[Leica] New Leica User Bowled Over by Trannies ;-)

["Mitchell Halpern" <dotcalm@ix.netcom.com>]

Howdy Leicaphiles:

After several years of "Leica Lust" I saved enough "pennies" to purchase a
new M6 TTL (0.72 mag) and a new 35:2 ASPH Summicron. Having never used a
classic rangefinder before (various SLRs having been the camera of choice
since I was a kid), I loaded a role of Provia 100F and set out for Stanford
University to stroll about and try my hand (sans tripod). Things seemed a
bit awkward at first (for example, I quickly learned to meter first, then
focus since I have a ham-handed tendency to move the focus ring when
reaching for the aperture ring), but I quickly started to feel comfortable
with this much more casual way of shooting. My expectations were not that
high since this was my first real shooting experience with a Leica and I do
not have the steadiest hand.

Well, I picked up the trannies this afternoon, and I have to say that I was
pretty darn amazed with the results. Not that the shots were all "keepers"
by any stretch of the imagination, but the level of sharpness and quality of
color were unlike anything that I have seen from N or C optics.

Since this was not a scientific comparison by any stretch and I could--in
principle--be suffering from "delusions of Leicaphilia", I guess I should be
more reticent in my praise of the Leica optic.

Naahh ;-)

Mitch