Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/07/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Leica Users digest V10 #36
From: Harrison McClary <harrison@mcclary.net>
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 1999 13:11:18 -0500

On 7/25/99 10:30 AM Walter S Delesandri wrote:

>when your 
>"bottom line" is affected, you notice....and rude/incompetent 
>repair service adds to the insult...

IF the camera had been fixed or replaced early on I probably would not 
have been as upset...but the conversations I had with Leica NJ and the 
fact they actually lost my camera turned me off.  I was considering 
selling the replacement R8 (they finally replaced it after 3 trips and 
two letters to the president of Leica NJ) and getting a new one with the 
passport warranty, but 2 things stopped me and swayed me back to Canon.  
1) the attitude from Leica on my problem R8.  2) the fact the R8 had been 
out for about 2 years and no motor was even on the horizon...felt the 
time was right to jump from a not so stable ship....also I have to admit 
the fact Canon makes a 24 1.4 lens was a determining factor...that lens 
is awesome...no other word can describe it.

Could I have gotten an R7, supposedly a reliable body?  possibly, but in 
my line of work I often need the 1/250 sync speed, often would even like 
higher.  Flash fill on a sunny day the extra stop in shutter speed makes 
a big difference.

>I'm truly sorry you had to go over to the "enemy" :) to get 
>working gear :), but I understand....bet them good lenses are 
>cheaper, too....

Yeah, well the lenses are nowhere as bad as some on this list would have 
you believe.  Canon makes some great glass...the 24 1.4L is with out 
equal in length and speed and is every bit as good IMHO wide open as the 
noctilux.  The Canon 24 is rather pricey, but still less than a Summilux. 
 

>As for the sync problems, it's a damn shame that "professional" 
>equipment users have to worry about a 283 damaging their gear...

Yes this is absurd...guess the makers want everyone to use the dedicated 
flashes....but most of the time, for me at least, when using flash it is 
not a battery powered unit.  Usually using big strobes for location work. 
 I like the White Lightning Ultras since they are made 2 miles from where 
I live.  That is one company others should use for a model in customer 
service.....can not say enough good about Paul Buff Inc.

Leica M's are great tools...the R's also are nice, the R8 has some great 
features and handles very well, but my experience with them was not too 
good...oh and I was wrong about my R6...in the one year I used it it went 
in 2 times not once.  

Best regards,
Harrison McClary
email: harrison@mcclary.net
http://www.mcclary.net
preview my book: http://www.volmania.com