Re: [Leica] R musing

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com>]

Martin Howard wrote:
> 
> vicmalta@earthlink.net jotted down the following:
> 
> > I noticed in a recent thread that the R-8 was more or less refered
> > to as "esoteric" equipment. Now sonny, as far as I'm concerned, the
> > EOS1v is esoteric, with all those buttons, symbols , custom options
> > and the like.
> 
> Esoteric means "available to a small group only".  Typically, this refers to
> knowledge, but it can refer to other means too.  I was the "sonny" who wrote
> the passage you were referring to and I didn't mean esoteric in the
> knowledge sense, but rather in the sense of cost.  I'd agree, the EOS 1v
> certainly is esoteric, in both senses, but I feel quite justified in calling
> any camera body with a typical retail price of over $1,500 esoteric and the
> Leica -- with its associated lens cost -- doubly so.
> 
> M.
> 

Martin I found these:

Esoteric 
Designed for, and understood by, the specially initiated alone; not
communicated, or not intelligible, to the general body of followers; private;
interior; acroamatic; -- said of the private and more recondite instructions and
doctrines of philosophers. Opposed to exoteric.

Esoteric \Es`o*ter"ic\, a.
   Marked by secrecy or privacy; private; select; confidential;
   as, an esoteric purpose; an esoteric meeting.
Esoteric \Es`o*ter"ic\, n. (Philos.)
   (a) An esoteric doctrine or treatise; esoteric philosophy;
       esoterics.
   (b) One who believes, or is an initiate, in esoteric
       doctrines or rites.

So a basic manual camera could be perceived as less esoteric. (The R8 is exoteric)
While a camera with bells and whistles incomprehensible to mortal man might be
considered esoteric i.e. EOS, N1 etc.

mark