Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/10/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Joe, I have done a couple of the winders with the Leica handgrip. it is a bit tricky as I have to machine a slot into the pristine alloy housing and make the grip to fit. I find that the extra 14 mm depth that the winder adds on to the camera gives me a better grip anyway. Both the TMP-grip and the Leica grip ( now out of production, according to gossip from Germany) lack one feature. They do not have a "lip" at the top off the grip. If you are working with heavy lenses ( 50/1/75/1,4) and grabbing the camera by the grip out of the bag, it can slide through your fingers and there is nothing to stop it from hitting the pavement!! I made a couple of grips with these lips and showed them to Leica at Photokina last year. They all nod sagely and ignore it. With the 50/2,8 and the Rapidwinder the M6 is pocketable and another major feature is that it does not fill up the shoulderbag with power winder either. Once you get used to the Rapidwinder and get your triggerfinger synchronized with the left hand advance you can achieve speeds of up to 2-3 frames/sec. The Rapidwinder is immensly strong, they have been dropped, shot at, stuck between naval ships and concrete piers and the ultimate test was a friend who slammed the door of his Toyota on the camera/winder. He ended up with what was a spontaneous 1/2 frame Leica M4-2 and the winder survived, the door was bent out of shape and never closed properly after that. Tom A