Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Have you used an R8 Walt? It will change your mind. Francesco At 05:05 PM 12/21/98 , Walter S Delesandri wrote: >Hello, Brian >Today my wife gave me a new military style "shooting" jacket-- >it's about 25 deg F here, so I tried it out early......Now I >must see how it repels flames..... > >I might be able to help you answer your questions....the answers >won't be popular, I'll be labeled a heretic and an unwashed heathen, >but that's ok, as I'm right and they're wrong....oh, BTW, I'm modest, >too....... > >Good RFDR cameras: (in order of preference) Leica M4, M2, M3, Nikon >SP, S3, Canon VI, 7, P, L. End of list. >Good SLR cameras: Nikon F/F2 w/standard prism. Nikkormat FT2-3. >Nikon F3 (maybe). End of list. > >Don't believe it? Try to buy one of the above cameras. Only the >lesser Nikons (Nikkormat, F3) will be available at any >SANE< price. >All the other cameras will range in price from above their original >NEW price to SEVERAL TIMES their original price. I ain't talking >collector's pieces here -- try to buy them from people who are USING >them.....ain't gonna happen..... > >Oh, BTW, I've used Leica, Leicaflex, R (including R4S), Canon (RF/SLR) >Nikon (RF/SLR), Contax (RF), Pentax, Exacta, Prominents, Minolta >(CL/SLR), you name it, I've forgotten some of them.....AND I've repaired >most of the above. > >After "playing" with dozens of cameras (systems?) -- I'm back to only >owning gear I >USE< i.e., Leica M4s and "real" Nikons (F-series, pre >AF)....I'll add an M6 again, but I'll buy it expecting to have to >work on it. > >Happy Holidays!! >Walt > >On >Mon, >21 >Dec 1998, Brian J. Given wrote: > >> Greetings from a new member and old Leica user! >> >> I have enjoyed lurking for the last week and want to wish you all a very >> Happy Holiday >> >> I would also like to ask your opinions regarding the reliability of R-4S's >> and the reproduction potential of the film scanners like the Nikon LS-2000 >> >> 1. I have not had very good luck with new Leicas. Years ago I bought two new >> M-series to add to my M-3, M-2 and M-4. Unfortunately I bought a pair of >> M4-2's which did not appear to equal my M-4 in quality of build and they >> certainly were not its equal in resale value. I seem to have made the same >> mistake when I decided to trade the delights of M-series in for the >> practicality (for me that is .. I'm an anthropologist and some automaticity >> comes in handy!) of the R-series. I traded for a pair of new R4-S bodies >> and collection of lenses. I am very happy with the optics (including the >> Minolta<G>) but have had some reliability problems with the bodies. With >> only light amateur usage I have had to send in each body because the LED >> readouts went berserk - even with new batteries the LED's would show either >> top shutter speed or off the bottom of the scale with no gradation in >> between, rendering the body unusable. I now am about to send in a body for >> the THIRD time for repair and am becoming discouraged. Now I have NEVER had >> a Japanese camera that needed repairs and, even when I was a professional >> photographer, rarely needed cameras repaired. So this experience with the >> R4-S's is very unusual for me. A couple of dealers have told me that the >> R-4's have had electronic reliability problems but the Leica distributor >> here says that this was only true for about 1000 R-4s in early production >> and never for the R4-S. I don't know whether I should get rid the R4-S's or >> not. Ironically, I bought the R4-S instead of the R4 because I figured that >> a simpler camera would be more reliable. Is the distributor correct?<G!> >> >> 2. I am looking at film scanners. I've tried the Nikon LS-2000 with some >> Kodachromes I shot with M-series equipment in India but am only just >> beginning to explore the limits. I want to use this equipment for two >> purposes. (a) I want to digitize the Kodachromes before they can fade >> further - i.e. I want to use CD's as a storage medium for digitized and >> therefore relatively permanent images. and (b) I want to replace my darkroom >> with a digital "darkroom" and make all my prints using this medium IF I can >> get professional quality. What I am not clear about is whether a 2700 dpi, >> 12-bit scanner like the Nikon, used with Adobe Photoshop will be good enough >> quality to replace my darkroom or whether I should wait until the next >> generation of scanner (perhaps 5400 dpi?) is available. Does it make sense >> to go digital? >> >> Thanks everyone! >> >> Brian Given >> >