Re: [Leica] Questions: IIIf in everyday use

[Chandos Michael Brown <cmbrow@mail.wm.edu>]

At 01:48 PM 9/23/98 -0400, you wrote:
>I'd like to start carrying around my IIIf more, and I have some
>questions about its "ease of use."
>
>SHUTTER/APERTURE SCALES:
>
>My light meter uses the "standard" scale of aperture and shutter speed
>numbers, but the IIIf and its screw mount lenses use the older
>(European?) scale.  From calculations, it appears that the numbers on
>the European scale are simply the standard numbers plus a 1/3 stop -- is
>this correct?  If so, I can easily modify the scale on the meter, since
>it has indicators for the 1/3 stop increments.  Shutter speeds will be
>more guess-like, unless there's a similar relationship.

I carry a IIIf daily (in my book bag), and it's a blast to use.  The
collapsible SM Summicron I use has standard aperture markings; the shutter
speed employs the older arithmetic [sic] scale.  In practice, most films
that I use have sufficient lattitude to absorb the 1/3 stop difference (ie:
100/sec v. 125/sec), but I find that it's a simple matter to tweak the
aperture setting to compensate if need be.

>
>Do any modern meters support both scales, or is there some sort of
>overlay available (for the Gossen Luna Pro SBC, specifically) that will
>let me use it more easily with the IIIf?

Don't know, but I suppose one could program the Luna Pro Digital F to
correspond to the IIIf--I don't bother.

>
>USE WITH 35MM FOCAL LENGTH:
>

I use a Canon 35/1.8, which I think is a wonderful lens, and I have the
appropriate VF for it.  On the other hand, I find that more so with any
other camera, I employ zone focussing with the IIIf, especially in
conjunction with the 20/5.6 Russar, which I also use a lot on it.  With a
little practice, one not even need to bring the thing to eye level, and a
IIIf is relatively easy to render inconspicuous.



>My most frequenty-used focal length is 35mm.  I don't currently have one
>in screw-mount form, nor do I have the lens list in front of me.  What
>are "good choices" to look for in this focal length?  I'll be shooting
>mostly Tri-X 400 in available light.  I'd like it to be as compact as
>possible.
>
For the price, Canon vfs are pretty darn good, though not up to more recent
Leitz vfs.


If I had a wish list, I'd like someone (are you listening, Tom?) to
fabricate an expensive template for trimming film leaders for use in the SM
bodies.  Collectors have driven the price of these in to the $100+ range
(who knows why?).  I'd like to have a couple in various places, but just
can't rationalize the cost.  In my 20+ years of using SM bodies, I
constantly curse at the awkwardness of loading w/o an appropriately trimmed
leader.