Jim Radcliffe
Member
I have been a fan of Leica since the 1960s when I began my love affair with photography. I couldn't afford a Leica then and can't afford their latest offering now. This is may be part of the reason that some "hate" Leica. They want one but can't afford one and therefore they "act out" as a hater.
A year or so ago I was able to buy a used M8 and a couple of lenses. I used the M8 for a year and it finally dawned on me that the M system was really not for me and because of the amount of money I had tied up in the camera and lenses I sold it. Do I wish I still owned it? Of course but a camera that is not being used is a camera not worth keeping unless you are a collector.
My first 35mm film camera was a rangefinder (Argus C3) bought in a pawn shop for about $20 or $30 dollars back in 1965 I believe. So when I bought the M8 I knew what to expect as far as the "adjustments" to shooting (coming from a Canon 5D) would be.
If I were a rich man I would own and M9 and some of those wonderful Leica lenses but that is not the case and I doubt if I will ever own another M. The M8 worked very well for a lot of what I shoot but not for everything... and as so many have said in so many different forums, "The M is not for everybody."
Does Leica snobbery exist? Yes, it does. I think we have all run into a Leica owner who projects that snobbish persona at one time or another.. they are a very small minority of Leica owners but they do taint Leica ownership... and thus there are "haters" who will classify ALL Leica owners as such.
There are also the totally uninformed. They simply don't know what goes into the making of an M body or the glass. They are not aware that Leica is not a mega-company like Canon or Nikon and to them the prices seem totally outrageous... and so, they hate.
Most Leica owners I know simply enjoy the Leica for its simplicity and the great images it is capable of producing. I don't know anyone who bought the M system as a display of wealth or social standing.
As I mentioned, I've been a fan of Leica for most of my life but I have also been a critic of Leica... I could never understand why one would have to remove the entire baseplate to replace a memory card or battery.. it just did not make sense to me. I have never been able to equate the price Leica charges for the M bodies with the photos produced by the M... maybe they are selling something more than a body that is lost of me. I know they must charge what they do in order to survive and I can't really hold that against them... but some do.
Leica's heart and soul, at least for me, will always be their glass. Most of it is simply amazing in quality, design and construction. I only wish those beautiful lenses were more affordable. So.. haters are gonna hate those prices as well and make the quick jump to the concluson that Leica is only for the wealthy and collectors. They are wrong, of course.
I suppose I could say I have a love/hate relationship with Leica. I love the M system but I hate the prices, especially in these digital times when the technology is moving so fast and there is no option to upgrade other than buying a new M body.
I remain a fan of Leica and have never wished them any ill will... and I will continue to play the lottery in hopes of one day having enough disposable income to buy the latest from Leica without worrying about my wife putting me out on the street.
Haters come in all forms: Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, Samsung, Pentax.. and Leica. No one should ever let a hater cause them a moment of worry. it's your gear, your choice, and the only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with what you use for your photography.
A year or so ago I was able to buy a used M8 and a couple of lenses. I used the M8 for a year and it finally dawned on me that the M system was really not for me and because of the amount of money I had tied up in the camera and lenses I sold it. Do I wish I still owned it? Of course but a camera that is not being used is a camera not worth keeping unless you are a collector.
My first 35mm film camera was a rangefinder (Argus C3) bought in a pawn shop for about $20 or $30 dollars back in 1965 I believe. So when I bought the M8 I knew what to expect as far as the "adjustments" to shooting (coming from a Canon 5D) would be.
If I were a rich man I would own and M9 and some of those wonderful Leica lenses but that is not the case and I doubt if I will ever own another M. The M8 worked very well for a lot of what I shoot but not for everything... and as so many have said in so many different forums, "The M is not for everybody."
Does Leica snobbery exist? Yes, it does. I think we have all run into a Leica owner who projects that snobbish persona at one time or another.. they are a very small minority of Leica owners but they do taint Leica ownership... and thus there are "haters" who will classify ALL Leica owners as such.
There are also the totally uninformed. They simply don't know what goes into the making of an M body or the glass. They are not aware that Leica is not a mega-company like Canon or Nikon and to them the prices seem totally outrageous... and so, they hate.
Most Leica owners I know simply enjoy the Leica for its simplicity and the great images it is capable of producing. I don't know anyone who bought the M system as a display of wealth or social standing.
As I mentioned, I've been a fan of Leica for most of my life but I have also been a critic of Leica... I could never understand why one would have to remove the entire baseplate to replace a memory card or battery.. it just did not make sense to me. I have never been able to equate the price Leica charges for the M bodies with the photos produced by the M... maybe they are selling something more than a body that is lost of me. I know they must charge what they do in order to survive and I can't really hold that against them... but some do.
Leica's heart and soul, at least for me, will always be their glass. Most of it is simply amazing in quality, design and construction. I only wish those beautiful lenses were more affordable. So.. haters are gonna hate those prices as well and make the quick jump to the concluson that Leica is only for the wealthy and collectors. They are wrong, of course.
I suppose I could say I have a love/hate relationship with Leica. I love the M system but I hate the prices, especially in these digital times when the technology is moving so fast and there is no option to upgrade other than buying a new M body.
I remain a fan of Leica and have never wished them any ill will... and I will continue to play the lottery in hopes of one day having enough disposable income to buy the latest from Leica without worrying about my wife putting me out on the street.
Haters come in all forms: Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Panasonic, Samsung, Pentax.. and Leica. No one should ever let a hater cause them a moment of worry. it's your gear, your choice, and the only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with what you use for your photography.