Re: Pretenders to the Throne

[Stephen <cameras@jetlink.net>]

Chuck Warman wrote:

> I find it odd that the very people who praise the M6 for its lack of
> cutting-edge technological bells and whistles are the same ones who
> criticize R Leicas for the same reason.
>

Chuck if  you are referring to me, please go back and re-read my  LUG
posts.   I have not praised the M6 for "its lack of cutting edge bells
and whistles."  Just the opposite.  Check out my not so wonderful M6
review at http://cameraquest.com/mguide.htm#M6

After creating the best  rangefinder in the M4, Leica slowed development
to a crawl because they no longer had competition.   Without Nikon and
Canon and Zeiss to push them, the design stagnated, but they still
remained the best.

The opposite happened in SLR body design.  Leica was never in the lead
for SLR body design, or even close to it.    It isn't that the R system
will not take great pictures, obviously it will.  The problem is that
the bodies are YEARS behind in technological design.  As a result, they
offer a lot less than we should expect from Leica.  Worse, the Leica SLR
body designs give buyers  LESS FOR OUR MONEY by being behind the times.
The best of both worlds would be R lenses in AF mount on the Canon 1n or
the Nikon F5.  Then I wouldn't be bitching and the gushes of praise for
the R system would be justified.

Some of the Rah Rah R8 boys seem upset  about me pointing out the
Emperor's Clothes.  Interestingly, I find their position just as
unrealistic as they apparently find mine.

there isn't a "right" or "wrong" to this discussion here, but there are
two sides.  however you see it, it seems to me we can all  understand
our own viewpoint better if we also understand the opposite view.

Regards,

Stephen Gandy