Noctilux Recommendation

[Richard Clompus <rclompus@voicenet.com>]

Dear Fellow LUGnuts,

I have been using the Noctilux for the past two months and only have one
pet peeve about this lens.  For such a large lens, I think Leica should
have made the focusing knurling a bit wider.  This would give you a larger
area to grab when focusing.  You are turning a large diameter lens with
lots of brass, aluminum and glass.  A wider focusing collar would make this
job easier.

On another note, a local camera shop is having a open house for Leica users
with Leitz sending a technician to check out your camera or favorite lens.
Has anyone ever attended one of these dealer sponsored check up days?  I
wonder how much adjustment Leitz will do on the spot or if they just check
shutter speeds and tell you to send it in when it needs adjustment.

I remember camera clinics 10 years ago when Canon would send their repair
technicians out with testing equipment and tear your Canon F-1 apart right
in front of you to make an internal adjustment.  It was great watching
someone with the proper tools and equipment take apart a mechanical SLR
with skill and know how.  I still have a partically dis-assembled Canon F-1
in my study that I got from a camera dealer. It seems a user took it apart
on his own and when he couldn't put it back together, he brought all the
pieces back in a shoe box.  It was too expensive to fix and the customer
just ended up giving everything to the dealer.  The dealer didn't want it -
so he gave it to me.  What a good conversation starter.  

Richard Clompus, OD
West Chester, PA, USA