Leica

Richard

Yesterday, I went to a great exhibit of New York themed photography featuring works on loan from the NY MOMA. Fabulous show. I noticed that almost all of the street photographers were using Leica 35mm cameras, which got me thinking--I don't hear much about Leica digital cameras here, even though they sell both P&S and dSLRs. How come? :scratch

Manfr3d

Because many old school photographers own a Leica (usualy non-digital).

Richard

Manfr3d wrote:

Because many old school photographers own a Leica (usualy non-digital).

Right, but what's the story on the new, digital ones?

Awais Yaqub

I think because their stuff is far more expensive and targeted audience is different from where most digital shooters we interact fall.

Digital photographers can get lots of canon/nikon lenses and bodies in the price of one lens or body of leica....Personally i will love to shoot a documentary with Leica M8 because my favorite photographers used it for some great images though i don't know what is special about rangefiner camera:D

swintonphoto

I agree with Awais - they make some great digital stuff, it's just very expensive. They make a great 4/3 body that can use the 4/3 lenses made by Olympus and Panasonic. But it is about twice as expensive as the Olympus and Panasonic 4/3 bodies with similar specs. Now, that said, the Leica version is metal and built like a tank.
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/products/index.html#DIGILUX3

Art Scott

Awais Yaqub wrote:

I think because their stuff is far more expensive and targeted audience is different from where most digital shooters we interact fall.

Digital photographers can get lots of canon/nikon lenses and bodies in the price of one lens or body of leica....Personally i will love to shoot a documentary with Leica M8 because my favorite photographers used it for some great images though i don't know what is special about rangefiner camera:D

this is DIGITAL GRIN and not small format DIGITAL GRIN...but we do not hear anything from the digital hassy or other medium format shooters either .....I know Leica is still with the realm of small format BUT the mindset of most of the Leica shooter is as stuck up as most of the medium format digital shooters.....they would not be caught dead carousing with us non elitist types:D:D:D

rpcrowe

My favorite photographer...

Awais Yaqub wrote:

I think because their stuff is far more expensive and targeted audience is different from where most digital shooters we interact fall.

Digital photographers can get lots of canon/nikon lenses and bodies in the price of one lens or body of leica....Personally i will love to shoot a documentary with Leica M8 because my favorite photographers used it for some great images though i don't know what is special about rangefiner camera:D

My favorite photographer is Mathew Brady but, I don't want to lug around an 11x14" wet plate camera...

Sorry to be rude but, I could not resist that...

rutt

Is your digital SLR as small, quiet, and unobtrusive as a Leica? Do you have lenses as good, especially wide angle? The day may be coming when something digital with exactly the same mission profile as the great Leica rangefinder film cameras will be available, but not quite yet.

I don't think you can say a similar thing about Mathew Bradey's equipment; it really didn't have any capabilities which aren't far surpassed by all current equipment. You'd only use it for nostalgic play. But I can still imagine wanting the capabilities of a Leica film rangefinder instead of anything else.

It's just laziness and lack of a darkroom which keeps me from shooting with my old 3F, the HCB camera.

QuinnPorter

Art Scott wrote:

...the mindset of most of the Leica shooter is as stuck up as most of the medium format digital shooters.....they would not be caught dead carousing with us non elitist types:D:D:D

No doubt some Leica shooters have an attitude, but the majority just consider themselves photographers like anyone else. I think the reason you don't see more Leica owners participating at dgrin or other mainstream photography boards is that the discussion inevitably turns to money. There's always someone that says a primative Leica is not worth the price of two Canon 5D MkIIs and anyone that buys a Leica is just a snob. Leica owners shouldn't have to explain themselves over and over again.

I have a 5D and a Leica M7 and the honest truth is I use the Leica more than the 5D.

QuinnPorter

You have to use a Leica to really appreciate it, but anyone can appreciate this size comparison.

Leica M7 with 40mm f/1.4 next to a Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4

Justiceiro

The Leica (I am speaking of the film cameras) is designed to do one thing, and it does it well. Thus the smaller size. The greater versatility of the SLR is, or at least should be, well known.

As far as digital leicas go, Leica hasn't really innovated since they introduced 35mm film decades ago. They have been playing catch up ever since digital became a serious concern.

Of course, Leica glass is outstanding. But way pay twice the price when you can get Leica glass on a lumix? And if you are a glass snob, then why aren't you shooting Zeiss?

The earlier question about wether an SLR is as unobtrusive as a Leica isn't really a fair one. An Honda is certainly less obtrusive than a half-track. But if you have to drive up a muddy hill under fire, I wouldn't recommend doing it in a Honda. A fair comparison would be if the leica is as unobtrusive as an advanced compact (like the lumix) or another digital rangefinder (like Ricoh). I'm not sure the bang for the buck is any better.


Anyway, you can do like I did and pick up a tanklike zeiss lens (east German, keeps the cost down) get an adaptor, slap it on your Canon SLR, and sneer at the leicaphiles, berating them for not manning up and shooting the OG pimp gangsta glass. Cuz that's how I roll.



Straight outta Jena! I'm the photog with the flava!

pathfinder

I have a Zeiss 20mm f2.8 for my 5D also, but so what:D

I have been waiting and waiting for Canon to figure out that they could put the guts of a 40D or a 50D in a Leica style range finder interchangeable lens body and it would sell like gang busters.

Unfortunately, they have not figured this out just yet. Panasonic, or even Nikon, may beat them to the punch. The new G1 from Panasonic in the Micro2/3s systems is getting awful close. And can use all those OM lenses too.

For now, for a small camera, I make do with a G10.

I have always admired Leicas, but I must admit, I am way to cheap to pay the freight for them. Too many other choices, optically speaking, for myself.

Justiceiro

pathfinder wrote:

I have been waiting and waiting for Canon to figure out that they could put the guts of a 40D or a 50D in a Leica style range finder interchangeable lens body and it would sell like gang busters.

I'm not sure that it would. Rangefinders haven't been popular in a long, long time, although I like them myself. I still shoot my Electro 35 when I'm feeling nostalgic.

I do feel, (unpopular as this opinion may be) that there is still a special something that film has which digital lacks. Not that this means it is better- in a lot fo ways, nowadays, digital is technically superior to film (dynamic range, etc.) But the best colors I have ever gotten in a picture I got with my Medium Format camera.


My Pentacon beat up your Leica.

Oh yes, and I neglected to mention. I will be at Skodaphoto in less than 23 hours, with 200 Euros in my pocket, showin' 'em my "O" face.