Re: [Leica] SLR Revolution

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@bayarea.net>]

Heya Mark,

I didn't say that the Nikon F was the first, the best or the only. I just 
said that it defined the tidal wave. I stand by that statement, and I 
think every photo historian (except perhaps you, of course ;) would 
agree. 

Other SLRs were available but frightfully expensive or fairly awful to 
use. I remember the Exactas and the Beseler-Topcons, the Contarex and 
Icarex. The Nikon F defined the professional system 35mm SLR in a way 
that no one else's offerings did. It was over a decade later that other 
folks began to make comparable tools. 

I have always had a fascination with the beautiful cameras from Zeiss 
Ikon, but they were way out of reach and did not have the kind of 
integrated system support that Nikon offered back then. Same for Alpas 
... an Alpa 10d was my dream camera for some while there, whether it was 
worthy of such adulation or not. 

But enough Nikon. This is the Leica Users Group mailing list. My favorite 
F3/T is getting little use since I bought my Leica M6TTL ... 

Godfrey