he was cute :D :D :D

 

I would have set my Summicron 28 @ f/11 or f/16 and ISO @ 320 and I would have asked a pretty girl... This technique never fails...

 

Ha!... f/16 was my first thought too!...And yes I should not have gone for the cute one with the big lens...

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And yes I should not have gone for the cute one with the big lens...

 

Oooh errr Mrs! :D

 

I've had a number of people ask me about my Leica lllf, they all recognised it as a Leica 'the best camera in the world isn't it?'. I'm always happy to stop and chat for a few minutes, can't understand grumpy people like that.

 

I've also been asked on two occasions when I've been using my Nikon F2 'is that an old Leica?' (both turned out to be photography/art students).

 

When I've used my Pinhole Blender camera I've just had funny looks and people taking a wide berth!

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Maybe the difference is in the guy behind the camera.

It might be that you have a friendly face that invites people to start a conversation.

 

Hans

 

That may be it. I try to put on my best happy, not a threat face when I'm out shooting. A good smile helps defuse the situation in street photography I've found. That and and a quick conversation if caught in the act.

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Isn't the Spotted Leica on the endangered species list?:eek:

 

That is so funny- LOL. I spent a week in NYC a couple months ago and at first carried my M8 in a bag, then quickly got tired of it and carried just the camera and my trusty 28/2- ('cron, summicron, notalux- damn, whatever...) and only TWO people noticed me all week- one was a bicycle guy pedaling someone in the carriage behind him and he said "wow, man a Leica!" as he peddled by me and the next guy was a cab driver and he said "oh a Leekah- want to go to B&H?". It's nice to not get noticed. If someone did ask me about my camera, I'd be torn between engaging him and avoiding him, depending on the situation.

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I will gladly chat if i have the time, but when I don't, I won't. I wont be rude though...

 

Though I have never had an issue with camera geeks accosting me while shooting (only polite people in passing), camera geeks are the very worst when you show images... trying ever so hard not to be too impressed by anything. They look aloof but seem to hang about a very long time, stealing up close looks they hope nobody notices. They rarely chat, because they have already graded each image just as if had you entered them into the local comp where they would have been the judge. In their world, you ought to be talking to them, because you would learn a lot. They then straighten their anorak, pat down their plastic bag/rucksack and are on their way, sure in the knowledge that their inkjet prints of 'impressionistic seascapes' remain the finest images the world ever saw. It is merely their choice not to show them to anyone except to their wife, who knows exactly what to say after 37 years of practice. A Leica M8 owner who does not know a lens by name is positively dull in comparison. The village camera club is where things get really nasty LOL!

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Quotes:

Originally Posted by t024484

 

Maybe a chrome M8 attracts more attention.

 

Hans

 

Not really. I once got snubbed by an IIIf user when he saw my M6....

 

__________________

Jaap

 

I once got snubbed by an M6 user when he saw my Digilux 2 (his nice wife later tried to apologize)

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My M8 was spotted twice in Mexico (two separate trips). The first time, someone said "look at that old Leica camera that guy has" as I walked past. Maybe he said "look at that Leica camera that old guy has", but I hope not. The second time involved a lengthy discussion about Leica cameras and lens, and just as I was leaving he said "and can you still get film easily?"

 

Roger

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My silver M8 in it's Luigi tan case & strap with silver 35 'cron has often attracted the same 'old film camera' conversation and the surprise when people realize that it's a) digital, B) german and c) built like a brick.

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And yes I should not have gone for the cute one with the big lens...

 

I'm hesitant to give mine to the cute ones. They mostly can run fast even with a big lens ;-)

 

When taking pictures with my chrome M8 (with grey dot + black lens), most probably someone will show up and comment on my nice old camera. When I'm in a good mood and if I trust the situation I'd briefly open the back flap of the Luigi half case and give them a glimpse of the screen. That mostly gets me an 'aw' or a laugh or a lengthy conversation about technicalities. I haven't received a comment about, say, the beautiful light or something up until now. I always have to bring up that topic myself.

 

Norbert

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Never ever has anybody made any comment on the black M8, hanging around my neck and resting on my belly most of the time, as I shoot people that I meet on the street quite often from this position .

Not in Istanbul, Paris, London, Amsterdam, New York or any other place I have been.

 

Maybe a chrome M8 attracts more attention.

 

Hans

 

Hans,

 

I used to have a chrome M8 and swapped for a black M8.2 when the opportunity arise. My experience is that the all black M8 looks too much like a SLR and it attracts much more attention despite the incognito black dot dressing as people take more notice of it. The chrome looks much like an old camera which I usually get away with some shots.

 

If I could re-live my M again, it will definitely be chrome.

 

Best,

 

See Meng

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My M8 was spotted twice in Mexico (two separate trips). The first time, someone said "look at that old Leica camera that guy has" as I walked past. Maybe he said "look at that Leica camera that old guy has", but I hope not. The second time involved a lengthy discussion about Leica cameras and lens, and just as I was leaving he said "and can you still get film easily?"

 

Roger

 

A similar comment was said to me by this lovely French girl when I was in Vietnam. "What a lovely old camera"...I am glad she said that as we ended up downtown in a cafe sipping coffee with her modelling some shots for me etc....... :)

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