They don't "need" one... they'll get one for several reasons! Here is a few:
1. Most of them use a Contax 645 with film for a part of their work and they'll be able to share the lenses which will shrink the equipment they have to carry a lot since using Leica S007 with a "C" adapter will be (almost) like having another C645 body but with DSLR feeling and an MFDB on it...
2. They'll be able to finance the body by only selling their DSLR systems...
3. They'll be able to have video ability using the very same lenses.
4. For prestige reasons... for many customers "if he has a Leica, he is even better than the better ones"... that, (if correctly marketed) can both expand the annual number of customers but make them able to rise (further) prises and justify that rise... Add to it, that they'll do less film shooting.
Most of all though it is the equipment shrinkage... Believe it or not, having only one bag with a 35, 80, 140 & possibly the 45-90 Vario, or the 45, or the 55 and be able to just add another (digital) body in the bag, which is quite compact too... is a real blessing for them! Particularly if it allows them to do all Digital, low light and video shooting with only four lenses!
Hi Theodoros,
I totally agree with your post in its 100% accurate entirety. Below are some additional thoughts to build on your comments.
1. Your statistical observation of the equipment usage of an entire occupational cross section is almost correct: I would actually say that ALL better wedding photographers use contax 645s with film! It's funny sometimes seeing poser wedding photographers trying to pretend to be "better" by using digital backs on Contax 645s; I mean, sheesh who are they kidding? Fortunately, I've heard that there is a wedding photography client advocate group that is trying to get a law passed such that a photog must pass a strict candidacy portfolio examination (by existing "better" wedding photographers) before they're allowed to even buy a Contax 645 body. This will help cut down on fakers.
2. I think I might have misunderstood you on this point. As I expanded upon in point 1, actually ALL better wedding photographers use Contax 645 film. They don't have DSLR systems! How would they finance the new Leica? There's no DSLR system to sell.
3. This will be a HUGE benefit to the better wedding photographers. As you and I know by now, they ALL use Contax 645 film; currently they have to shoot footage using specially modified Contax bodies running 70mm film stock. For those of you who've never shot wedding videos (after telecine of course) using 70mm, let me tell you, lugging all those magazines is tough. But now that they can shoot video using the same lenses, they're free to focus on capturing and editing actuality into a motion product that has the polish of narrative: a skill every still wedding photographer already has! I mean, can you imagine if every stills shooters didn't already know how to put together compelling motion? You'd probably need some other person to capture footage! What would they call those people, wedding videographers??? How absurd!
4. I absolutely agree with this point. Most (I would say almost ALL) people I know, and I might extend that to say most people on earth, (and I might even extend that to say all people who have ever lived), don't even bother to look at any image NOT taken with a Leica camera. I mean, why would you? It'd be like rubbing diarrhea in your eye! There's a catchy phrase I like to use to educate prospective wedding photography clients with: "If their camera brand doesn't start with L, you'll probably look like hell." I might be mistaken, but I don't think any bride wants to look like hell on their special day!
Any professional knows (they know because Hasselblad/Phase/Leica marketing-whether overt or covert-all say so) that you ALWAYS have to out gun the customer! As a professional photographer who also captures high quality motion footage at the exact same time, can you afford to answer "no" when the customer asks if your equipment costs at least $20k? Think of the shame when they slam the door in your face! Think of the disgrace when they tell all their family and friends! ("There was this guy, he almost conned us into having him shoot our wedding with some cheap camera!")
I've heard that the latest technique the BEST better wedding photographers use is to actually tape a dozen or so thousand dollar bills on the outside of their camera. Not only does this show customers that they are the BEST wedding photographers, but apparently the currency improves the image quality in a "not objectively quantifiable, but definitely subjectively noticeable way as long as it's not in a double blind test". Something about the security stripe in the bills actually being some kind of resonator circuit?
BUT WAIT:
IF THEY USE LEICA, THEN THEY WON'T BE BETTER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS ANYMORE, SINCE BETTER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS ONLY USE CONTAX 645 FILM!!!
Luckily there's no paradox here: once they start using Leica, they will be the BEST wedding photographers.
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