R: decisive problems

[Kari Eloranta <kve@dopey.hut.fi>]

> From: Eric Welch <ewelch@ponyexpress.net>
> 
> >How to use it without the mirror bounce??? Easy hand held.  It has a
> >lever for MLU.  When this lever is push to MLU, the first touch on the
> 
> Cool. But how does it work for decisive moment photos? ;-)

You need to prefocus and keep your eyes open (no irony :)). Even
better, use external finder in the flash shoe to be better aware of
framing.

One thing that R-zealots (not you Eric, but others with their
lengthy tirades) seem to miss is that with an SLR one doesn't know
whether your subject e.g. blinked his eyes while the finder blacked out
during the exposure. Decisive moment is pretty close to the essence
of Leica isn't it?

Also some R8 users seem to make a claim that the mirror vibration is a
problem of the past and other brands. This is pure baloney. The mirror
weights, it has to swing out of the way, quickly unless you are willing to
have a long blackout. The faster it swings out the more angular momentum
it's collison to the cushioning transfers to the body. The cushion does
not make this impact vanish in thin air! It is transfered to the entire
body and lens and finally to the hands or tripod.

If you lengthen the time between mirror clearing and shutter opening it's
longer blackout. If you shorten it there is more undampened vibration
left byt hthe time the first curtain swings. It is a no-win situation for
a SLR designer. R8 is no different. M has a distinct advantage that
converts to a couple of stops of light.

For anyone who wants to be convinced: Get a small laser pointing pen, put
your SLR on a tripod, turn the lights off. Reflect the red laser dot from
the glass to the wall. Trip the shutter and watch the walz.

Other than that I think Danny summed up the last few days pretty well.


Kari