[Leica] misc.

[Alan Magayne-Roshak <amr3@csd.uwm.edu>]

I had a few comments to offer on various subjects that are being discussed.

When I first got my M3, I was worried about wearing out my strap lugs, so I
reinforced them.  My camera has the old triangular ones.  I bought some RCA
audio phone plugs, cut the shaft into small tubes, and inserted these into
the lugs.  I then flared the ends to keep them in place(they're brass, so
you can do all this easily).  It was a little tight getting the strap rings
through,  but they wore in slowly.  I think this procedure helped delay the
normal wear, so now 26 years later, I still have some time to go before I
have to get new fittings.

I've used flash a lot with my Leicas, but mostly two or three light
set-ups.  I like the immediate tripping of the shutter, and being able to
see the effect of the flashes.  The only time I use on-camera flash with
these cameras is with a small Sunpak unit that I modified with a very weak
capacitor that gives from f2.5 at 12' to f4.5 at 3 1/2'.  It's great for
filling in under office or other low-level lighting without overpowering
it.  We call it a wink flash our lab(we all use 'em).  This particular unit
is very small and projects horizontally so it doesn't get in your face.
The late Ed Farber suggested this application.  Sometimes, with a sensitive
slave unit, it will trip a multi-light set-up, so I don't have to be tied
to a cord.

Since I can't afford a Thambar, but like old fashioned diffused focus
sometimes, I made my own.(But I have to use it on a Reflex camera)  I
bought an old, non coupled 135mm Elmar for $ 25.00.  By taking out the
front set of elements, then unscrewing the rear one of these slightly, and
putting back the now separated set, I got spherical aberration that varies
with the f stop.  Wide open there's quite a glow around highlights;
stopping down diminishes this glow gradually so by f 9 the lens gives
almost the original sharpness.  Going further, it's normal.  My favorite
settings are approxf 5.6, f 6, and f 6.3.
I found a Leitz 135 short mount tube that I coupled with a Leica to Pentax
adapter, and a couple of thin extension tubes fitted to various T-mount
adapters. I can use this lens on Olympus, Pentax screw, and I even shot
with it today on a Kodak-Canon DCS 560!

If you're looking for Leicas in movies, check out The Grass Is Greener,
1960, Stanley Donen, dir.  Robert Mitchum shoots some photos of Deborah
Kerr with what looks to be an M3.  And Jack Nicholson uses a screw mount
Leica + 135mm lens in Chinatown, dir. Roman Polanski, 1974.

If it's not too presumptuous, I'll introduce myself to the L.U.G. I'm a
self-taught photographer with an Art History degree.  I started out as the
cartoonist for the campus paper, found it was more fun to take pictures,
and got a student job with the university's photo service.  After
graduation, I was lucky enough to land a job there permanently.  That was
27 years ago, and now I
am in charge of the department.  As soon as I got hired, I bought the
same(used) M3 I still use.  I have a IIIf and various LTM lenses that I
love(and one I don't-how many of you remember the Enna 85mm f 1.5 Lithagon
in screw mount?)  BTW, in the 70's I shot a lot of H&W control film, a sort
of Tech Pan ancestor. The shots with my collapsible 50mm Summicron were
just incredible.  I've put the negs under a Leitz microscope and marvelled
at the tiny details that never show up in enlargements.

Anyway, I hope I haven't been too long winded(or is that long fingered on a
posting?)  Looking forward to future discussions.

Alan Magayne-Roshak