p.20 #3 · M8/Leica People I'm Thinking About Switching
ovredal73 wrote:
I was flipping through this thread just now and of course I see the issues with this camera and rangefinders in general, but to me itīs a tool to reinvigorate my way of working and instill me with a bigger confidence as a photographer, simply by using "the same" tool that great photographers in my field of interest have used. I think it is purely psyhological, not an interest in the technical side of it. I havenīt looked at a single test image from it, only casual, random shots posted here and there.
Spyro P. wrote:
Well the photographers that made Leica famous, were (are) shooting with a specific style which is a little irrelevant to what is being discussed here: Bresson, Winogrand, Gilden, Trent Park, Abbas, Constantine Manos, Nikos Economopoulos, Mark Cohen, I could go on forever... I've read countless bios/interviews/books and these guys never even mention their camera, maybe just pracical things, like how durable or reliable it's been.
Sorry, but what is being discussed here? I havent read the entire thread, but surely it is a known fact that the Leicas are mostly used for PJ/streetshooting, so definitely the style of the PJ streetshooters who made the camera famous is extremely relevant to any discussion regarding Leica.
And Henri Cartier-Bresson talked lovingly in great lengths and details about his Leicas. He described his Leicas in such detail that it borderlined sexuality. It was a body part to him. He wouldnīt even go to have a cup of coffee with his friend without it. Of course these people care about, even love their cameras. To say they donīt, is just creating/upholding a silly myth. You must have read the wrong bios.
p.20 #4 · M8/Leica People I'm Thinking About Switching
Sexuality? What a w@nker (joking)
I think HCB is an exception, he had to talk about gear, for one reason: By making such compelling images with a 35mm camera (any 35mm camera), he single-handedly changed the world of photographic equipment for ever. That was the '30s (or '40s?), and for anyone to use anything smaller than a 4X5 for serious photographic work was inconceivable. At that time, medium format was called "miniature format"! It was a revolution and HCB had to explain it. Much like when Alex Majoli showed up in Congo and Iraq in 2004 to shoot war for Magnum with a digital point and shoot, leaving his M6 at home: http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-6468-7844
They said he was crazy then, but he still won NPPA's P/J of the year award for the photos he took with that camera (no VF, 1.8" screen, max ISO400, shutter lag, 512MB card): http://www.nppa.org/competitions/best_of_still_photojournalism/2004/winners/still/index.cfm?category=MPY&place=1st&image=1
Anyway I think we're saying the same thing Andre, that there's a lot to be learned from how these guys actually used these cameras and I think its not being discussed enough, not in this thread anyway.
Its a shame though because HCB talked in length about hugely important issues, like the definition of art photography, which at the time was not even considered an art in its own right, but only a substitute of painting (and still is in many people's minds). Or the importance of making the photo based on what is interesting and then trying to sell it, rather than letting the demand define what is interesting. And still, out of all his writings, the only thing that appears in most discussions is that he had a Leica ... But it is a gear forum after all so fair enough I guess.
Thats exciting! Congrats on the funding, good luck with the filming and dont forget to show us the results, it sounds very interesting
Also, just to clarify: I'm the last person to argue about gear. AFAIC if a certain camera gives someone inspiration for shooting its good enough reason to buy/beg/borrow it
Pics or it didnt happen 
(joking)