Favorite Tips/Techniques

[Stephen Gandy <steve@cameraquest.com>]

Each of us has our very own favorite Leica Tips & Techniques.  Often
these tidbits are gleaned over years of experience.  

I would like to find out what I can learn from other people's favorite
Leica tips and techniques.   

To start it off, these are some of my favorites:

STRAPS:  There might be a better strap than the Domke out there, but I
haven't found it.

FOCUSING: With the M's, I like to get a better view by FOCUSING WITH
BOTH EYES OPEN. This allows me to get a better view of the scene.  Using
my right eye to the finder and my left eye to view the overall scene, I
am in a better position to get the "peak" of the action.  This technique
is very easy with the larger finder of the M3.  But it works well even
with the M2/M4/M5/M6 finders after you get used to it.  Try it for a few
rolls of film, you might be surprised.

BASEPLATES are very expensive on M's, new cost being about $300.  A bad
baseplate can easily affect the trade in value of your camera.   I
protect my investment with the stuff they sell in hardware stores to put
a non-skid surface on stairs.  Its a plastic material, rough surface,
adhesive back, and comes in black, gray, or white.  Cut to size and
applied to the baseplate, your camera will be protected.

TRIPODS  My favorite "heavy" tripod for 35 is the TiltAll, in its
various variations and reincarnations.   Also made by Star-D.  Its
comparatively lightweight while providing a great head and a solid
base.   My favorite "lightweight" tripod for traveling is the Gitzo
Reporter.  Small yet versatile and solid, it complements the Leica quite
well.  My favorite mini tripod, of course, is the Leitz table top with
Leitz ball head.  The older ones are noticeably better made.  

FLASH  I also use Nikon.  I like the versatility of using the SB-25 on
both my Nikons a my Leicas.   Unlike some dedicated units, it has its
own flash sensor which enables it work fine with non TTL cameras.

DARKROOM  I am of the opinion that if you do not personally develop your
own  B/W film to your own tastes and then enlarge on LEICA enlargers
that you will never see the best that you or your cameras can do.  The
Focomats are expensive enlargers, but worth every cent.  They really are
the best.   I didn't believe it would make a difference, until I used
them and compared the results.   

Stephen Gandy