Re: Minilux

["joe b." <joe-b@dircon.co.uk>]

In article <32505064.269@ibm.net>, "Michael R. Friedberg"
<mrflaw@ibm.net> writes
>It may be heresy, but I would appreciate learning users' experiences with 
>the Leica Minilux. As an M-6 user, it would seem to be a reasonable 
>alternative for carrying around as an (expensive) spare or casual camera. 
>The best alternative would seem to be a CL, if one would use only one 
>lens (that is, as pocket camera) but that seems limited in other ways.

I haven't made any big prints from mine yet but the slides and enprints
all look very good. I am still surprised at how good the shots look that
I get fromn this camera- I get attacks of "seriousness" and only use the
M6 for a while and when I do use the Minilux I put colour negative film
in it for casual use and then when I see the results I think- this
really is a Leica, isn't it... My last set of enprints really did have
that "look". 

It has its limitations but I don't finds them a huge problem. It won't
take filters or hoods and you can't do accurate manual focusing. The
flash will take but 10 seconds to recharge once that batteries have been
in use for a short while. And most importantly- you have to remember to
check that the focusing is set on AF if that's what you want to use,
because if the setting gets changed inadvertently to manual while the
camera is in your pocket it still makes the same kind of sound when it
focuses, so you could shoot a lot of frames and not realise. I've done
this once, and once is enough to make me check before use now.

The nice thing about the Minilux is that it really is an autofocus
Leica, but with overrides. So I can get the kind of image quality I like
and I can use aperture priority to control depth of field and I can use
autofocus and so on it's very easy and quick to do certain things with
that are more like hard work on an M6. I did a few family group shots
recently and it was so easy and quick it made it a real pleasure to use.

The Leather soft case (extra) is useful for keeping the camera safe and
I use mine most of the time.
-- 
joe b.