jay bee

And Jay they should change that icon next to your name to a figure with its head up its arse...

Jay,

 

Don't think the object of the piece is to save film and it was far from a rant. More food for thought in my mind. Then again, some see the need to make everything so polarized...

hope y'all will visit me in copyright jail ;-),

 

Commentary: Do We Have To Have A Digital Revolution?

The latest technology is not always the best

 

 

Say it ain't so! O.K., so maybe most people weren't surprised when Eastman Kodak Co. (EK ) recently decided to exit the film-camera business in the U.S. and Europe. With industrywide sales of digital cameras certain to pass those of traditional cameras this year, the film pioneer had little choice. Yet I couldn't help feeling sad -- not so much for Kodak as for the rest of us. In the world's headlong rush to embrace everything digital, we're losing a lot to the bells and whistles of digital technology.

 

Now, I'm certainly no Luddite. I write about digital technology for a living, and the thought of giving up my laptop computer and going back to a typewriter gives me the shakes. But behind the sleek facade of the digital age there lurks a dirty little secret. Creaky old "analog" technologies such as film, vinyl phonograph records, and, yes, even mechanical clocks with revolving hands boast a raft of advantages -- a richness, longevity, and human scale -- that most of their digital counterparts are not yet able to match.

 

SOUNDS WORSE. Many audiophiles, for instance, swear that well-produced, well-maintained vinyl records produce warmer, more pleasing music than compact disks. "The old vinyl sounds better," insists Al Farleigh, owner of Big Al's Record Barn in the Silicon Valley city of Santa Clara, Calif. And digital degradation is accelerating. Nobody will ever ask: "Is it real or is it MP3?" The compression technology for which MP3 is named produces even worse sound than CDs. That weakness is most apparent on classical music, but my old Jamaican-made reggae records -- even disregarding the skips and pops -- also boast noticeably louder bass than the same music on MP3s or CDs. (Just ask my neighbors.)

 

Even analog clocks still outperform their silicon counterparts. The old battery-operated timepiece that hangs on my kitchen wall keeps far more accurate time than the digital versions installed inside my personal computer, which inexplicably seem to depend on poorly designed clock circuits. Plus, there's just something about hands sweeping slowly around the clock face that captures the nature of time better than a numerical readout.

 

The decline of film, though, troubles me the most. I've held off buying a digital camera because the affordable models, at any rate, still can't guarantee they'll catch that special twinkle in my daughter's eyes. Even $1,500-plus, 10-megapixel cameras barely match the resolution that film is able to provide. Eventually, the relentless march of chip technology may produce cheaper digital cameras that rival the quality of actual film. But for now, I just don't want to leave pixelated photographs to my grandchildren.

 

There's a more insidious problem yet with digital photography: the lack of believability it has created in a medium that was once prized for its accuracy -- and authenticity. In fact, the ability to make changes in the original image, such as moving the moon to a more pleasing location or removing an ex-spouse from a photo, is marketed as a prime reason to go digital.

 

With digital prints, notes the renowned landscape photographer Christopher Burkett, "nothing about the image remains sacred, and the viewer is left wondering how much of it is real." Granted, even Ansel Adams was renowned for his darkroom fiddling with prints. But I doubt that his art would move viewers as much as it does if they suspected it wasn't a faithful reproduction of what he saw.

 

NO-BRAINER. Not the least, film and other analog technologies are easier for people to use. Try as they might, the makers of electronic books have failed to dislodge the traditional book printed on paper -- because it's dead obvious how to use it, you can take it anywhere, and it will never need a new battery. Even more important, analog stuff such as books and traditional photos endure -- in some cases for centuries. Digital formats are changing faster and faster, making orphans of erstwhile standards such as floppy disks.

 

In the course of time, advances in chip and storage technology will overcome many of these limitations. Indeed, I confess that, for quick snapshots, I'm eyeing one of those cute new digital cameras -- the ones so small they fit in a shirt pocket. That way, I'll still have a free hand to tote my trusty old film camera.

 

By Robert D. Hof

 

Interesting article in this week's issue of Business Week titled "Do

We Have to Have a Digital Revolution?" w/ subhead "The latest

technology is not always the best" (2/2 edition). While its largely

about photography it also goes into digital's impact on music and

timekeeping of all things.

 

I'll post a link but I believe that unfortunately you need to be a

subscriber to view.

 

http://www.businessweek.com/@@P9IQsWQQkwkZ3QkA/premium/content/04_05/b

3868044.htm?se=1

 

Not looking to incite any sort of riot, but it did resonate with me

and the reasons why I continue to love my Leicas.

Wouldn't be a service thread without a jab at Sherry from Jay...

I've had a M5 as a second body for the past month now, an M6 TTL is the other. If first impressions hold up, gotta say that I am an M5 fan - great ergonomics and like the information in the finder. Plus I like that its different from my other M body and has the self timer to boot.

Trevor - my wife shoots with a T2 and has never been wanting of anything else. Takes great pictures and I'd agree that the size provides just the right ergos.

Thanks for the reinforcement Kevin. Already planning on sending it to Sherry as the slow speeds are a little sticky. Just want to play with it for a little bit before I send it off for a month or so.

Received an M5 today and am happy with the purchase, thanks to all

for the insights provided here (yes serial number above 134xxxx).

 

I have a 2 lug model and they are clearly different than any other M

body. Any recommendations for a strap solution greatly appreciated.

Not sure if the gripper/et al that I've seen espoused here works as

my only experience with my M6 is the strap provided with the camera.

 

Also, I've heard that the GMP grip works with M5's but can't seem to

locate where to buy and Rich at Photo Village told me that the grip

he sells doesn't fit M5's. Is there a grip or winder combo for the

M5 that is readily available?

Josh - spoken like a true cynic/conspiracy theorist. When one tries to do anything its all about perceived motives - the drug companies are the only ones benefitting from prescription drug/medicare reform - Haliburton is the only one benefitting from the war in Iraq - etc, etc. If Bush was about getting re-elected he would have done the same thing Bubba did after the bombing of the Cole and the numerous other terrorist attacks that occurred during the Clinton administration - not a whole helluva lot. I'd agree that Clinton was and still is focused squarely on his legacy because it was always about him and his wife not what he could actually DO. Talking a good game is meaningless unless you back it up with action and effort which I'd argue is what is currently being attempted. Right or wrong, work is being done to own up to a responsibility shirked by the previous president.

 

You can contrive any dubious motives you want to undermine those trying to do the right thing. Its also curious that those who complain the loudest about what is done and the uselessness of it are mute when it comes to providing any meaningful alterntives.

 

Please Josh provide us with your pearls of wisdom when it comes to meaningful security measures. Didn't know your expertise extended to this area.

I agree with Jay.

 

I'll add that its curious to see a small taste (and I stress small) of what goes on in countries that we are warring with generate this kind of loathing of law enforcement. Yet its the US that is opressing these governments/citizens with all manner of conspiracy laden motives rather than fighting in the name of human rights when those can be seen as PART of the equation (yes I know "where are the WMDs/Osama/Sadam?").

 

I've had my share of run-ins with over-zealous law enforcement (mostly over the speed limit ;-))but the bottom line is that we are living in a different world post 9-11 especially in this country.

The government has taken measures to attempt to increase our safety, whether they are the correct ones is certainly debatable but it will be an evolutionary process. Who here wouldn't tolerate more scrutiny to prevent the possibility of sitting on a plane that is used as a bomb? If you aren't you are lost and ignorant to today's realities in the name of defending some sort of civil libertarian ideal.

 

Is it possible that elected officials actually have our best interests in mind when it comes to enacting some of these inconveniences? Its unfortunate that the level of cynisism and political divisiveness (on both sides) prevents some from accepting the possibility.

 

Ray, I think your reaction/actions were spot on - certainly within your bounds to be a bit irritated and inquisitive. To those much more up in arms than Ray - what is the major inconvenience in getting some sort of permit?

And I know, its ever not every...

Ray - Lets review your posts and see if you've every committed any typos. Next time try a little harder helping yourself.

Jack - glad to hear from you again and BTW your old 90 TE is alive, well and taking nice pictures - in color to boot!

Skip - where can one get a GMP grip? The link off nemeng seems broke.

Great picture and solid commentary Ray. I drop my kindergartner off most mornings and its an orgy of SUV's and minivans and the resulting traffic snarls that result because many moms and dads don't know how to park/navigate them properly is comical (for a suburban NYC town).

Also, folks need to lighten up w/regard to Trevor not getting the message - remember we are two cultures separated by a common language (and FWIW I love the UK).

Wondering about the ergonomics of the M5 and if any of the readily

available grips work on the M5 body. Lutz, I assume the sling works

on the M5, no?

Agree with Brian, Slight Out of Focus seems ripe which is what I thought when I read it a couple of years ago. Maybe Speilberg on the heels of Private Ryan and Band of Brothers...

its a passport situation, which may lend further credence to your theory - there's no $ in it for them so why use their best "talent" to repair it? however makes me hesitant to have someone else void the warranty which has another 12 months on it.

So less than two weeks ago, I'm waxing poetic about how impressed I

was with Leica Service USA (fixed a shutter light leak on my m6ttl in

2 weeks time). Well I was snapping a few during lunch today and the

camera wouldn't advance past 34 on a 36 exposure roll. Thinking I may

have been the victim of a short roll or fed a longer leader during

loading I figured I'd reload.

Much to my dismay, I found that the shutter cloth was all mangled and

no longer attached. Not sure the mechanics/proper way to describe

this, but it ain't right. So now have to go back to Northvale and see

if they can actually fix my camera as opposed to making matters

worse. Ugh...

This sort of thing is a regular part of what ruins my work day Harvey as I am a saleman in the NY metro area. Many a minefield to tip toe through on my to and fro...

Harvey - thought you guys drove in Kilometers?

Lets see 500 @ $10K per unit = Five million bucks. Not an insubstantial amount of money for a niche player like LEica. BTW, why the capitalization of the first two letters?

Thanks Steve.

I too am an Elmar enthusiast - very good value.