Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/09

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Subject: [Leica] The Innocent returns from Abroad
From: "Peter A. Klein" <pklein@2alpha.net>
Date: Wed, 09 May 2001 11:16:26 -0700

Hi, LUGgites! I'm back from my trip to Italy.  Beautiful country,
glorious art, generally nice people, and some of the best food I've ever
eaten.  And how can I look at a building in the U.S. again after having
seen Italy?

At the moment, I'm profoundly jetlagged.  Monday had 33 hours, with 29
hours traveling and a 9 hour time difference.  I'm still not sure where
I am, what my name is, or what planet this is. But I'm very happy about
my trip.  Photos are at the lab, should have 'em back Friday.  I'll try
to post some highlights soon.  This might take a while, because I only
have access to a scanner at work, and it's shared.

I shot 9 rolls of Kodak Supra 400 Professional.  With all the going
inside and out, it was the best compromise.  Test shots the week before
my trip convinced me that it was indeed only a gnat's eybrow more grainy
than 100 film, and thus a good compromise for a one-camera outfit.

I used all four of the lenses I brought, in this order of usage.

35/2 Summicron
50/2 Summicron
25/4 Skopar
90/4 Elmar

At the last minute, I decided to bring the 50/2 Summicron along instead
of my old brass-and-chrome 50/1.4 Nikkor LTM.  The reason had to do with
the Nikkor's extra weight and the fact that its lens hood intrudes too
much into the viewfinder of my M4-2.  It turned out to be a wise
decision--almost always, when f/1.4 would have made a difference, I
needed a 35 rather than a 50.  So I did my usual trick of using the
backs of church pews and other artificial means of support.  I brought
my little camera clamp and cable release, but never used them. I did
black-tape my Leica Red Dot and insignia.  A few people still recognized
it--but only present and former Leica owners.  This always led to a
pleasant conversation. 

I used no UV filters.  I did bring a polarizer (two actually--one to
look through, and the other to mount on the lens).  Rather than buy 39mm
polarizers, I made do with 49mm polarizers I use with my Olympus stuff,
plus a 39-49mm adapter.  I didn't use them a lot, but was very glad to
have them for a few shots.

Thanks to the LUGger who suggested taking the film out of the platic
cannisters and putting the film cassettes in plastic bags for hand
inspection at airport security checkpoints.  It always worked, even our
our Northwest Airlines Amsterdam to Seattle flight, which had a 90
minute security check worthy of El Al, complete with extensive
questioning and occasional friskings.

More later!
- --Peter Klein
Seattle, WA
NO ANTIPASTO