Snubbed by a Leica owner at a monestery!

[Permagrin]

We went out to shoot a Benedictine Monestery today. Absolutely gorgeous place...though it was 102 degrees F. HOT AND BRIGHT...oi (tough shoot but I'll post some photos when I've adjusted the contrast...). Anyway, there were several photography buffs out today and I ran into a Hasselblad owner...he had one of those gorgeous medium format cameras that I'd give my eye teeth for....and we were chatting photography. He was a very nice older gentleman and said he was there with a few guys (also older gentlemen) from his camera group...and he was interested in my 5D (I was shooting with the 17-40L as well). Said he owned a G5 when he used digital (but that they were all die hard film buffs)...said he liked full frame so he didn't use digital much but he'd heard about the 5D and wondered what I thought...then his friend came out of the chapel and the Hasselblad owner told him he found a camera for him too, instead of his Leica...the Leica owner said "NO. NO WAY...not in a million years would I ever have one of THOSE canon cameras...." and walked off without even a hello.

Well, since I really like my cam, you can probably tell I'm still stinging from the rebuff :S

Now I know how some Leica owners feel about "these canon cameras"...(on a side note, not that I'm bitter or anything, but the Leica was a rangefinder...I'm sure very nice....but the Hasselblad was such an awesome camera in comparison...)

Okay, okay...just had to vent :cry:

[Curtis N]

When the automobile was invented, there were old farts who said they would never drive one, and kept riding their horses. Whatever.

Life is short. Take pictures. Have fun.

[DocFrankenstein]

I wouldn't have one of "these" canon cameras if I knew what I was stepping into when I was buying it. I'd have a leica too.

It's just that I realized the camera was wrong for me AFTER I spent my money.

Why are you so sensitive? His shooting style is different - that's all.

[Permagrin]

So was the Hasselblad owner's (shooting style) but he was polite....

And I guess I was just shocked that after dropping somewhere near 4K, for what I was hauling around today, to find out that it was less than the dirt under someone else's feet. Call it shock...call it outrage, call me sensitive...but I just thought he was rude. I'm not too fond of some other brands but I've just supposed that there are other ways of handling it.

(Hey, I just realized that my camera was probably the Pariah of the Parish today...cool. :lol: Nothing like working through something by giving it a twisted label!)
I'm gonna have to change my signature (though it'll probably sound bad for a minister's wife to have a signature called Pariah of the Parish...maybe I'll re-think this....)

[DocFrankenstein]

He did not actually insult you personally, did he?

He was expressing the feelings towards a camera.

BTW: His medium format system probably is worth less than your 5D body alone.

For various reasons I would never buy a ferrari, even if I could afford it. I would not expect someone driving it taking offence for me saying that I would not get a ferrari in a million years.

[cdifoto]

I'd be willing to bet the nice Hassy friend was thinkin' "Well f_ you too then!" after his Leica friend said that, and NOT towards you! :)

[LBaldwin]

I'd be willing to bet the nice Hassy friend was thinkin' "Well f_ you too then!" after his Leica friend said that, and NOT towards you! :)

First you will never change his mind because he is not going to get out of his comfort zone

It has happened to me too
My fav comeback for this is:

Hey Michaelangelo used a brush, and he is dead too Just like Leica....

Or

Hey I didn't I see the two of you in a museum....

Les Baldwin

[Tee Why]

good to hear equipment snobbery is alive and well.

[BeccaNH]

I got a lot of the same types of comments when I bought my new car (a Chevy). I live in Yuppieland full of Saabs, Volvos, and BMWs. *shrug* I like my Chevy and I'm not sorry I bought it. My response is always the same... My Chevy gets me where I want to go. So, if your camera gets you where you want to go, who cares what anyone else says?

[condyk]

Well the Leica range is unique and always has been, but as with any camera it is the person behind it. The person behind this Leica was comfortable with what he had and probably felt a bit insecure about the 5D and so came over as rude ... we get the same here whenever Nikon is mentioned. In fact, we get it whenever ANY brand other than Canon is mentioned. Usually the same people get all overheated (overhated!) Ignorance isn't brand related ;-) I find it bizarre. I also wonder why you care.

[Wilt]

Leicaphiles look down at most everything simply because everything else does not use Leica lenses! The 'rebuff' was NOT aimed at the Canon name, merely the fact that the camera isn't fittied with a Leica lens!

[Az2Africa]

I given up trying to sort out morons. Consider the source and move on.

[rklepper]

Since it really was not aimed at you and probably does not effect your life in the least, let it go. If that is the worst thing that happened to you that day you are in good shape.

[stupot]

Burn his house down!!!!!

sorry... just providing an alternative answer:)

[gjl711]

Alas, equipment snobbery is rampant everywhere, in cameras, stereo equipment, cars, houses, everywhere. Even in this forum I can’t count the number of posts I see referring to anything less than a 30D as a toy. Heck, I live in snobbery central and though it no longer bothers me, my kids deal with it from time to time. Our little subdivision is a group of older homes built around a small lake with nothing surrounding us but corn fields. But now we are being swallowed up by creeping suburban sprawl. In the corn field behind us they built palaces, big beautiful homes. We both go to the same school and in school, our subdivision is referred to as “the slums”. Interesting thing though, it is not the kids that started it, it’s the kids parents. I’m sure that neighborhood is choked full of 1Ds and 5Ds not because it’s needed, but because it’s expensive.

Anyway. Life is too short to take these types of folks seriously. Ignore the comment and enjoy yourself.

[NickSimcheck]

Burn his house down!!!!!

sorry... just providing an alternative answer:)

Then take a leak on the ashes. ;)

[gjl711]

Hey, wait a minute. I just read my own post and realized that I am a snob.

“I live in snobbery central “

Doesn’t that make me a snobbery snob? Yikes!!! I think it does. Why I should just embrace my emerging snobbery, encourage it to grow. That way when I am old and crotchety walking around with my 1D and some young kid comes along with the holographic multi-dimensional time traveling image capture device and my best friend calls me over to take a look I too can answer “"NO. NO WAY...not in a million years would I ever have one of THOSE holographic multi-dimensional time traveling image capture device...." and walked off without even a hello. ;)

[Permagrin]

You know, I was just reading another thread (canon powerhouse) and someone (doctor diesal I think) said "ha ha ha the vast majority of us are hobbyists and should never take ourselves too seriously, Hobbies are meant to be fun!" It was meant about something else completely different but (he/she) is right and it totally fits here...and so are all of you...why did I let it bother me? Who knows. Didn't think I was a canon snob....(I'd still love to have that hasselblad) but anyway, I had a great day at the monestery so I'll do as you suggest and let disparaging comments re: my equip. let them roll off my back. ;)

[CyberDyneSystems]

You have merely just discovered what it takes to be a Lieca owner :lol:

Seriously, some members of certain "clubs" in life seem to require heavy justification for there participation in these exclusive-only-by-reason-of-cost groups, often to the exclusion of all other clubs as a neccesity for that justification.

we see the same thing all the time from any "membership" no matter how trivial the admission is.

[LBaldwin]

You know, I was just reading another thread (canon powerhouse) and someone (doctor diesal I think) said "ha ha ha the vast majority of us are hobbyists and should never take ourselves too seriously, Hobbies are meant to be fun!" It was meant about something else completely different but (he/she) is right and it totally fits here...and so are all of you...why did I let it bother me? Who knows. Didn't think I was a canon snob....(I'd still love to have that hasselblad) but anyway, I had a great day at the monestery so I'll do as you suggest and let disparaging comments re: my equip. let them roll off my back. ;)

But the REAL question is "Can he create an image"? I have recently been called an interesting (I thought) name. And it may even be accurate, but the question is, can you create an image with your camera regardless of make.

If your leicaphile is just a poser, or a button pusher than he has no right to be arrogant. The ability to make a high end purchase does not make you a photographer. It's the images you create that count. Not the tools you use to do the job. Buy the best you can afford so you have the tools to create the image you want.

Have fun and know that this will not be the last time you run into this. But at some point you will see that the CF card (film?) does not care what type of camera you use to create an image.

The best revenge is success.

Have fun and watch out for posers :lol:

Les Baldwin

[BearSummer]

We all love our gear, but when all is said and done its just a tool. What is important is the brain that uses the tool and the eye that sees. Mr Leica is obviously short on manners and long on ego. We need to remember that ego is not something that just belongs to Leica owners....

He bought his camera because it made the best compromise (just like everybody else does) between cost and functionality. Maybe he's feeling the pinch and feels he overspent and needs to justify it by putting down other photographers. Maybe he just thinks film is superior. At the end of the day it doesn't matter, his curse is that he has to be himself.

Enjoy your photography and I hope your pictures are wonderful

All the best

BearSummer

[BryanP]

Same goes for users of Canon, Nikon, Leica, etc.

It doesn't really matter which brand is being used. Theres always that good amount of snobs.

[Tee Why]

if you are new at being a snob, are you a snoob?

[tweatherred]

But how would people feel if that Leica owner had made the same comment about a Nikon?

[Permagrin]

But how would people feel if that Leica owner had made the same comment about a Nikon?

I doubt he would have...the 3rd guy in the party was a Nikon shooter...only canon was absent :oops:

edit: I posted some photos finally (and spelled monastery correctly...that has been driving me nuts) in the photo section:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=211894

[Barb42]

I understand the Lieca thing all too well. I joined a camera club when using a canon film body. As I started to experiment with digital the main dog in the club was a Lieca user and he insulted digital users loudly at every meeting. "This image would have been good if it had been taken with film", kind of stuff. Used to have workshops on shooting that everyone went to each month. When I asked where to buy the stuff he used, it was no longer available. My attitude? What a huge waste of time. So I became president and had several strikes against me: 1)Canon user, 2)digital user, 3)female. ~L I couldn't win! Oh well, time passes quicklyl and now everyone is digital in less than a year. The old dogs just get older and the rest of us move on. Don't take it personally. The are blowing against the wind.

[breal101]

As the not so proud owner of a closet full of Hassy stuff I can say that your 5D is a dream of mine. I guess I am an old fogey but it didn't take me long after my first digital shoot 4 years ago to swith to digital. The hassy and view camera are just taking up space, future antiques, the lieca that guy had is probably already an antique. They aren't bad but try changing ISO from 100 to 1600 midroll with one.

[Permagrin]

As the not so proud owner of a closet full of Hassy stuff I can say that your 5D is a dream of mine. I guess I am an old fogey but it didn't take me long after my first digital shoot 4 years ago to swith to digital. The hassy and view camera are just taking up space, future antiques, the lieca that guy had is probably already an antique. They aren't bad but try changing ISO from 100 to 1600 midroll with one.

Thanks :)
for some silly reason, this really cheered me up. (though that Hasselblad that first gentleman had was really something to drool for, so...antiques or not...keep your closet full! ;) )

Actually, I've come to the realization that if we're all happy with what we have, that's great! How it should be. It's when we have to make others look/feel small that it's very unfortunate.

Thanks everyone for your encouragements.

[Anthony J Howe]

the Leica owner said "NO. NO WAY...not in a million years would I ever have one of THOSE canon cameras...." and walked off without even a hello.

I know Leica cameras are quite good and there are some die-hard fans of the camera especially here in the UK.

But sounds to me to be a very jealous person of the Canon brand. Otherwise he would have boasted about his make and model of his camera compared to the Canon before he walked. Just a jealous person, forget it.

[Carzee]

Um, if you go to the Pbase.com and search the base for Leica or Elmerit glass and see enough of the images you should be able to make a general opinion of Leica film shots. Ditto the 5D etc and digital images.
When I did that exercise a while back... I chose Canon. To each his own. Shoot and Let shoot.

[Az2Africa]

I had a nice day at the lake yesterday. I ran on to a Nikon user and had a long talk about photography. We each complimented the other on their gear and shared a few ideas. It can be civil and rewarding if people want to put egos aside.
If not, burn their house down.;)

[IainB]

There are many of the older generation who will not drive Japanese cars, given their memory of WW2....Perhaps he is such a person, and views Japanese cameras in the same light (excuse the pun...).

[gjl711]

:) Seems to me we weren’t all that friendly with Germany either during the big one. :)

[Az2Africa]

:) Seems to me we weren’t all that friendly with Germany either during the big one. :)

Oh crap!! Now I have to get rid of my camera AND my car.:lol:

[SuzyView]

Perspective, please. My brother has had Canon and Nikon and a very nice medium format Mamiya and 2 Leica's. He's lived in the UK for a few years and went all over with is Nikon 5700 and his Leica's. Took some amazing pictures. But when we had a big party that he was in charge of, he asked me to use my Canon equipment. He said for the purpose, the gear I had was better. I think we have to put every brand and kind of equipment into perspective. My Canon is a workhorse at an event and cheap to use. His Leica is not as functional. I've taken some amazing portraits with my 20D and lenses. When I go to a shoot, I take about 30 pounds of equipment. I haven't seen anyone with Leica gear trying to shoot weddings. :)

[condyk]

I haven't seen anyone with Leica gear trying to shoot weddings. :)

Jeff Ascough (http://www.jeffascough.net/main.html) ... probably one of the best used Leica exclusively, but he had to change :

'I've moved totally over from Leica rangefinder film cameras to Canon 1DMKII's. My reasons are based upon the current marketplace in the UK, and also the state of the laboratories.

With the digital juggernaut sweeping through the industry, it has become harder to find labs which will process film to a high enough standard. Particularly b&w C41 emulsions. The cost of dev & printing is increasing with a subsequent decrease in quality. My lab who I've been with for 12 years, have moved all film based services to it's sister lab 100 miles away. My local lab is 100% digital now.

I've been rigorously testing the digital against my normal film based images. The b&w images are so close that I have mixed the two in several albums and no-one has been able to see the difference. I must point out that my film b&w work is shot on C41 film and processed through a Frontier. What the digi has given me is total control over the contrast and density of the b&w images. Something I haven't had since I stopped printing my own work. This translates into a much higher quality of product for my clients.

Colour on digital is not the same as film. However, I've found that in mixed lighting, colour film cannot touch digital RAW images. There is no comparison, it isn't even a close contest. In open shade and normal daylight, I would maintain that colour film does have a very, very slight edge on digital.

So for me, I have been pushed into digital, but I am liking it very much. The ability to alter iso to the lighting conditions is a godsend for my style, and I've been pleasantly surprised at the quality of the Canon L optics. It's all good at the moment.'

[Lightstream]

There are many of the older generation who will not drive Japanese cars, given their memory of WW2....Perhaps he is such a person, and views Japanese cameras in the same light (excuse the pun...).

Just a side comment and not to detract from the main topic..

I come from a place which suffered under Jap occupation during WW2, though I'm not of the same generation that went through it. I actually found myself taking pictures of a WW2 memorial the other day, and I was thinking "OK, isn't this just a little bit ironic?" But I personally feel we should forgive and move on after enough time has passed. If the older generation cannot, I would understand, but in many ways, it is not in their hands, it is in ours to do so.

After all, if we don't - we would all be at each others throats forevermore ;) (sounds implausible? One need not look too far in the world to find places where it does happen.. they probably show up in your newspaper often, too)

So let's all get on with taking photos...... *grouphug* :D

[Carzee]

Just a side comment and not to detract from the main topic..

I come from a place which suffered under Jap occupation during WW2, though I'm not of the same generation that went through it. I actually found myself taking pictures of a WW2 memorial the other day, and I was thinking "OK, isn't this just a little bit ironic?" But I personally feel we should forgive and move on after enough time has passed. ..... *grouphug* :D

I recall an chuckle back in 1995. It was 50th Anniversary of the surrender of Japan in 1945.

The big TV Special that night was all about the Enola Gay and the A-bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Weather delays, cloud over the targets blah blah chit chat with Enola Gay bombadier. Then he said the cloud cleared right over the Mitsubishi Steel plant, the main target and he pressed the button and it was "bombs away". I had to smile at the irony. The TV was Mitsubishi brand. My van is a Mitsubishi too (nick named 'Missinbitsanpieces"). :)

[gjl711]

:) Ok, so this has nothing to do with Leica’s, monasteries, or snubs but it does have to do with former enemies. This weekend I went to a local air show. During an aerobatic performance by a T-6 Texan sat three Yak-52s getting ready for their show. Now the Texan’s sole purpose once was to train guys too shoot down the guys who were training in the Yaks and vice versa. Of course the Texan and Yak have been replaced by bigger, faster, and better but still seeing the two share the same air space brings a bit of hope.

:neutral: So, do you think that in 20-30 years Bin-Laden and his friends are gonna be our best buddy? :???:

[sdommin]

So, do you think that in 20-30 years Bin-Laden and his friends are gonna be our best buddy? :???:

Hitler died 61 years ago - I don't think he's anyone's best buddy yet.

[SuzyView]

And can I just say, how do we just stray from the original thread? :);)

My uncled died when the Japanese invaded Burma in the 1930's. Very difficult time for my father's family. Ironic how things work out.

[RandyMN]

Hey, sort of back to the original post...

http://www.dcviews.com/press/Hasselblad-39-series.htm

Can't remember the price for this digital Hasselblad, but it's 39 megapixels and probably cost you a second mortgage on your home.

[RandyMN]

Looks like about 38,000.00 just for the camera.

[Permagrin]

Hey, sort of back to the original post...

http://www.dcviews.com/press/Hasselblad-39-series.htm

Can't remember the price for this digital Hasselblad, but it's 39 megapixels and probably cost you a second mortgage on your home.

Like I said...serious drool material! Ye gads but I'd like someone to give me one of these things!

[theflyingkiwi]

We went out to shoot a Benedictine Monestery today. Absolutely gorgeous place...though it was 102 degrees F. HOT AND BRIGHT...oi (tough shoot but I'll post some photos when I've adjusted the contrast...). Anyway, there were several photography buffs out today and I ran into a Hasselblad owner...he had one of those gorgeous medium format cameras that I'd give my eye teeth for....and we were chatting photography. He was a very nice older gentleman and said he was there with a few guys (also older gentlemen) from his camera group...and he was interested in my 5D (I was shooting with the 17-40L as well). Said he owned a G5 when he used digital (but that they were all die hard film buffs)...said he liked full frame so he didn't use digital much but he'd heard about the 5D and wondered what I thought...then his friend came out of the chapel and the Hasselblad owner told him he found a camera for him too, instead of his Leica...the Leica owner said "NO. NO WAY...not in a million years would I ever have one of THOSE canon cameras...." and walked off without even a hello.

Well, since I really like my cam, you can probably tell I'm still stinging from the rebuff :S

Now I know how some Leica owners feel about "these canon cameras"...(on a side note, not that I'm bitter or anything, but the Leica was a rangefinder...I'm sure very nice....but the Hasselblad was such an awesome camera in comparison...)

Okay, okay...just had to vent :cry:

Well I think I have found the perfert answer. By a Lecia point and shoot camera. (or to make sure he doesn't snob ya) and lecia compact camera :)

Otherwise anyone that snobs someone isn't worth knowing

[Moppie]

I haven't seen anyone with Leica gear trying to shoot weddings. :)

I have, his entorage of assitants was competing with the wedding party for size. :lol: :lol:

[LBaldwin]

Hitler died 61 years ago - I don't think he's anyone's best buddy yet.

No but he is Satans GF!!!

Camera snobs exist for all brands, I probably qualify for Canon having been personally responsible for selling boatloads of them. But really, it is your images that count, nuthin else for me.

If your pictures suck than the brand just makes that much worse.

Les