Peter Dechert RIP

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CameraQuest

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Sadly Peter Dechert, author of the "Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1933-68" book and camera historian extradinare (author of many camera books and articles)
passed November 22, 2016 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

You will find two fine articles published in the Santa Fe New Mexican

December 29th
December 30th

Peter truly was a gentleman and a scholar. Few knew as much about cameras in the 20th Century as Peter.
He was one of the giants of the photography world.

God Speed.
 
I had not kept in touch with Peter for years, but he was such a nice guy, I learned so much from his books and articles.

He will be missed by many!
 
What Dechert's daughter says, is quite the best eulogy I can imagine:

«“He was a renaissance man,” Schachat said of her father. “He was interested in everything. Anything he touched stayed with him and became part of how he thought.”»


R.I.P.
 
My condolences to Peter's family, I bought his Canon RF book in 1990 and I still enjoy occasionally browsing through it after all these years.
 
Peter Kitchingman passed this news on to the Canon Collectors group on Facebook a few weeks back. I bought his Mr. Dechert’s book on Canon rangefinders when it first came out in 1985. It’s still my go-to book whenever somebody post a question on these cameras that I can’t answer. My condolences to his family.

Jim B.
 
Peter D was my inspiration and teacher when I embarked on writing a book on Canon Rangefinder Lenses which was finally produced in 2008. I only met Peter once back in 2004 but the distance was shortened with the advent of the email digital era.
Quote from Peter's book which I stand by today is "If one waits for the revelation of absolute fact, true truth, one will wait for ever" Unquote.
Rest in peace Peter your name will NEVER be forgotten.
 
Peter lived only a few miles (OK, 350) from me, and had I known about his work earlier, I would have looked him up when I visited Santa Fe. At least he leaves a veritable treasure in his Canon book. He was probably at the University of Pennsylvania close to the time i was there, 1960-1965. That's when I learned about good photography, and I wish I had met him then. Rest in Peace, and Thank You!
 
Didn't see this thread until now. Sad news, I found out just a month ago when I purchased one of his half frame cameras. His generosity in allowing a personal copy of his Pen monograph to be downloaded and printed is outstanding. A treasure to the photographic community.
 
Such a great resource Peter was. Many of us here have been touched by him in one way or another. Sad news indeed.
 
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