[fbarrett]

Friends:

Old German cameras are exactly like old German cars (OK, Swedish, too). Using a Leica or a Hasselblad is just like driving a classic Porsche, and the results are equally thrilling. Hold onto them and use them as long as you can, then preserve them for future generations. My old Rollieflexes are as precious to me as my 1965 912 and my Porsche Type 678 aircraft engine, and although I fire them up only rarely, I appreciate their absurdly fine engineering and want them to eventually go to the right people (we're all just curators here). Newer 911s are like digital cameras: easy to drive fast, and it's hard to go wrong. The 1960s saw the peak of German craftsmanship in cameras and cars. That deserves preservation and appreciation.

Frank