Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/08/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]- ------ =_NextPart_000_01BDD134.441567C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit On Wednesday, August 26, 1998 3:28 PM, B. D. Colen [SMTP:bdcolen@earthlink.net] On Behalf Of B. D. Colen wrote: > I pose the above question after noting Eric say that trying to compare the M and the G2 is like comparing a Porche and a > dump truck, and seeing some ads place the G2 in the P&S category. > The question is a serious one. After all, if the G2 is a P&S, why aren't the N90, the F5, or the EOS1n? After all, a six year old could point any one of those, shoot, and get a damn good result? This subject is confusing and that confusion has marketing consequences. If you use a large definition englobing the G2 when refering to rangefinder cameras, these should englobe all cameras using means other than ground glass focusing in order to measure the distance. If you extend the P&S concept the way you suggest, you might just as well include any camera except the barest mechanical ones. To fit in the P&S category, a camera should offer only a strict minimum set of manual manageability, if any. Once you are in a position where you may set aperture, set speed and set distance yourself, you are not using a P&S, even if you are using a highly automated system. But you might use that system in P&S mode. Then P&S describes the user's choice of behaviour, not the camera type. There are very useful considerations on the rangefinder definition on the Jim Williams site at http://www.novia.net/~jlw/contax/, which I shall not reproduce here. It rightfully consider SLRs as "rangefinders" if the user uses the split image system of the focusing screen or the phase detection system of the AF CCDs to set the distance. But SLRs stop being "rangefinders" when the user focuses on the ground glass exclusively. OTOH, all AF P&S cameras should also be considered as "rangefinders", weither they use IR beams or passive technology. Which leaves little or no useful meaning to the concept of "rangefinder cameras". What users and tradition refer to as "rangefinder cameras" usually fit in the so-called the "optical rangefinder" category, which historically includes many examples ,from 2nd hand 20 USD Electro 35s to 2000 USD Leica Ms. Today, the only 35mm systems in production that fit with that definition of rangefinders is the Leica M and the latest Hasselblad/Fuji. Obviously, the Contax G system was launched as an alternative to the M system. But it is wrong in my eyes to define it as a "rangefinder" system, or, if one does, it should always receive the precision of "electronic rangefinder". This is not due to purist intolerance but to a dislike of organised confusion. To my eyes, the G system is better defined as a "high-end non-reflex system". It is up to now the only example of AF interchangeable lens non-SLR ever produced and deserves all the credit in the world for that. It is not a P&S because of its manageability and features list, which allow almost complete 'human' takeover. It competes against the M system by being compact and offering a high level of quality. But it is not used the way rangefinder cameras are traditionnaly used and is technologically and conceptually miles away from the rangefinder tradition. It is something different, that will satisfy some and frustrate others. It is a category by itself. Who knows, maybe one day Leica will produce a M body with manual focusing and electronic telemetering instead of the current opto/mechanical system. Then we'll probably rediscuss all this. It is not the case today... I've already posted these considerations in other photography discussion groups. My apologies to those who might already have read them elsewhere. Friendly regards Alan, Brussels-Belgium. - ------ =_NextPart_000_01BDD134.441567C0 Content-Type: application/ms-tnef Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 eJ8+IhgSAQaQCAAEAAAAAAABAAEAAQeQBgAIAAAA5AQAAAAAAADoAAEIgAcAGAAAAElQTS5NaWNy b3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQ2ABAACAAAAAgACAAEEkAYAGAIAAAEAAAARAAAAAwAAMAIAAAAL AA8OAAAAAAIB/w8BAAAAYQAAAAAAAACBKx+kvqMQGZ1uAN0BD1QCAAAAAGxlaWNhLXVzZXJzQG1l amFjLnBhbG8tYWx0by5jYS51cwBTTVRQAGxlaWNhLXVzZXJzQG1lamFjLnBhbG8tYWx0by5jYS51 cwAAAAAeAAIwAQAAAAUAAABTTVRQAAAAAB4AAzABAAAAIgAAAGxlaWNhLXVzZXJzQG1lamFjLnBh bG8tYWx0by5jYS51cwAAAAMAFQwBAAAAAwD+DwYAAAAeAAEwAQAAACQAAAAnbGVpY2EtdXNlcnNA bWVqYWMucGFsby1hbHRvLmNhLnVzJwACAQswAQAAACcAAABTTVRQOkxFSUNBLVVTRVJTQE1FSkFD LlBBTE8tQUxUTy5DQS5VUwAAAwAAOQAAAAALAEA6AQAAAAMAcToAAAAAHgD2XwEAAAAiAAAAbGVp Y2EtdXNlcnNAbWVqYWMucGFsby1hbHRvLmNhLnVzAAAAAgH3XwEAAABhAAAAAAAAAIErH6S+oxAZ nW4A3QEPVAIAAAAAbGVpY2EtdXNlcnNAbWVqYWMucGFsby1hbHRvLmNhLnVzAFNNVFAAbGVpY2Et dXNlcnNAbWVqYWMucGFsby1hbHRvLmNhLnVzAAAAAAMA/V8BAAAAAwD/XwAAAAACAfYPAQAAAAQA 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