An M6 TTL Ti is on hold for me...help!

[dave lackey]

Please talk me out of this! My wife doesn't understand, even I don't understand but when KEH put that sucker on hold for me and sent me an email loaded with photos of a stunning M6...all I can do now is grovel and plead for help...

KEH, as usual, has a BGN grade that is perfect! No scratches or dings anywhere! Looks perfectly new!

What to do? Will my Nikons understand? Will my wife understand? Does anybody here understand?


Cryin and dyin in Leicaland...er...Georgia...

[erik515]

Go for it.

[dave lackey]

IT is this:

http://www.leicagallery.com/TTLTitanium.jpg

Yikes!

[SolaresLarrave]

FWIW... my Nikons didn't let out a peep when the Leicas came into this house. Of course, I still feed them good film, just not as often, and we still go out in long walks. I got a couple of nice accessories for them too!

As for your better half, just accesorize her well and she won't object. All girls deserve some jewelr... er, accesories from time to time!

[ForeverUnknown]

I think the Nikons will get over it. I know mine will. I have a M6 "Panda" (who cares about that) in BGN condition on hold from KEH, and I'm waiting for the photos. Wonder how she looks.

[Vickko]

Of course we understand. When you ask keh to photograph something, they automatically put it on hold for you.
I am blessed with a wife who understands. But key to her understanding is that I continue to provide her "the lifestyle that we have become accustomed", and to pay her back whenever the delivery guy wants to be paid for the customs charges.

Vick

[back alley]

are the nikons rangefinders?

[demian]

Dear Dave:

Wow, that is very nice! I have never seen one of those before (and I thought Ive seen them all). Again, I had the M6 (classic) Ti, but never knew Leica made a TTL version with brown leather as you described. Wow. It is very sharp!

Now this cracks me up and makes me mad at the same time!! These guys saying "go for it, etc!!" <laugh> What jerks...

Listen my friend, I feel you pain! They don't understand your position!!

I am however very fortuante to be married to a photographer, but believe me, as I am NOT a pro-photographer, I STILL have trouble justifying a Billingham bag, a $1400 lens, etc....

Your wife is obviously the biggest hurdle as you know you want it. Hell, I want it for you!!

So, what are we going to do to help Dave convince his wife!

Sure, sure, we all hide things we buy from our wives, etc. but this cannot be hidden obviously!

Actually, it *is* rather your fault, you should not have said anything to begin. In fact, you should have told her you are just buying an old film camera. I am sure she does not even know what a Leica is if not in the field of photo.


Oh, no, don't tell me....you told her how much it costs?!?!

.....and don't tell me you have joint bank accounts?!?! You DO have secret bank accounts your wife doesnt know about right??

...and please, please, do not tell me you cannot lie to your wife about such things.


If you replied, "yes" to any of the above 3 questions the situation is hopeless...and as it is hopeless, well.....get it anyway.

Tell her you will sell something else to justify it's purchase then!!

That is your only way. OR you ahve to buy her one too.....but those are your only options....

That is a great camera. Hope you use it as it was meant to be used. I didn't have the guts as I said, so sold it for another which was just as expensive that in my little mind I wouldn't worry about scratching up as much "as the black paint is supposed to wear off " type of mentality.

But listen to my wife's logic. (and she could not say anything because I purchased her an M6 too.)

I told her it was too valuable and these "leica people" are crazy. One scratch and it loses all of its value....

She says as clear as can be with a logic that illudes all in the leica world, "well, you bought it with the intention of keeping it forever. Who cares if its value goes down with a scratch. Just use it and forget about it."


No clearer words have been spoken. They struck me like an arrow in my chest.

I had no reply.

I feel like a dope now reflecting back on my early Leica days...the learning curve is rough...

So take my advice and just use the hell out of it as it was intended.


Hope this is all somewhat helpful my friend!

[dave lackey]

Originally Posted by demian

Dear Dave:

Wow, that is very nice! I have never seen one of those before (and I thought Ive seen them all). Again, I had the M6 (classic) Ti, but never knew Leica made a TTL version with brown leather as you described. Wow. It is very sharp!

Now this cracks me up and makes me mad at the same time!! These guys saying "go for it, etc!!" <laugh> What jerks...

Listen my friend, I feel you pain! They don't understand your position!!

I am however very fortuante to be married to a photographer, but believe me, as I am NOT a pro-photographer, I STILL have trouble justifying a Billingham bag, a $1400 lens, etc....

Your wife is obviously the biggest hurdle as you know you want it. Hell, I want it for you!!

So, what are we going to do to help Dave convince his wife!

Sure, sure, we all hide things we buy from our wives, etc. but this cannot be hidden obviously!

Actually, it *is* rather your fault, you should not have said anything to begin. In fact, you should have told her you are just buying an old film camera. I am sure she does not even know what a Leica is if not in the field of photo.


Oh, no, don't tell me....you told her how much it costs?!?!

.....and don't tell me you have joint bank accounts?!?! You DO have secret bank accounts your wife doesnt know about right??

...and please, please, do not tell me you cannot lie to your wife about such things.


If you replied, "yes" to any of the above 3 questions the situation is hopeless...and as it is hopeless, well.....get it anyway.

Tell her you will sell something else to justify it's purchase then!!

That is your only way. OR you ahve to buy her one too.....but those are your only options....

That is a great camera. Hope you use it as it was meant to be used. I didn't have the guts as I said, so sold it for another which was just as expensive that in my little mind I wouldn't worry about scratching up as much "as the black paint is supposed to wear off " type of mentality.

But listen to my wife's logic. (and she could not say anything because I purchased her an M6 too.)

I told her it was too valuable and these "leica people" are crazy. One scratch and it loses all of its value....

She says as clear as can be with a logic that illudes all in the leica world, "well, you bought it with the intention of keeping it forever. Who cares if its value goes down with a scratch. Just use it and forget about it."


No clearer words have been spoken. They struck me like an arrow in my chest.

I had no reply.

I feel like a dope now reflecting back on my early Leica days...the learning curve is rough...

So take my advice and just use the hell out of it as it was intended.


Hope this is all somewhat helpful my friend!

Oh, man.......

Tried "boiling the frog" but it is still gonna cost me. I have put the 51 MGTD up for sale... ...the proceeds of which will go towards buying her a "new" car... ..I get the old one for my use.

Even lined up a sideline project to obtain the funds...but, still, somehow I am feeling rather guilty. I thought NAS was bad last month when I bought an excellent condition F3 Titanium...but now...you're right, I am sooooo bad. It is so hopeless.

It will probably get worse when I start shopping for a lens, a bag, a flash, etc....

As Snoopy used to say, "Curse you red Leica!" or something like that...

Now where is that doghouse I used to sleep in?

[rover]

Keep the MG, get a less expensive Leica, and use the side project funds to buy the better half a car.

http://www.classic-british-cars.com/mgtd-pictures.html

and if she protests, you still will have a Leica and the MG.

[Tom Diaz]

Did you get it?

[BillBlackwell]

Buy it. She'll get over it.

But be prepared to give in quickly the next time she wants something silly and expensive.

[Turtle]

They are rubbish. The Titanium finish rubs off and it is rumored that entire batch were subject to water damage in the factory when a pipe burst. They have been overhauled and sold as new to recover what they could of the cost of building them.

All this is total rubbish of course...did it help, even if only for a moment

Do it. You can hate yourself later.

Rgds

[nikon_junkie]

Typically my purchases cost twice as much as they initially do... guilt, being caught...you know.

"This old camera? It didn't cost much... didn't you say you needed a new pair of shoes?"

[Xmas]

You are lucky I never got away with shoes, auto, watch, ring, maybe, shoes never

Noel

[peter_n]

Sell the MG. Rubbish car (a generalization that can be applied to all British cars). Get the M6TTL and use it. Sell the Nikon SLRs because once you get the hang of the Leica you won't need them. That was my experience (without the MG natch, I'm not that daft! ).

[Berliner]

Deceive her! Tell her the car needed a $1900 part to make it run reliably for her. If you live in ATL, you could take the car for a spin, (to KEH) pick up the camera, run a few rolls of film thru it, return a few hours later with a 'the car brokedown' story. Hide the camera from her for a few weeks. In that few weeks, buy her something shiny to distract her. Problem solved. Devious? Yes. Desired outcome? Yes. About the little white lie...I'd bet this wouldn't be the worst or first one for either of you! Of course, I'd NEVER do something such as this for a camera...Brown ostrich leather, Titanium, you say? Gotta run--off to the car parts store....there's an M4, um, ...a very costly catylitic output sensor I need to find for the BMW...

(Hey, you asked for help!)