Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/26

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Subject: [Leica] Leica quality MF system ?
From: "Robert Rose" <rjr@usip.com>
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:09:15 -0700

You pose a difficult question.  

If what you are asking is what medium format camera will give you the same apparent sharpness and resolution in, say an 8x10 print, or even 11x14, then the answer I suppose is any of them.

My question is, what do they mean by augment?  

If you are an M user, then the camera that would come closest to the speed, quiet, and unobtrusiveness of an M would be a TLR.  A YashicaMat can give killer results for around $250.  Spend up to $1k and you can get a real dandy Rolleiflex.

But that would be a replacement, not an augment.  The reason I switched to Leica was so that I could get quality approaching medium format without the hassle and weight of medium format.

There is a photographer I know who does street photos of gang members and life in East Los Angeles.  He works exclusively with a Rollei 3.5F, using 400 speed film.  It is quiet, and looks enough like a "box" camera that the folks don't think of him as a "pro."  Fantastic quality, fantastic results.

Bob


"As a Leica user and enthusiast, and in keeping with the optical quality
I'm accustomed to, what medium format camera would you recommend should I
wish to augment my 35mm Leica system with a roll film system?"