Which is more economical?

<p>Ty I wouldn't limit that statement to "small format digicams," I think ALL digital cameras are pretty much disposable. That's not to say, as you mentioned, the M9 or the Hassy H4D will take worse pictures 20 years from now than today, but I am sure by then we will have 500MP cameras with a dynamic range of 192 bits creating images that can be captured anywhere between 10 to 1,000,000 ISO and photoshopped in a million different ways for any kind of effects you can possibily want in an Apple friendly way :) By that point, shooting 35mm film will probably be more of an emotional experience then a techincal choice. The MF/8X10, my beloved Fuji 6X17, and teh uniqueness of silver plates may out run the digital horse a bit longer, but we cannot understimate man's ability to advance technology.<br /><br />So, while I agree that the digital cameras (again, ALL digital cameras) are all subject to the digital rot, it remains a question to me how much longer film will stay relevant technically (and for how many of us) once "they" take care of important issues like dynamic range. This debate is, of course, a horse that has been kicked around a few times :) In the meantime, I absolutely agree that 35mm Leica M film cameras will hold their value much better than any digital cameras out there, if nothing else as collectables, regardless of whether digital will one day surpass the images they produce.</p>

<p>Thanks David,</p>

<p>My travels will not likely take me to Europe any time soon. I've been to Europe multiple times in the past, but alas my photography then was kind of of the point and shoot variation. I just came back earlier this year from having spent 4 months in Europe. So I believe it will be a while before I want to travel there again. Although several people have asked if I will go for WYD in Barcelona.</p>

<p>After calculation from what people have been saying is a reputable dealer in Hong Kong. The differences between a Leica MP a la carte, and a ZM 50/2 Planar and ZM 25/2.8 Biogon bought from Singapore and one from Hong Kong is quite a hefty USD$1700. Even if you would factor in my air ticket, considering there are multiple brands of budget flight operating over here to get to Hong Kong, the cost savings would still be a big USD$1400.</p>

<p>About the M7 film rewind crank though, a lot of people have been telling me this, but then the question about hard knocks arises and the camera being rendered kaputt. I would follow yours and nearly everyone else's advice but if I want this camera to last long, one way of keeping it out of the repair shop is by having the old style rewind knob. Plus I like it aesthetically. :) But thank you all the same!</p>

<p>And lastly, in my honest opinion. I feel that digital has already surpassed 35mm film. At least for me, the point was crossed a long time ago. Few if any professionals based either at the wedding hall/church or the studio use 35mm film over their DSLR workhorses. For 35mm film to be a viable alternative right now, is when a professional of the trade consciously chooses to shoot film over digital for more than 90% of his current workload. Medium format or large format however, continues to be unsurpassed. This is at least my take on it.</p>

<p>I agree with your decision to purchase the Leica MP a la carte with the classic rewind post. The fold-out rewind crank of my Leica M4 is the only thing I don't like about the camera. Though I've never had a problem with it breaking, the rewind crank feels flimsy to me in my big hands, and that little tiny rewind knob on the crank handle is hard for me to grasp. I also like the traditional look of the original style rewind post.</p>

<p>As a somewhat infrequent visitor to these forums I have to say that this has been one of the more entertaining threads that I have read for a long time! Whilst it has it's fair share of bovine excreta content, and some rather subjective comments, it does contain some genuinely well thought out answers for our poster's very taxing question. It is seldom that the very wealthy grace our public forums for advice of any kind, they just go out and buy it, whether it be a Lamborghini, Learjet or Leica, they don't usually need advice from me or you. Most on this thread have 'fessed up to only owning or buying used Leica gear. Thats what I always did and ended up with some incredible M series gear with almost all of it in mint condition. Probably bought by someone very wealthy who had to have the best of everything, but never got round to using it. Like the 2 year old Aston with only 3K's on the clock selling for half price. I had a look at Bryan's favourite pic which happens to be a heavily bound young S&M practitioner and while looking at the exif files noticed it was shot with a D700. I seem to remember in an earlier post that Bryan had a bag full of Nikon equipment on his way to India (An S&M meet? I don't know) and it occurred to me that those lenses he has (or is it had) would all work wonderfully on a full frame digital Nikon, especially for fairly static stuff like S&M where movement of one's subject is very very restricted and that there is plenty of time for manual focus, just like you would get on a Leica. Just a thought although it may not be as useful as a Leica at a World Youth Day bash. However the savings, and Bryan did say he likes to save money, could be put towards travelling business class rather than on a budget ticket. Anyway, all good luck with the Leica experience.</p>

<p>--I had a look at Bryan's favourite pic which happens to be a heavily bound young S&M practitioner and while looking at the exif files noticed it was shot with a D700. I seem to remember in an earlier post that Bryan had a bag full of Nikon equipment on his way to India (An S&M meet? I don't know) and it occurred to me that those lenses he has (or is it had) would all work wonderfully on a full frame digital Nikon, especially for fairly static stuff like S&M where movement of one's subject is very very restricted and that there is plenty of time for manual focus, just like you would get on a Leica. Just a thought although it may not be as useful as a Leica at a World Youth Day bash.--</p>

<p>Perhaps you may not believe me, but it surprised me as much as it did you with regards to the S&M favourite. I honestly had no idea what you were going on about, and was perhaps a little miffed with what you assumed to be an S&M meet. I mean, good god man! Anyway, whether by accident or mistake, it's not a favourite any longer. I did remember browsing the image and thinking it was a little over the top. But I most certainly did not remember making it a bookmark or anything like that.</p>

<p>Also, I've sold off all of my Nikon equipment. </p>

Just a little light hearted jesting, Bryan - and no offence meant, and from your spirited response, I detect none taken!

Will you be going for the Gecko skin on the a la carte MP?

<blockquote>

<p>Will you be going for the Gecko skin on the a la carte MP?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Hey, hands off the <a href="

He's my favorite TV pitchman.</p>

<p>I'm not sure to be honest. I do think the lizard/gecko skin is awful nice, just that it also looks awfully expensive(not with regards to it's actual cost, but rather that it 'looks expensive to everyone'). I was thinking more of the vulcanite. But I wish Leica had better pictures in it's configurator, to think people are going to spend quite a tidy bit, and they stuck with flat lifeless images. Like with the 'saddle leather black', how or what does it actually look like? Black vinyl?</p>

<p>Not sure about the leather choices, but as far as the metal goes, you are probably best off with the black chrome, since the Zeiss lenses of your choice are black chrome, and the silver chrome on the front element of the Zeiss is much shinier than the Leica silver chrome; the matt black or the silver chrome version matched with the Zeiss lenses, would seem to defeat the whole purposes of ordering a custom MP since what would strike me first is how the lens just don't look like it belong on the camera body (look wise); of course this is all fashion talk at this point :)</p>

<p>I want black paint simply because it's sexy as hell, and wears wonderfully, unlike it's black chrome counterpart. Whether chrome or black paint further encourages the 'dinky camera look', I don't know. But with regards to the lens matching, I think that's the least important of my 'fashion goals'. Them not looking like they were made for one another further enforces the belief that's it's a 'dinky camera' in my honest opinion. Wouldn't you agree David?</p>

<p>Bryan I have to admit that fashion is out of my league. Photo taking aside, it's not clear to me what you mean by a dinky camera (the ultimate being the Rollei 35 series of cameras IMO). It's a bit strange why you consider important for a camera to be matt black so to be "sexy as hell," but would at the sometime completely igore that the Leica black lenses match the matt black precisely, while the Zeiss chrome black would clash front and center. . . but hey I also don't get the lizard skin either :)<br /><br />Obviously this is a personal choice, which isn't based on economits (otherwise a new Zeiss Ikon makes much more sense) You want what you want Bryan, so just get what you want and be happy with it :)</p>

<p>Back in June this year, Leica announced a limited edition (61 only) of the MP in gold plate with red leather body for the 60th Anniversary of the PRC, I wonder if there are any kicking around on Ebay yet? As a camera fashionista, Bryan, you will appreciate the undoubted sexiness of that red and gold combo. The jade studded camera strap really sets it off and has attracted the attention of one of your local headline makers - the Sultan of Brunei. When he emailed Beijing to see if there were any going spare he was politely told to get on his bike and console himself with one of his own gold/platinum M6's which the Leica lads in Solms frequently knock out as special orders for him. Particularly sexy, aimed squarely at your slightly conservative tastes was the Titanium(?) Gecko skinned stunner with a rather fetching 1.5 carat diamond on the top-plate. That one certainly turned up on Ebay with a serial number HB (Hassan Bolkiah I guess) 000-0. Seems it had been nicked from the Leica museum at Solms.</p>