Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] New M-6 Version - I'd like to see.....
From: Guy Bennett <guybnt@idt.net>
Date: Fri, 4 Jun 1999 09:51:51 -0700

>Henry Ambrose :
>
>>I'd like to see an M with:
>>1/8000 shutter speed (or close)
>>1/250 sync
>>Spot meter that matches the rangefinder square (even if this is only an
>option)
>>Off/On switch in the advance lever (off when pushed in, on when out)
>>Rubberized grip areas
>>Center tripod mount
>>
>>
>Henry, I'd have to check the exact specs, but the above sounds rather like
>the F.A.Porsche designed, Rollei QZ35. It doesn't have changeable lenses,
>but comes in a choice of neat Schneider designed zooms......and manages to
>be an auto everything/fully manual if you want to/can do.......
>Ross

henry and ross,

my wife's got one of those, a qz35t (as opposed to qz35w, meaning it's a
'tele' zoom [38-90] and not a wide angle [28-60] zoom). it looks and feels
great, produces beautifully sharp, clear images, and does indeed have all
the various options you mention, except the on/off switch in the advance
lever (since there is no advance lever, the film being wound automatically)
and the spot meter (it's cw, not spot). you can do it all automatically or
manually, if you prefer. manual focus is achieved by turning a knob on the
top of the camera body and correct focusing is indicated by an led in the
viewfinder (there is no rangefinder). it even comes with its own
(surprisingly efficient) flash.

my assessment: for all its features and its rollei name, it still feel like
a really snazzy point and shoot. the non-changeable zooms, while nice, are
slow (2.8 on the 38 end, 5.6 on the 90 end), as the average p & s's
generally are, the fully automated everything, which is occasionally nice
(i must admit a certain not infrequent laziness), feels somewhat intrusive,
and gives me the impression that i don't really have control over what i'm
doing. also, since i know the fondness of lugnuts for filters, let me tell
you that its unusual filter size (35.5) means a special order to b+w
germany and a 6 week wait! finally, i notice that my wife has been using
her nikon fm2n more than the rollei, and has even begun to suggest that a
leica m might be nice (god help me!)

having come to the leica from manual nikon cameras, and having only fiddled
with auto-everything models, i can honestly say that it is the
manual-everything approach and the great feel and image quality of the
leica m that i love, even if it means that i've got a top shutter speed of
1/1000, a 1/50 flash speed and no spot meter. i'm not saying that they
shouldn't pursue a more 'comfortable' (and thus more 'up-to-date' and more
marketable) m6, i just hope they don't mess with the uncomfortable one
'cause there are a lot of us stick-shift-driving, non-tv-owning amateurs
who really love working with a real camera.

guy