RE: [Leica] Recommendations

["Stewart, Alistair" <AStewart@gigaweb.com>]

My $0.02 to add to Mike's great suggestions. It really does depend on the
type of shooting that you do.

I'd propose that if you've been using 35mm gear for some time, and will work
outside in tight situations close up in the action...change the 75 for a 50
'cron. The 35 and the 50 are very different M-experiences. Working like that
I find that the 35 is used 75% of the time, and the 50 is used 25%. But they
are both on their own body. If I had only one body, I'd physically have to
move around more, and swap the 75 suggested by Mike for a used 90 thin T-E.
Then the numbers shift to 95% 35 'cron, and 5% for the 90 TE-M.

But you can get a 90 TE and a beater M3 body for say $1000 total. Then you
can figure out which way next, and I'd suggest 24 or 28, either with
separate finder.


ARGH! why can't we all just live with one body/one lens!


best of light,

Alistair 

- -----Original Message-----
From: Mike Johnston [mailto:michaeljohnston@ameritech.net]
Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 2:33 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us; Joel.O'Rourke@osd.pentagon.mil
Subject: [Leica] Recommendations


>>>But, the question is: where to start? I'm thinking of M6, 35 (2
or 1.4) to start. Then maybe a 75/1.4. I'm open to all suggestions,
on-list
or off-list.<<<

Joel,
I'd get one M6 classic and two lenses, a 35mm and a 75mm. Personally, I
wouldn't get fast lenses at both focal lengths--I'd get one fast and one
small. You may think there is no "small" 75mm lens, but Nicholas
Hartmann brought his new Voigtlaender (Cosina) Heliar screwmount 75mm
f/2.5 by the _PHOTO Techniques_ booth at the PhotoToys'R'Us show in NYC
last weekend for me to see (thanks to Donal for the apt show nickname),
and it is a lens to fall in love with--just about the same size as the
latest 50mm Summicron and beautifully finished, and handles just great
on the M6.

IOW, decide what you typically want to have on the camera when you're
doing low light, and get the fast lens at that focal length--either the
nifty small 35mm APSH or the 75mm Summilux--and then at the other end,
whichever focal length you typically used for daylight shooting, get the
smaller, slower lens. The three items together will be starting to get
heavy / bulky, but it's a good all-purpose bare-bones kit.

That's just what I'd do.

- --Mike J., _PHOTO Techniques_ magazine.

P.S. Nice to meet all the LUGgers who stopped by the booth! Thanks for
saying hello-- M.