Re: Minilux and other thoughts

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@apple.com>]

>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'm not sure why interest in a Minilux would be heresy. It's a fine 
camera with excellent lens and automation, it can take a superb picture.
And it says Leica on it...

I posted some time ago my evaluation of the cameras I tried in this
class (Leica Minilux, Nikon 35Ti, Contax T2). I ended up owning the 
Nikon 35Ti for 3 years and it took many excellent pictures for me. 
However, it finally drove me a little crazy trying to get around the
automation when I wanted to take pictures that just didn't work 
correctly with the automation systems. I was always fiddling with
the settings trying to make it work as a manual camera would. I 
sold it and bought a Rollei 35 Classic which does exactly what I 
want, while being even smaller then the 35Ti or Minilux with 
a lens which is the equal of either.

I often use a Leica Minizoom in lieu of my M and other manual cameras
for pictures of people at get togethers and such. It is very fast, 
has a superb lens, and just enough exposure mode selection to get
the right image without making me think that I can use it like I do
a manual camera, so it never gets in my way psychologically. It is
as well compact and light weight. I took all the pictures from my
cross coutry trip to Daytona early this year with it and it never 
let me down, made some superb images.

Of all my cameras, the one I am most ambivalent about is my M4-P.
I'm constantly in conflict with it. The lenses are superb, the 
solidity of it, the quiet and lack of vibration, the rangefinder
and such are all easy to use. However, I dislike the weight of it. 
Most often when I need something other than a 35 to 50mm lens, I 
needs a longer lens than is suitable for a rangefinder camera. I keep
going back and forth on whether to sell it or keep it ... currently,
the camera and its lenses are on the market.

I had the opportunity to use a CL for a week or so some years back
and I liked it but never bought one as I had always heard they 
had a lot of reliability problems. That seems to have been an 
incorrect assumption. I might seek to trade my M for a CL system.

All told, photography is more in the eye of the photographer than
in what equipment they use. A person with vision can use a box camera
to better effect in making expressive pictures than a man with a 
Leica who has no ability to see. If I sold off everything but 
my Minizoom, I feel I could still do photography if I could manage
to see with it. So look at the Minilux as a very nice camera and
assess what options/capabilities it might have in your hands rather
than worry about whether it's heresy to the Leica list...  :)

Godfrey