Re: [Leica] The Perfect Outfit

["Francesco Sanfilippo" <fls@san.rr.com>]

I am afraid I must agree.

I was once a gear fiend as well......I was really loaded with cash a few
years ago
and all I could think about was which new Leica lens was I gonna buy
next.
Yeah, I was shooting models and all that, but to me the gear was a
fanatical thing.
I had an M kit with 4 lenses and an R kit with 4 lenses, as well as a
Nikon F5
with 5 lenses.  Was I crazy or what!  Now, I am just a poor boy trying
to make it
in the big city, and I am strapping by with a simple M6HM and 35/2 ASPH
as
my entire camera collection!  (I do have an F5 with 2 lenses remaining,
but my
fiancee uses them)  Even though I don't have as much time to shoot now
as I did
then, I find I am as happy as a clam with just the 35/2 ASPH on my
trusty M6.
I don't have to worry about falling asleep in bed with the Leica catalog
on my chest
anymore, and I don't have to worry about getting jumped on the street
with over
$20,000 in Leica gear on my shoulder........

Francesco



- ----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] The Perfect Outfit


> Jay Coleman wrote:
> >
> > Ladies and Gentlemen:
> >
> > It now is time for me to seek counsel from this august group.  As I
had
> > mentioned earlier in my R8 encomium, I am currently trying to put
> > together the "perfect" M and R outfits.  I currently have an M6,
35/2
> > Asph, 50/2, 90/2.8 Elmarit-M, an R8, 35/2, 100/2.8 APO, 180/3.4 APO,
SL
> > with 50/2 (2 cam).  I am considering getting a wide angle and cannot
> > decide between the 21/2.8 Asph. for the M and the (new style) 19/2.8
for
> > the R.  I am also considering replacing the 35/2 R with the new
> > 35-70/4.  For the R, I also want an 80/1.4 (I had one and foolishly
sold
> > it), a 35/1.4 and also the new 50/1.4 (but I think I'll wait for it
to
> > appear used).  I also eventually want a 70-180/2.8 APO and a 2X APO
> > converter for the R.  For the M, the 35/1.4 Asph. and the 90/2 Asph.
I
> > also want another M body and probably another R8 (or successor)
instead
> > of the SL.  I would appreciate any thoughts, comments, etc.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Jay Coleman
>
> A Bark from Mark
> The fact that you would mention all this stuff asking for advice for
the
> "perfect outfit" without the slightest mention of WHAT you shoot HOW,
FILM,
> PAPER, CHEMISTRY says it all, unfortunately.
>
> From a technical standpoint you have two overlapping systems; one SLR
and one
> rangefinder without showing much of an awareness of what one approach
can do
> that the other can't.
> YES! you have the macro for the R, YES! you want the 21 for the M BUT
COULD ALSO
> JUST AS WELL DO WITH THE 19R. YES! you can use zooms and extenders on
the R
> which you plan to get but it's all TOYS, TOYS, TOYS unless we know
WHY!!!?????
> You LOVE to shoot WHAT???? in what WAY!!!
> But you can't quite get the shot because you don't have WHAT tasty
German
> bonbon????
> These are tools to do a job not Unicorns lined up on a shelf. If you
are a
> collector why not admit it!
> I am astonished with the potential of your extraordinary system. That
exquisite
> glass you mention must be leaping off the shelf wanting to shoot
pictures as I
> fear you are leaving them high and dry as you page endlessly through
the Shutterbug.
> Mark Rabiner
>