Yep, I'm sure. My Google-Fu was decent even back then. :)
On Sat, Apr 26, 2014 at 10:57 AM, Bob Sullivan <rf.sulli...@gmail.com> wrote: > Darren, > You sure that's not a cheap Chinese 'knock off". > Regards, Bob S. > > On Sat, Apr 26, 2014 at 7:59 AM, Darren Addy <pixelsmi...@gmail.com> wrote: >> I think that another example of this sort of phenomena is the Mont >> Blanc pen. I found an apparently new Mont Blanc Meisterstück, in the >> case and original box at a consignment store locally and purchased it >> for $15. I knew that they were prestigious, and although $15 was >> probably too much to spend for a Rollerball, I couldn't resist >> considering the pen sells for over $350 normally. >> >> Now not everyone even knows how to recognize a Mont Blanc pen, but it >> has a feature not unlike the Leica "red dot" to distinguish itself >> among those that know what to look for. I know myself well enough to >> know that I'm quite willing to desire to impress others who know >> enough to recognize the brand in my pocket or in my hand, particularly >> when (I know) that I only had to pay $15 to do it. But I also know >> myself well enough to know that it isn't important enough to me to pay >> $350 for. Mont Blanc is (still) in business, however, because there >> are plenty enough people who will. That's their prerogative. For my >> part, I found the writing experience to be average, at best. The >> writing experience with that pen isn't worth the $15, frankly, let >> alone $350. >> >> I was fortunate enough to have learned (and got the point) of the >> story of the Emperor's New Clothes when I was a child. As we all know, >> in that story the tailors took a bunch of money from the King (in >> exchange for giving the King the false feeling that he was intelligent >> and had something beautiful). It took a child to awaken everyone from >> going along with the ruse by declaring "he's naked". Well, some >> products are like that. >> >> They may have had their day when they were the best tools for the job. >> That's why people like HCB and other professionals used them. They >> were small, rugged, dependable, and had perhaps the greatest optics >> for their form factor of the time. But today, you don't have to spend >> Leica money to take great photos. If it were such a great camera and >> one owned one (along with, say eleven, lenses), why would one shoot >> with anything ELSE? But the point is, that it really isn't and that >> really isn't the point these days. The main point is to impress other >> people. >> >> I don't know if I'll ever own a Leica of any kind. (I DID buy a >> collapsible 50mm f/2 Summicron once, but that was only to resell and >> make a fairly substantial profit). But if and when I do own a Leica it >> will probably be because I found one at a bargain price. I won't be >> buying it and trying to say (with a straight face) that it is the best >> tool for the job out there today. In a way, those who respected Leica >> (and Hasselblad, who is another company I would put into that >> category) find the direction they are going a little sad. One would >> think that they could have had the resources to stay on the leading >> edge, but I think that they really felt no financial need to do so. >> People would continue paying enormous sums for incremental >> improvements over what came before. Or in the particular sad case of >> Hasselblad, simply slapping some wood on another manufacturer's >> cameras and calling it "special". >> >> In any event, I hope that if I ever have a Leica I will resist the >> temptation of telling my friends how much I paid for it and if I ever >> own eleven Leica lenses I hope I will not feel the need to broadcast >> it. I hope I will simply be happy to impress the knowledgable others >> who see me walking around and using the equipment. But that's just me. >> For others, that's their prerogative. >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> PDML@pdml.net >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their photographs look like photographs. ~ Alfred Stieglitz -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
