Re: [Leica] Galen, Nikon, $

[InfinityDT@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/7/99 6:39:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
digphoto@nashville.net writes:

<< So, here is a bit of slightly informed speculation about why Galen Rowell 
 uses the gear he does or has used in the past:
 
 At the start he was using older smaller Nikons (FM or FE I think) often 
 with a 24, and a 70-150 E Series zoom (maybe a 55 macro too?). The reason 
 for this type of gear is that its light and compact >>
<snip> <>

I think you're probably right.  I read recently where he's taken to using an 
FM-10 (the Cosina-made generic SLR that's also the Olympus OM2000, and the 
Ricoh KR-5 Super among others) and the plastic-lensmount 28-80 zoom Nikkor on 
his climbs, and I don't think even Mr. Nikon himself would call that lens a 
killer.  I remember Galen saying he also used a Minox 35 at one point, also 
for its lightness, but never mentions trying an M.  One thing Galen makes a 
great deal of use out of are graduated ND filters, and believe me they are 
*not* very compatible with the M6.  I have a set (the screw-in, rotating 
type...the Cokin type are useless on an M) and they are not very workable 
compared to an SLR.  That said, I have never gotten the hang of using them in 
the mountains the way Galen does.  They hold back the sky above the horizon 
all right, but also the mountain that sticks up into it : (