abufletcher Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Just thought you all might find it interesting to know where the recent Calumet catalog, which focuses on gear of interest to the pros, places it's ad for the M7: Right next to the ad for the Holga! And pinhole cameras. And the Hasselbald Xpan II and Contax G2. The message? Leica's are clearly just for fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger_michel Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 don't worry. leica will be around longer than calumet. they're on their last legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_hintlian1 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Roger...Your comment about Calumet took me by surprise, you are kidding, right? Or am I missing something? I am a regular in Cambridge and haven't heard any buzz. Thanks man. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rod g. Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Maybe Calumet put the new kid in charge of laying out their catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_kaplan1 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 The message? A grouping of non reflex, non studio view cameras would include rangefinder and viewfinder cameras. It makes more sense than grouping cameras by price. The odd thing might be that the Holga has attained "pro" status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew_hull Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 or it could mean nothing at all! Or that was the only space in which it physically fit...talking about trying to read tea leaves... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben z Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Do pros still buy from Calumet even though they can get the same stuff cheaper from B&H? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedevermac.com Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I always considered Leicas to be toys but on the other hand, Holgas are showing up in interesting places. There was David Burnett on the campaign trail in 2000 and in the end of the year issue of Newsweek there were photos by a photographer whose name I can't remember who used a holga in Afganistan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 If they aren't in New York and want to touch it before they buy it? Also, my film buying is sporadic enough that the minimum shipping fee from B&H would eat any savings. (Still, I'm no pro.) I'm sure that the Calumet stores (which they are still adding) do a brisk business in selling ice cold film "right now". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiswick_john Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Very, very, few pro's who earn a living from photography on a day to day basis use leica as their main camera system. When you have to get the shot - AF, Long zooms, digital capture auto exp etc count for far more than anything leica M has to offer. That is not in any way deriding the qualities of leica - it's just that they are pretty well irrelevent for anyone who needs a camera to make money with. Leica's for show - SLR for a pro! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin m. Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 "Leica's for show - SLR for a pro!" Hey, that rhymes, so it must be true! Homer Simpson would be proud... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan c. Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 been making a living as a full-time photographer since 1996 with a bag of leicas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin_mcdonald1 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 More likely the items grouped together are those which don't have print promotion budgets from either the manufacturer or distributor for vendor catalogs. And/or, the vendor has a low volume/low margin on these items. Without a print budget or cash-flow/margin behind thier product, the manufacturers can't request/dictate preferred placement in the catalog. They're lumped together in the space that's left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Kevin's got the right answer. Putting Leica in a premium position when the customers are buying dSLRs doesn't make much sense. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william_john_smith Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 It is the operator not the equipment that determines what is a "pro". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eliot_rosen Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 It's interesting about all of the non-pros who seem to know the pro view on Leica. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john15 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Be happy with your amateur status. Most 'pros' would envy us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 It's interesting that Eliot knows who is a pro and who isn't. Why not tell us who is and who isn't. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiswick_john Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Pro's like me are simply the victims of marketing from the likes of Nikon and Canon - if we had the brains to be able to select the best tools for our job we would never have gone into photography in the first place as a way of making money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd_phillips1 Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I haven't heard anything about Calumet going under??? I use them all the time as I'm in middle Illiois and I can call up and get my shipment the next day via ground shipping. Yeah, I've got to pay sales tax....but it's quicker than B&H. I just ordered a light meter (as well as film) from Calumet and the price of the meter was $15 cheaper than stated in their (by-monthly?) catalog. Can anyone elaborate on this new rumor that Calumet is going under??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Tose aren't ads they are lisings in a catalog & the only "message" in the layout is that the leica M cameras aren't in the mainstream of cameras being purchased today by most photographers, including pros. Neither is the HAsselblad X-pan, or the Contax g2, pinhole cameras or the Holga. Logically they don't deserve upfront space. Calumet isn't going under and this isn't even a rumor; It is sniping by some curdled fool who doesn't know any better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iwmac Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 It is just about time for Scott Eaton, in one of his psychotic epsidodes, to pronounce the TRUTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny massey Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 Don't know if there's still a connection but UK Calumet are reporting huge increases in rentals (pros are getting hacked off with airport security) and major investment in new gear. I don't have a copy of the magazine I read this in but Trevor Hare probably does - when he wakes up. Johnny. PS could all be a smokescreen for the benefit of the financiers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart_richardson Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 I am not sure how Calumet is fairing nationally, but I think they are not doing all that well in Santa Barbara...Samy's Camera just opened up a gigantic (and really nice) store 3 blocks away, and I think they are earning a lot of business. They have a much better selection, and on most things the prices are the same. With respect to Leica, you can order them from Calumet, but they don't have them in the store (in SB). Samy's has them, and I think they are going to make a store-in-store type thing. But pro's and photo students do use them instead of B&H for many things, particularly expendible things -- film, paper, chemistry, matting board etc...It does not necessarily make sense to order something from B&H or Adorama every time you need something...especially if you are in the West Coast and it will take a week or more to get to you and those stores don't do anything from 12PM Pacific on Friday until Monday. Many local pros and photo students just go to Samy's or Calumet because they can get good advice, people who are familiar with their program's requirements (many of the salespeople are current or recent Brooks students), and because they give student discounts that often negate the difference in price. The added bonus is that you can develop a relationship with the people there and go to them if you have any problems. Anyway, this is getting off topic, but I would be interested to hear more about how Calumet is doing...I like them, but they seem to be a bit under the gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claudia__ Posted January 7, 2005 Share Posted January 7, 2005 sounds reasonable to me. after reading this forum for a couple of years my conclusion is that the post m3 leicas are like "trophy wives." once a certain income level is hit, it is automatic that the bmw or mercedes is bought and then comes the leica. so, what else is new? putting them in with pinhole cams and holgas is just part of niche marketing and modern leicas are definitely niche. personally, i hate the look of them (proud owner of a IIIf.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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