Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/01/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dear friends, Well you have all been so busy on your keyboards lately, I'm unable to keep up. This is a general comments message 1. I've been fascinated by the comments on copyright and artists ownership. I've decided that anytime I save a person's life I'll ask for 5% of their ongoing earnings ;-) 2. The perfect camera kit has not been invented, but experience does help. The Leica guys have been creating fine cameras for a long time, and so I find their suggestions are good conservative starting points. Proven outfits: a) Standard outfit Leica M6 black chrom plated Summicron-M 50mm f2 Ever-ready case b) The practical outfit The choice of wideangle and small telephoto lenses, without a 50mm, provides a versatile outfit at lowest cost. Leica M6 black chrom plated Summicron-M 35 f2 Tele-elmarit-M 90 f2.8 or faster lenses: Summilux-M 35 f1.4 Summicron-M 90mm f2 c) The special outfit for more demanding work from quick snapshot to available light exposures. The optimal outfit for dynamic photography. Versatile, but economic. Leica M6 black chrom plated Leica winder M Elmarit-M 28 f2.8 Noctilux-M 50 f1 Summicron-M 90 f2 Mini tripod Small balljoint head Universal case D) The wide ranging outfit The universal outfit for photo reports, reportage, and expeditions. Leica M6 black chrom plated elmarit-M 21mm f2.8 Mirror finder for above summilux-M 50 f1.4 Tele-Elmar-M 135 f4 Universal case e) The outfit for every occasion This outfit allows the photographer the greatest opportunity for creative composition. Relatively compact with wide range of applications. Leica M6 black chrom plated elmarit-M 21mm f2.8 Mirror finder for above summilux-M 35 f1.4 summilux-M 75 f1.4 Elmarit-M 135 f2.8 Mini tripod large balljoint head cable release, 25cm Universal case f) Firkin's approved Lugnut outfit This is the latest approved outfit for the well travelled LUGNUT. Without fear or favour, this will carry you beyond mere photographic opportunities into a world of artistic creation, political influence and social standing. The above outfits are proven, whilst this one is being road tested and collected ;-) Oh by the way, I do not have all this gear, but working towards an ideal is a good start ;-) Leica M6 Ti (the classic M6 with a touch of class. Short neck strap. Carried with 35 summi on board and loaded with Kodachrome) Leica M6 0.85 TTL (the shutter knob is "backward" but its viewfinder is in the right place currently. Longer neck strap to hang below the Ti. Carried with either the Nocti or 75 summilux. B/W 400 iso film of choice) 15mm Heliar and viewfinder (the ultimate point and shoot, this lens may be replaced in the near future by its younger cousin the 12mm apo lens, but opinions are still divided. Of course, there has not been much talk lately about the old time favourite the 15 super-elmar, but we are going to leave the R system out of this list at the moment -- after all, there may be more support for Contax) Elmarit-M asph 21mm f2.8 with viewfinder (this is as wide as Leica will take you but without being brash, it may be as wide as you should ever go. Some would favour the asph 24, and I could not argue, but when you are looking for the best, this is it. A wide angle lens which will test you to the limits, and has the resolution and microcontrast to keep you coming back for more --- for me, the 24 is for wide angled wimps ;-) ) Summilux-M 35 f1.4 asph titanium (champion luglens, this lens has had more accolades than any other, and there seems to be no end in sight - -- that's why this Titanium baby is bolted to the classic M6 in its Ti paint. Logic would see us use a 28, but somehow the 28's do not carry the same mystic, and this is not a list for anything "average") Noctilux-M 50 f1 (no lens is as shrouded in lugmystery as the Nocti. The world's fastest "production" lens, and the product of Canadian genius, the Noctilux is a must have in the LUGNUT outfit. This lens is heavy, but that is about the only critic of what is otherwise a natural. In the last 12 months, the Summilux 75 has made some inroads into the position of this lens, but time honored tradition and leica mystic requires one of these in every kit bag) Summicron-M 50mm f2 (classic lens, and the prefered version is the DR with eyes. This lens has almost as many followers as the Nocti. Despite its identical formulation, believers would have that this lens is sharper than any Summicron ever built. The only weakness is the lack of a focus tab, and I for one do not like the tightness of the f stop ring to lens shade distance, but my preference for the collapsible version is perhaps sentimental, and outweighed by popular opinion.) Summilux 75mm f1.4 or Summicron 90mm f2 apochromatic (this battle is currently waging. Tight focus ring versus longer focal length. Traditionalists prefer the shorter focal length, but if you have the Nocti in your bag perhaps the transition to 75 is too close. The fat lady is still out) Tele-elmar 135 f4 (not enough traffic to support the newer apo lens, this is the lens that people talk about as being almost apo. Value for money here, and it can be used on the Viso, so it gets the nod over the newer rival -- after all, it is not a focal length mentioned too often at all. This may change as more luggers use the 0.85 cameras. SF20 flash: (tough competition from the Metz, but this system is trying to be compact to some degree) One recently retired pair of Ted's lens cleaning cotton briefs TA's rapidwinder and soft release: LUGGER classics ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT Visoflex III bellows and the Elmar 65 with focusing heliod. (you will not miss macro work with this combination stored in the system. There will of course be support for the alternative R8 with 100mm apo Elmarit, but for a classic system, you would be best to stick to the Viso. Here is a system which will demand an understanding of magnification and exposure, and which will produce images on song when you get it right. I think the summary here would be: keen enthusiasts Viso, and those who want to make a living in photography R series ;-0 One bottle of sharpo Lens air brush after market delayed timer release gitzo mini tripod Cable release Empty UV filter rings (leica lens hoods are a tad short, and so you can use filter rings, but remove the glass first Black tape Alice bag: its got that English feel about it Longer Viso lenses -- if you must ;-) though here we have considerable support for the older Leitz telephotos bolted to the Leicaflex. For travel, you can subsitute the Elmar C 90 f4, the Collapible Summicron 50mm, and the 28 Rokkor CLE lens, or more recently the Tri Elmar with the Elmar C 90. To impress the girls, a screw mount IIIG or F can be and advantage, and can be used with the cheaper Voigt lenses 3. Contax V Leica R Now I'm no expert on Contax, but my dealer, who has no reason to push me either way really -- I spend a fortune with him anyway, deals in Contax, and not new Leica gear. His experience is that the lens mounts on Contax are not as reliable or as sturdy, and that "in Australia" the gear has been less reliable, and up until recently poorly serviced. He hopes that this situation has changed, but he too has found some shutter problems with customers Contax slrs -- this may be due to the lousy servicing here, a not uncommon problem. Having said that, my R8 had the shutter replaced and repaired twice before they gave up and gave me new one, so perhaps shutters are somewhat prone to problems. 4. I toyed with PAW, and like Rob realized that it was all to much for this Koala to bear. I'll stick with FOM2 for the time and try to get up some home pages with a "monthly" quintet ;-) 5. Rick Dykstra claims to be in the coldest spot in OZ, but we in Ballarat would argue ;-) 6. Economy has me always using 36 picture films, and often regretting it ;-) especially with high speed or other special emulsions 7. Count me in as happy with the 24mm R lens I'd hate them to produce a better one, as I'd then have to consider buying it ;-) 8. Now with all this paw stuff, I'm sure you could all look into getting more submissions in for the FOM2 project. cheers - -- Alastair Firkin http://www.afirkin.com