Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Makes sense, it does. And I think esp. important to keep in mind for photographers with less experience. Using my M4-p has done all the things you mentioned for my photography. Yes, I love being lazy with my nikon on AE and yes I crave a M7 but I know more about light from using my M4-p and my brain. Clif - --- Alastair Firkin <firkin@ncable.net.au> wrote: > G'day all, > > yesterday I wrote a wonderful comment on the M7, > which seems to have > gone missing in the ether: well you are not spared, > so here we go > again, only now I'm so flu ridden, it may not make > any sense at all > ;-) > > Clearly the M7 is a wonderful camera. Doubtless it > is expensive, and > perhaps, it will hold its value and deliver > wonderful service over so > many years that it will more than pay back it owner. > Perhaps the M7 > was slow in coming into the world, but its here now, > and provides an > alternative for those who want it, but beware!!! > > When I came to Leicas, I had a CLE and M3. I'd > bought the M3 because > it was born the same year I was, but I'd hardly used > it --- what > could one do with a camera without a lightmeter? The > CLE had > convinced me about the quality and versatility of > the rangefinder > system. Then on my 40th, Helen got me an M6 with 35 > summilux, and the > back balance has never looked the same ;-) > > I joined the LUG, and learnt all sorts of things. > Automation was > clearly not everything. I had learnt from the > meterless > Bronica/Hasselblad experience, that slowing down, > thinking, & > metering carefully led to a definite improvement in > my photography. > Of course I now had to learn how to handle street > scenes etc, so I > delved into the comments made on HCB, and some > personal advise from > Fred Ward. Soon I was pre-focusing, I was surveying > the scene around > me more acutely, I was getting myself increasingly > aware of the > changing light, the combination of shadows, and how > it would affect > exposure. I learnt to judge light, and began to use > and external 50mm > finder. I was going backwards, but my photography > was going forwards. > > Pre-focusing meant I was fast, pre-judging light > meant that I was > having fewer and fewer exposure problems, and by > using an external > finder, I was composing the scene WITHOUT centreing > on the > rangefinder patch. The M6 meter was useful in lower > light conditions > and especially with the Noctilux, but in daylight, I > can usually hit > within one stop. > > I'm sure the first time I wrote this it was more > "intelligent", but > what I'm trying to say, is that it is ok for Ted to > use automation -- > he knows how to use it. For me, automation had lead > to laziness, and > there is a lot to be learnt by keeping out of > automation. This is why > the R8 now suits me. It is designed to be used on > Manual, in fact the > first stop on the dial is "m". > > By all means, buy the M7, but remember the lessons > the M3/6 can teach > you, or you will fall into lazy habits. > > Cheers --- does this make sense ??????? Oh well > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html ===== "The eye is for looking, not for thinking." Marc Riboud __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free http://sbc.yahoo.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html