The Party

No, not that Party. The Leica party. The launch night for the newest member of the Leica family here in Perth. The Flour Factory restaurant and bistro was the venue - it is a good display choice as it has such a large and open second floor. The ceiling takes a bit of getting used to, but that is the way of modern design when it uses older structures. At least the Flour Factory does not have burnt wooden beams and abandoned fireplaces jutting from the walls like some venues - the designers here had some restraint. I need to clear something up at the start. It has been bruited about that the only reason I go to these launch parties is for the beer. This is cruelly inaccurate - there is also the sausage and cheese...plus the pizza and other snacks. I have the good manners not to blow crumbs into the bodies or attempt to clean the front surface of the lenses with greasy fingers. I rarely drop the cameras. That understood, here are some images of the people who attended the night together with the star of the show - the new Leica CL. Note that the camera disappears into the hands and does not form a massive block in front of the eye. There are no accessory finders that need be tacked onto it to achieve eye-level performance. It does not weigh a tonne. It was a rather difficult thing to get clear pictures of the new CL as people were whisking it away as fast as the examples were put down. I daresay they had all googled up the release specifications from the Leica website before they attended, but there is absolutely nothing better than to hold the prospective purchase in your hands rather than just see it on a screen. Cameras are visual, of course, but the better ones like this Leica are also tactile - you've gotta feel 'em to believe 'em. I was twitted on a few occasions by visitors who saw I was using a camera from a different maker to take pictures of the new Leica product. That's people. I'm not at all fussed, and I tell them that I'd be delighted to use whatever product they fancy as long as they were prepared to buy it for me. And could I please have my initials engraved on the top plate... But what of someone who has been commissioned to actually use the camera - to assess it, report on it, and introduce it to the visitors? What were his experiences? Are they a valid yardstick with which to measure the product - and to measure the audience? Well, read tomorrow. Note: Camera parties, lens parties, lighting system parties...they are all fun. Nearly always there are on-the-night specials or pre-order special offers that make it worthwhile - even if you do not like sausage and beer - to be there. For a dedicated system person they affirm their basic decisions and for the wavering they can be the final bit of information that is needed.