View Full Version : crossing paths with leicaphiles
picked up a bunch of color processing stuff at samy's today. i had just crossed to the corner of jack in the box when a guy on a cell phone walked by with i think a chrome mp. he didn't quite notice me grinning and saying "hey, a leica!" so long, dude with leica and cellphone. :D
Every once in a great while, someone will notice that my half-century-old Nikon rangefinders aren't SLRs and asks if they're Leicas. I say, "Nah, they're just old Nikons from the '50s, when they were copying Leicas." Helps to quickly diffuse the situation and get back to the photography. I've spray-painted my face plates black (avert your eyes, ye cringing collectors), which obscures the Nikon logo and makes the cameras blend into the smallish point-and-shoot world.
I've only ever had one person recognize my MP. I was at an auto show happily snapping away when an older gentleman from England walked up and commented about my Leica. He said that allot of his "mates" back home were into Leicas and that they were smashing good cameras. Then he went on to wax poetic about finally crafted autos and finally crafted cameras. Apparently the old boy was in charge of the Ferrarri group that was there.
JonasYip
08-12-2005, 20:07
Well, Aizan, you may very well cross paths with me someday as I'm also in the South Bay (Manhattan Beach), and I'll usually notice another Leicaphile. Though I may not be carrying a Leica as I seem to grab the RD-1 by default these days....
j
I ride a motocycle and I always wave (stick arm out below handlebar) to other riders. About 3/4s of the time they wave back. About 1/4 or my fellow mptprcycle riders think they are too cool to acknowledge me. Their loss, not mine.
richiedcruz
08-12-2005, 22:12
Since I've gotten my Leica only a couple of people have noticed it. A pro and someone who also had a IIIC. But lots of people have chased me down to ask me if my Argus was a Leica :D
Kids, name em Nikki and they go for the Leica.
Early rebellion. Wait till she is a teen. :)
I ride a motocycle and I always wave (stick arm out below handlebar) to other riders. About 3/4s of the time they wave back. About 1/4 or my fellow mptprcycle riders think they are too cool to acknowledge me. Their loss, not mine.
There it is, the official RFF "I spy a RF Guy" wave.
Left hand down by your waist, palm forward, fingers together with a slight nod of the head as to say, "Nice Leica (fill in appropriate camera name in place of Leica)"
SolaresLarrave
08-13-2005, 02:34
In Barcelona, my black Leica got stares and comments... which my wife heard (I didn't, as they were made while I was away from those who made them). She told me later "there were some guys admiring your camera."
Now... try walk downtown Chicago with a Mamiya C220... ;)
Graybeard
08-13-2005, 04:01
I've had people stop and ask about the camera that I'm using quite often. It is usually the Leica IIIf that draws comment; I presume because a Barnack Leica is easily recognizable as not being a modern P&S. Most recently, a woman next to me a concert in Tanglewood commented the the Leica was "quite lovely, can you still buy films for it?".
The camera that really draws comment is a Rolleiflex - some people will ask what it is, not even recognizing it as a camera. On a trip to Rome once, middle-aged and elderly German tourists more than once gave approving nods and encouraging comments when they sae me shooting with the Rollei 3.5F.
My M-6 has drawn some strange looks (or maybe it was me?) but, as yet, no comments. Once, years ago I was shooting landscapes with a Mamiya Universal when a middle aged American Tourist wandered over for a closer look and said, "Hey son, that's quite a camera. Did you make it yourself?"
Frank, glad to hear that motorcyclists in your part of the world also acknowlege each other on the road. We gotta stick together.
Richard Black
08-13-2005, 04:29
Francisco,
Try walking around Peoria with a Salyut S strapped to your neck. I don't think I would try that today. I once had a guy pull off the highway and drive up to me when I was using the Salyut S. He said he could spot a H'blad anywhere. Well, he was surprised. I too have had some interesting looks carrying the Rollei when I am out and about. I use it for wedding shots.
I have rarely seen anyone with a Leica, whether it be on the street or at a major event attended by thousands of people. I have seen tons of Nikons, Canons, Minoltas, Pentaxes, and Olympuses. The one exception was a photography instructor at my university. He always carried his M3.
Mackinaw
08-13-2005, 05:15
I was walking around an outdoor art fair last weekend where an old gent looked at my MP and said, "that must be a real old camera." I told him I bought it brand new just last November.
I don't see many Leicas at all in my wanderings. I did see one guy carrying a Leica Digilux 2 once, but that's not a real Leica (or camera).
Jim Bielecki
Film dino
08-13-2005, 06:17
The usual reaction to my IIIc is "nice camera - you must really understand what you are doing to be able to use that" Flattering, therefore untrue.
I don't think anyone has ever "noticed" my cameras - Nikon, Leica or Canonet. To be honest, I think most people could care less.
The only time I've ever seen another Leica is in Newtonville Camera & Video near where I live.
I've gotten a few comments from old-timers when I was out shooting with my M3 and big, brass 135mm Nikkor. I think the Nikkor attracted the attention first. The comment was along the lines of "...oh, I used to have one of those. Great cameras....". Last week someone saw my MP and said, "Awesome camera!" as he passed but that was it. I've seen a few Leicas around San Francisco, but usually they have been touristy looking people and acting like tourists so I had little interest in chatting it up.
I've gotten looks and comments with the Leica IIIa, and Kiev's. I was shooting with the Kiev & J9 at the Toronto Street Fest, and one of the tango dancers specifically came up to me to let me know that they were going to pose, and that it would be a good time for a pic.
The Canon 300D + Sigma 170-500 usually gets comments too :).
dr.kollig
08-13-2005, 11:12
Once in Scotland in a supermarket, having my M4P user around the neck I came across a couple and could hear as he said to her: Haven't seen one of these for ages.
In Siberia one will not get many compliments on Leicas, they think Leicas are cheap copies of Zorkis and FEDs, at Baikal sea having a M3 around my neck, I was approached by a Miliz person, just to be handed a Zenit with the request of taking pictures of him and his friends.
Wolfram
SolaresLarrave
08-13-2005, 11:43
My Canonet always got some kind of attention. When I went to a big bakery store in Geneva, IL, the cashier saw it and blurted out "I used to have one of those!"
Also, in NY, in the Village, a waitress in a small coffeeshop noticed my camera and said "You must know what you're doing with a camera like that!"
She got a good tip from me.
Definitely not Leicaphiles, but attentive enough.
My black M4 has only been noticed twice, unfortunately the second time was by a Scottish police officer who brought me in to the station for questioning on why I had a camera and what I was photographing while letting me understand how evil photography is when there are terrorists loose on the streets... :D
cp_ste.croix
08-13-2005, 12:31
I have noticed a few folks in my neck of the woods shoting RF's, some of them Leica's, but always feel a bit weird trying to stalk closer to them to see their camera up close :) I'm too shy to go right up to them and inquire directly...
In Barcelona, some cute young thing commented on my Rolleicord 'Me gusta tu camera.' - since Nicole was by my side, I guess that was not a pick-up line...
BTW, saw Will Oldham ('Bonnie Prince Billy') live on Friday, and while I only brought the Oly XA, there was some guy shooting a Hexar RF with some kind of Leica 90mm lens (not the Konica Hexanon, which I would have recoginised, being one of my dream lenses) in the front row.
Roman
JonasYip
08-13-2005, 17:45
In Barcelona, some cute young thing commented on my Rolleicord 'Me gust tu camera.' - since Nicole was by my side, I guess that was not a pick-up line...
Actually, I've noticed that when I carry a Leica/RF or Hasselblad if I get any attention it's from, well, a gearhead guy like me. But when I carry my Yashica TLR I often get young artsy girls asking about the camera. Which seems to suggest I ought to be carrying the TLR more, or always for that matter...
Actually, I've noticed that when I carry a Leica/RF or Hasselblad if I get any attention it's from, well, a gearhead guy like me. But when I carry my Yashica TLR I often get young artsy girls asking about the camera. Which seems to suggest I ought to be carrying the TLR more, or always for that matter...
A TLR was the one camera my sister wanted, and when I did the "Taste of the Danforth" a street/food festival here in Toronto, I also saw a young woman with a TLR, the only girl/woman/lady with a camera that wasn't a digicam.
back alley
08-13-2005, 18:37
well this is excellent information!!
did i mention that i just won a mat 124g...')
joe
Actually, I've noticed that when I carry a Leica/RF or Hasselblad if I get any attention it's from, well, a gearhead guy like me. But when I carry my Yashica TLR I often get young artsy girls asking about the camera. Which seems to suggest I ought to be carrying the TLR more, or always for that matter...
You don't need to load it with film, just carry it!
Kurt M.
keithslater
08-13-2005, 18:54
I took my Fed 5 into the mall to Ritz today to try filters (I did not know the size, but I do now). While at the clearance table, a old guy walked over about 4 feet away stared for a minute and walked away. Then, when the camera was on the counter, another guy walked over, looked at it, then asked the clerk if she knew of anyone dying to get a Yashica Electro because all he shoots is digital now. (I assume he was baiting me). As my photography budget is pretty low, I told him he would regret getting rid of it someday. My Yashica A TLR gets alot of comments. We also get alot of tourist busses in my village (Watkins Glen, NY) I think the last time I walked past a bus of Russians or Ukranians and a couple people laughed at my Kiev 35 which by the way lasted a whole roll before biting the dust.
I've travelled around the globe for several years using Leicas, never encountered anyone else using one (except at LHSA events), and never had anyone take notice of it other than in the last year, a few people noticed me holding it up close to my face instead of out at arm's length, and asked why didn't I like using the little monitor better than the little peephole.
A couple times I made the mistake of saying "it's not digital", only to get an "oh." in a tone that as much as said"what a loser".
Was walking through the Japanese Gardens in Portland, Oregon today and saw a guy using a Leica Digilux 1. I said "great camera the Digilux 1" he complained about how big it was and I pointed out that the Digilux 2 was much bigger and that the Digilux 1 fit in the hand so much better. I think he ran away after that. Oh well.
I was walking around the Terminal in San Francisco when an elderly gentleman came up to me and asked me if I was a member of the "LUG". I said no the people we just too intense for me. He said it was great to see people using those old great cameras. Me and my M3 agreed.
"Daddy, your camera is beautiful". Kids, name em Nikki and they go for the Leica.
My daughter is the same. Out of all my cameras, the M3 is her favorite. "Daddy, can I have your Leica when I grow up?"
Of course, my son complained, "But what about me?"
That was the perfect cue to get an M2.:)
The camera that really draws comment is a Rolleiflex - some people will ask what it is, not even recognizing it as a camera. On a trip to Rome once, middle-aged and elderly German tourists more than once gave approving nods and encouraging comments when they sae me shooting with the Rollei 3.5F.
Yup, Rolleis are nice that way, still miss mine, but you should try walking around a day filming with a Beaulieu R16 w/Angenieux 12mm-120mm/2,2 and a matebox.
The film loonies spots you at 50 meters distance and starts pointing immediately, and before you know it you are surrounded by geeks . . .
but as it says : "Freaks unite . ."
vha :D
Uncle Bill
08-17-2005, 15:17
Nobody notices in Toronto unless I am in the downtown Henry's getting film. I had my Contax IIIa with me once all the gearheads on staff went ga-ga over it. I plan to take my KievIII or ContaxIIIa to the Word on the Park (formerly Word on the Street). The Ultimo in shooting opportunities.
Bill
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