Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/22

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Subject: Re: [Leica] How about Body Caps Walt!?
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 12:19:00 -0700

Walter S Delesandri wrote:
> 
> Assuming that you have a "normal" lens (for you) or if you have multiple
> bodies, you keep a "set" of normals  (in my case, a 50 on one and
> 28 or 35 on the other)....usually with a 90 summicron in the bag, used
> very little...do you guys actually USE lens caps?.....for example,
><snip>
> I'm always interested not only in other's WORK, but HOW they work....their
> methods, how much gear, how carried, etc....it's always useful to get new
> ideas.
> 
> CU later,
> Walt

Walt! what an eloquent expose on lens caps! Last time round you phrased it a bit
differently. Something about where the sun don't shine or coasters and casters
for your bedpost's! A more emotional alternate approach.
I glued my back caps back to back last night and it is in use today. I now have
Siamese pushmepullyou lenses! My 35 back to back with my 50 (shade reversed) is
exactly as long as my 135 apo! My typical small kit is undergoing some major
reshuffling. 
But is the process so for I have redescoverd an ancient artifact: my body cap.
It's on my camera now redefining the way my next shoot and shot goes down. To
explain I am recalling a year ago I went out shooting with my whole system (a
body with 4 lenese) and I had no lens on my body, had just grabbed the stuff off
the airplane. So what happens of course is as I approach a shot I don't already
have a lens on the camera and what does that do? I found out I approached and
set up the shot MUCH differently. Instead of walking up to the shot to the
distance that my usual 35 or 50 on the body would work I approached it free from
perspective prejudice! I SAW THINGS DIFFERENTLY! I DID THINGS DIFFERENTLY!  The
fact that I am not taking an existing lens off before I put another one on made
for a riculously powerful change of seeing and working. At the time I thought
"I'll have to do this more often!" but my body caps are more elusive than my
lens caps by a long shot! So I'm going to give that approach another shot to
match my pushmepullyou unit. I like having a small bag which can go on a belt
and be put in the small of my back or on a strap. My new pushmepullyou unit is
going to change the configuration of that kit by quite a bit!
Mark Rabiner