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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Photography Equipment => Cameras / Lenses => Topic started by: Beppe Grillo on September 17, 2014, 01:49

Title: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: Beppe Grillo on September 17, 2014, 01:49
Snobbery?

With a Leica M60 your photos will be superior to those of others …

Beautiful piece, limited edition, for the New Russians, Rich Chinese Billionaires or Disaffected Arab Princes: 16,000 €.

No LCD, this is the ultimate class!
I think they should remove even the RAW recorder: to rise to the perfection of pure ideas!
So that you can focus the "concept" of your photo…

(To use only with white gloves, of course)

http://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-Edition-60/Details (http://us.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-Edition-60/Details)
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on September 17, 2014, 02:03
Hopefully it hasn't got a built in light-meter so that the purity of the buyers' photographic understanding will be utilised to the full.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: Ploink on September 17, 2014, 02:10
Hopefully it hasn't got a built in light-meter so that the purity of the buyers' photographic understanding will be utilised to the full.


Shame that I can like a post only once...

But if you're looking for a meter-less camera, look no further:

http://uk.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-A (http://uk.leica-camera.com/Photography/Leica-M/Leica-M-A)

And for a mere € 3.850,- too...
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: roede-orm on September 17, 2014, 02:16
Stupid rich people buy such toys, so what? 8) 8)
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: Dook on September 17, 2014, 03:15
It's a collectable item, smart investment. That's all it is.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: mojaric on September 17, 2014, 03:21
who cares? leica is a great camera, but is not an image work tool...who can afford Leica simply loves pictures but doesn't need to make money out of them
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on September 17, 2014, 04:27
who cares? leica is a great camera, but is not an image work tool...who can afford Leica simply loves pictures but doesn't need to make money out of them


That's an interesting thought - Leica has probably aimed as much or more at high-end hobbyists as at professionals for the last 50 years - but it's certainly not the whole story http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Exceptional_photographers_who_use_Leica_equipment: (http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Exceptional_photographers_who_use_Leica_equipment:)
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: Beppe Grillo on September 17, 2014, 05:58
who cares? leica is a great camera, but is not an image work tool...who can afford Leica simply loves pictures but doesn't need to make money out of them

Leica was great cameras (not so sure that is was so great without good lenses………).
Today Leica is just a status symbol.
Technically I think that a  Lumix PANASONIC GM5 is better (and costs 20 times less)  ;)
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: mojaric on September 17, 2014, 07:10
Leica was great cameras (not so sure that is was so great without good lenses………).
Today Leica is just a status symbol.
Technically I think that a  Lumix PANASONIC GM5 is better (and costs 20 times less)  ;)

sorry you're waaaaay wrong  ;)

i owned for 5 years a complete Leica M system (leica M6, Leica M9, summicron 35, summicron 90, elmarit 21mm), so i'm talking with some experience...Versability is the reason that led me to sold everything for a nikon system....not quality, AT ALL

Now i must REMEMBER two things:

- First: Leica M is made for and is limited to reportage and travel picture...don't have AF, no video, no timelapse,no zoom, no filter mount (no landscape photography)...but yes it's an outstanding camera for those works, and there is nothing to discuss about it.

-Second: About the price...Leica is NOT more expensive than all TOP DSLR camera from Canon and Nikon
Here Market prices:
Leica M: 6000€ (warranty 5 years)
Nikon D4 (with 4 years warranty) 5400€
Canon EOS 1dx 5450€
Canon EOS 1dc 12000€
I don't see big differences, you?....lens price? same just take a look to price list and compare prime Nikon/canon zooms vs Leica....


If nowdays is possible to live only on travel/wedding and news reportages, Leica still is THE camera....personally i can't, but this has nothing to deal with Leica quality

ps. Yes Leica makes many "snobby" cameras for collection...like the one in your link...btw their business lies also much on fat chinese/russian full of money :D
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: leaf on September 17, 2014, 08:14
Leica was great cameras (not so sure that is was so great without good lenses………).
Today Leica is just a status symbol.
Technically I think that a  Lumix PANASONIC GM5 is better (and costs 20 times less)  ;)


sorry you're waaaaay wrong  ;)

i owned for 5 years a complete Leica M system (leica M6, Leica M9, summicron 35, summicron 90, elmarit 21mm), so i'm talking with some experience...Versability is the reason that led me to sold everything for a nikon system....not quality, AT ALL

Now i must REMEMBER two things:

- First: Leica M is made for and is limited to reportage and travel picture...don't have AF, no video, no timelapse,no zoom, no filter mount (no landscape photography)...but yes it's an outstanding camera for those works, and there is nothing to discuss about it.

-Second: About the price...Leica is NOT more expensive than all TOP DSLR camera from Canon and Nikon
Here Market prices:
Leica M: 6000€ (warranty 5 years)
Nikon D4 (with 4 years warranty) 5400€
Canon EOS 1dx 5450€
Canon EOS 1dc 12000€
I don't see big differences, you?....lens price? same just take a look to price list and compare prime Nikon/canon zooms vs Leica....


If nowdays is possible to live only on travel/wedding and news reportages, Leica still is THE camera....personally i can't, but this has nothing to deal with Leica quality

ps. Yes Leica makes many "snobby" cameras for collection...like the one in your link...btw their business lies also much on fat chinese/russian full of money :D



The Leica M's price isn't so crazy at 6000 euro but the M60's price at 16000 euro is a bit over the top
http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/16/leica-m-edition-60/ (http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/16/leica-m-edition-60/)

I'm all for a digital camera with no back.  I dreamed of having one a couple years ago.  I felt that if I was going to strip the digital camera down to the essentials, like a Leica nicely does, I may as well skip the screen as well and just focus on shooting like the old days.  That would be nice.  I'm not going to plop $20,000 on the table to do so however :)
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: Ed on September 17, 2014, 08:39
Leica makes some exceptional cameras the problem is that the craftsmanship doesn't always support the profitability that other production manufacturers can enjoy.  They offset that with various special edition cameras.

I've had an M6 TTL and I had a MP - I paired both bodies with a 35mm and 50mm Summicron (f/2) lenses.  The image quality from those lenses was incredible.  There was almost no distortion even on the 35mm - I mean you could take a picture of a brick wall the lines were straight.

I sold both because they are film cameras and if I'm out shooting and an image turns out that I like, I couldn't really do anything with the image aside from create a print.

There are still quite a few wedding photographers out there that are shooting Leica - both film Leicas and the M9 are being used all the time.  Some photographers prefer the M9 over the M240 because of the "look" it gives.  I would love to own a M240 (actually, I'd love to own the new M-P) and I may end up picking one up eventually.

They are awesome cameras and if you get a non-collector version, you can certainly see and tell the craftsmanship behind them.

To criticize a camera solely on price though is a bit short sighted. Seriously, compare the images out of a Pentax 645-Z and a Hasselblad H5D - there is a difference and it is noticable.

Take a look at this commercial....the images all have a specific "look".  That look is something that's acheivable by a specific camera....it's the "medium format look"

Ram Trucks Super Bowl Commercial Farmer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBsWYcWwpr4#ws)

Leica M9's have a specific look.  Leica M Monochrome cameras have a specific look.  Leica M240s have a specific look.

It's all about what you want to achieve in your photography.  I mean even Nikon and Canon have a certain look about the images they produce.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: bunhill on September 17, 2014, 08:59
As well a producing great work cameras - Leica have a long tradition of producing very expensive limited editions.

Eg this gold 1932 Leica ii (http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21288/lot/1681/). Similar model sold in the recent Westlicht auction (http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.ObjectList?inSiteLang=&inC=WLPA&inA=20130930_1754&inCategoryId=7064617&inPageMode=&inShowOnlyNotSold=#) for €312,000.

I love the Westlicht auctions. Have a look at lot 22 in that auction  (Leica 2500GG w. Leica-Motor MOOEV) which sold for €576,000. Just in case there is any confusion between European and American use of comma vs point - yes that's over 1/2 € million.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on September 17, 2014, 11:24
I'd better hang on to my Leica R4s Mod P and Summicron lenses, then.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: bunhill on September 17, 2014, 13:11
I'd better hang on to my Leica R4s Mod P and Summicron lenses, then.

I cannot see the R series ever being especially collectible. The ii, iii and m series cameras and lenses are what people collect (but not the M5 !). Especially in China, where all the money is, and Japan. And as well as collectors, the market for the LTM and M lenses is further kept buoyant by their compatibility with digital. The rangefinders are what people think of with Leica. As well as all of the famous pictures shot using those cameras - there are many classic pictures of famous people using those cameras. In that sense it is also a design icon.

The R lenses are currently holding their value though because they can be used with mirrorless cameras and for cinematography. The bodies have relatively little value. And I cannot see that increasing because they are not classics. 1960s and 70s Nikkormats might be quite collectible.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on September 17, 2014, 13:27
I'd better hang on to my Leica R4s Mod P and Summicron lenses, then.

I cannot see the R series ever being especially collectible. .

No, nor can I. But it does take nice pictures, so I'll just make do with that.
Title: Re: Leica M60 - The limit of absurdity…
Post by: stockastic on September 17, 2014, 15:28
"The moment of un-boxing, of the first touch, the first press of the shutter release. The moment that makes photography art."

Note that the packaging includes the white gloves.

It's hilarious.