Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/09/19

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film
From: philippe.orlent at pandora.be (Philippe Orlent)
Date: Wed Sep 19 14:45:34 2007
References: <1190224740.46f16364d4b01@panthermail.uwm.edu> <067d01c7fae8$a95ba260$fc12e720$@net> <6af76ca00709191236n32d727e3g80c1a23e8b0a2e3@mail.gmail.com> <86E231C1-0102-45FD-8CE3-E2E8D2B98D56@pandora.be> <6af76ca00709191315u7c7bddfcvde7a897e1aff1db3@mail.gmail.com> <38909AEC-EF44-4EF8-8D6D-E7AC56E186B6@pandora.be> <46F19225.7020601@zabrovsky.com>

Alex,

I'm not fighting that, on the contrary. In film, Leica is unbeatable.  
But in digital?
Even on this list, more and more people are shifting to digital. It  
made everything so easy!
Heck, today I bought a digital Ixus. I wanted something that I could  
carry at any time. Without a rain coat. Or a Domke bag, or whatever.
I'm quite sure that it will let me -in the end- get exactly (and  
unnoticeably) the same thing as I posted with my Leica. Or D200.
So, for the bulk of my 'work', it's OK. For those extra special  
moments that I want to have the impression to work with a tool, to be  
fully concentrated on the act of photographing, on film, thus the old  
original way, only one rules.
But quality has nothing to do with that. Not any more.
There have been more talks about Lightroom on this list than about  
the M8. There must be a reason for that, no?
At least, that is my impression.

And about snobbery (I was referring to the intial NYT articel, BTW):  
let's call it decadence of luxury rather.
The article is talking about professional photographers. That is not  
us on this list, except maybe for a very few. And even these are in a  
minority vs. all their other collegues that do not use Leica.
Since everything has become possible (and since -comercial-  
photography does not depend on solely the photographer alone anymore,  
nor on his skill), 'a story' is becoming far more important to  
influence one's image.
Thus influencing his share of market.
The exotica of analog is a great story to tell in that case. Proof of  
decadence of luxury, AFAIK.

Again, this is not about us, Leicafiles. But I do think it is about  
reality.
The LUG is not the best place to get a testing sample of Leica's  
viability IMO.

Philippe


Op 19-sep-07, om 23:18 heeft Alex het volgende geschreven:

> Perhaps not the least part of the equation is the personal desire,  
> passion and joy. Just like many others (and in particular on Leica  
> forum) its my pleasure to use fine gear, precise mechanics, even  
> though realizing that it will probably not going to make me better  
> photographer. But I feel good holding a piece of precision and  
> reliability in my hand (given one can afford such) and if I get a  
> worthy images with it - this is a very nice asset.
> Obviously, software, technology, etc..make all possible, but what  
> about personal passion ? Call it snobbery or whatever you want, but  
> what really counts is how do you personally feel about it...let the  
> others think as they want, I don't care. Professionals among us  
> have certainly another criteria to follow, they have to deliver in  
> order to earn they living, often leaving personal passion  
> aside....but then, for us, amateurs, I think the joy of the action,  
> using the gear we want (and can afford) is no less improtant then  
> the final result. That's my take on the issue.
>
> Alex
>
> Philippe Orlent wrote:
>
>> Chris,
>> You can get almost anything done by software nowadays. For less  
>> money  than it costed before that software exisited.
>> Why spend the extra buck then? Snobbery can have emotional  
>> reasons,  too, no?
>> Philippe
>>
>>
>> Op 19-sep-07, om 22:15 heeft Christopher Birchenhall het volgende   
>> geschreven:
>>
>>> Phillipe
>>>
>>>> A few years ago I said that this would happen. When people have
>>>> everything, snobbery starts.
>>>> Philippe
>>>
>>>
>>> I don't seem myself as a snob, just one who likes what he likes and
>>> not overly concerned to run with the crowd. In my dictionary a  
>>> "snob"
>>> feels superior; I have no illusions on the superiority of my
>>> photography but I am happy to use what system I like to use even  
>>> that
>>> puts me in a minority.
>>>
>>> Chris B
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


In reply to: Message from amr3 at uwm.edu (amr3@uwm.edu) ([Leica] Re:PAW 25 - Waders at Lyme Regis)
Message from jshul at comcast.net (Jim Shulman) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)
Message from crbirchenhall at googlemail.com (Christopher Birchenhall) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)
Message from philippe.orlent at pandora.be (Philippe Orlent) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)
Message from crbirchenhall at googlemail.com (Christopher Birchenhall) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)
Message from philippe.orlent at pandora.be (Philippe Orlent) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)
Message from alex at zabrovsky.com (Alex) ([Leica] The Enduring Populatity of Film)