Dr. Kelman, thank you for your comment.
My medical condition requires that my daily diet contents( and quantity of its constituents ) are strictly controlled.
That I choose to ignore these dietary restrictions ( foolish it is, I agree ) relates to my psychology of food satisfaction. Of course, by following my prescribed diet I am assured of the proper balance of nutrients, and might reduce the further deterioration of my medical condition. However, my hunger is not satiated.
As in the CICU, electrolytes indeed kept me alive. An extreme example, no doubt, but you get the drift of my thoughts. Intravenously administered electrolytes and/saline or whatever else...would not do, for me,
in day-to-day out of the hospital living.
You, sir, are indeed correct in stating that good photographs could be taken with any reasonable modern camera. Some people ( I amongst them ) could justifiably argue, that taking a photograph alone is not sufficient.
It is the psychological satisfaction some derive from using a particular instrument..the satisfaction of the process.. the feel, the handling, that undefinable ' something ' ( real or imagined ) that a person experiences when using a particular instrument ( or camera ) of his/her choice.
' I didn't like the food at that Michelin star restaurant. Why, didn't you eat your fill?, Of course, I did; but I would really have preferred falafel shawarma from the roadside stand. ' It is the psychology, the emotional feeling of having not only had one's fill...but having satiated their hunger too.
Not much different to having sex. To have derived the emotional, psychological and physical satisfaction
of having had a ' fulfilling ' sexual experience as opposed to just a biological one. There is a difference.
Ask any woman, or man. ' I am finished dear '..' Smithers darling, I was waiting for you to start; I was watching ' Upstairs and downstairs dear. Next time make sure to tell me what you are upto my love '.
Of course, I could have turned the lights off, during my early escapades or indeed the current ones. Just like switching the Screen off at the camera back. But it really would not be the same experience, for me, in either of these cases.
The psychological satisfaction. To satiate one's photographic ( and other needs ) is equally, if not more, important to some.
Of course, YMMV.
Fahim,
At last it worked and the visit was very worthwhile. The three photographers are interesting to follow but since they were also filmed, it's not clear how they actually got the video and still of the photographers without some connivance.
Still, of course, one appreciates the trio for revealing some of Porta. However, I seriously doubt that these photographers could have been handicapped with a small Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Sony oe seven a mere digicam from Canon or Nikon. Even if the controls aren't intuitive, the camera that's best in the hands of anyone with talent, is the one that happens to be in their hands. A sensitive artist can work with any camera. I do not believe for one moment that all the pictures would be any less impressive taken if this particular Leica was not available.
BTW, the lack of an LCD screen, if valuable, is achieved by simply keeping it switched off and conserving the battery at the same time.
The reasons for getting the Leica MD are more associated with respect for the lineage of the the venerable Leica name and the many masters who relied on their meticulously German engineered film cameras of yesteryear. Even today, Leica glass is almost in the top flight of possible lens choices.
Still, to me, the Leica camera still have the gravitas of the Rolls Royce of small cameras. But that's like staying in the Waldorf Astoria ands paying $2,400 a night and feeling it's worth it. If you can afford it, and your kids can still get a fine education, then it really is wonderful to make do with the finest things in life.
Asher