RE: [Leica] M6 or R6.2?

[Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>]

I'm afraid I can't say just yet as I've had little time to use it enough.  I
used it for bunch of hand held stuff at Mt Ranier, and had mixed results.  I
took it to Portland last week and used a tripod for alot of the shots, and
used the mirror lock on a number of them too.  I'll let you know when I get
those shots back from processing.

My initial impression is that it is a perfectly good lens, but certainly not
worth the premium that Leica charges for it.  I'll wager that Canon's 28-70
2.8L is just as good.  It didn't give me the kind of shockingly great
results that I'd come to expect from Leica after using the M system for a
while.  In short, I plan to spend alot more time getting used to it before
passing judgement.  My technique is probably lacking.

- --Jim

- -----Original Message-----
From: jackson105@juno.com [mailto:jackson105@juno.com]
Sent: Friday, September 18, 1998 1:56 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] M6 or R6.2?


How do you rate the new 35-70mm f/4.0.  Is it as sharp as the fixed focal
length lenses.  Does the macro function work well.  I am thinking about
buying a 35-70mm Leica and I am not sure if the new f/4.0 is as good as
the f/3.5 (German made) lens.
Fred Jackson
jackson105@juno.com

On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 11:02:16 -0700 Jim Laurel <jplaurel@microsoft.com>
writes:
>I use both of these cameras actively.  It's unfair to compare them 
>side by
>side, because they are intended for different purposes.  Your choice 
>will
>depend on your style of photography and the nature of your intended
>subjects.
> 
>An M6 system is light, compact, and fairly versatile.  It's my first 
>choice
>when traveling for pleasure.  For available light shooting, it is a 
>better
>choice then the R 6.2 because there is less vibration and the M lens 
>line
>happens to have (for the moment) some outstanding lenses for this 
>purpose,
>notably the 1.4/35mm Summilux ASPH.  SLR-mechanism-related camera 
>shake
>seems quite high with the R6.2 -- seemingly higher than with the 
>EOS1n.  Of
>course, it goes without saying that the M6 is a paragon of 
>low-vibration,
>which makes it ideal for hand-holding at low shutter speeds.
> 
>The R system, on the other hand, has many capabilities the M system 
>does
>not.  While the M lens line has benefitted from a spate of 
>class-leading
>fixed fical length lenses recently, the R system has been getting some 
>of
>the world'd best zooms and macro lenses.  And there's no question that 
>an
>SLR gives you better control over composition.  If you shoot 
>landscapes and
>use graduated filters, an R camera is the right choice.  For sports, 
>fast
>action, etc., again R is the better choice.
> 
>I keep an M6 system with 21/35/50/90 lenses.  The R6.2 has the 35-70 
>f4
>vario and the 80-200 f4 vario.  When I want to travel compact yet have 
>a
>good range of lenses, I take this combination.  It all fits nicely in 
>a
>Billingham 225 bag.
> 
>If the shoot requires really long telephotos with fast breaking 
>action, I
>generally leave the R system home and carry a Canon EOS1n instead, 
>with the
>17-35L, 28-70L, and 70-200L.  Though I know the die hard R fans will 
>contest
>this, it's tough to beat the speed and responsiveness of an EOS1n with 
>these
>lenses.  Even when I'll be shooting predominantly with the EOS, I 
>still pack
>an M6, especially for low-light work.
> 
>So, you see the R vs M comparison is one of "apples and oranges".  Use 
>the
>right tool for the job at hand.
> 
>--Jim Laurel
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bo Fan [mailto:hrbpetro@public.hr.hl.cn]
>Sent: Thursday, September 17, 1998 12:44 AM
>To: Leica Users
>Subject: [Leica] M6 or R6.2?
>
>
>To Mr. Eric Welch, 
>
>Do you think the photographic fans would prefer a Leica M, just like 
>the
>real computer fans prefer a Mac but not Windows? 
>I am a novice to photography, in several weeks I have to decide what I
>should buy, an M6 or a R6.2. Now I have a Nikon 90x, so I don't think 
>I need
>another auto R8. I'd like to forcus more on landscape photos. Could 
>you or
>any other persons could give me some suggestions? 
>
>
>Thanks. 
>
>
>Eric Welch wrote: 
>BUT, don't mistake the fact that lots more people tend to prefer the M 
>to 
>the R to be any kind of comment on the quality of the optics. 
>
>

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