Re:

[ted grant <75501.3002@compuserve.com>]

To whom the originator of this post:

<<<< Has anybody ever used a lens longer than 135mm on the M3 without a 
>      Visoflex?  Perchance, I'm having to do a fair amount of sports 
>      shooting, and a 135mm isn't long enough.>>>>>>



Don't waste your time and money trying to shoot sports with the rangefinder
Leica, no matter how much you love it.

It will only beget you missed peak action, images that are still too small
and frame after frame of complete frustration.

It also depends on what sports you are shooting. Advice from a long time
Leica user/sports photographer, (Olympics, Commonwealth, Pan American and
national sports) either buy a Leica SLR, motor drive and the 280 2.8 along
with two extenders, 1.4 & 2X and you pretty well have it made.

<<< Of course you have to estimate the distance, but on a sunny day with
400 asa and the subject not too close that is not much of a problem. For me
it works very fine.>>>>>

Estimating the distance on a fast moving sport must get you an awful lot of
missed action!  Because if you are shooting sports there is only one way to
do it, even with a 300-400mm lens and that is with the lens wide
open---even on sunny days--- and the highest possible shutter speed as this
separates the athlete from the background and isolates the action.

By estimating with your M camera and a shooting in this fashion is living
dangerously and will leave you broken hearted with out of focus frames and
or just missed moments.

<<the subject not too close that is not much of a problem>>>

That is why we have more than one camera hanging around our necks or
shoulders to capture the moment when they are real close with a wide angle
or shorter focal length.

<<< For me it works very fine>>>>>

Not knowing at what level (amateur or professional) you are, it is
difficult to give deeper advice, but your above  comment implys you might
be an amateur, as I don't think a pro would even consider using an M camera
with a 400mm lens to shoot sports. However we all started as amateurs and
there isn't anything wrong with that, but I'm sure if you were to spend
money for any added pieces to your M camera, sooner or later you would be
just ticked off at yourself for wasting the money rather than saving to buy
an SLR model.

An option to consider if the Leica SLR and motor are too expensive is look
for a used Canon EOS 1 or 1n and a 300 2.8 Canon lens with extenders.  It
is an admirable product and if I were not so committed to Leica, R7, R8's,
M6's etc I would be using Canon.

ted