Re: [Leica] I am about to buy a Minilux

[Godfrey DiGiorgi <ramarren@bayarea.net>]

>BTW, I've been interested in the Minilux Zoom but can't find anyone who 
>has tried it.  Have you any positive (or negative) feedback on the camera?

I played with one at the store to see what it was like. Seems nice 
enough, my friend behind the counter showed me prints from a roll of film 
he'd taken with it and it is capable of turning out very nice 
photographs.. I know the lens is very good. It has less user 
controllability than the fixed lens Minilux and of course the zoom lens 
is a lot slower. 

Since I've been through all that before and know that I won't sacrifice 
the lens speed for the zoom, I didn't go any further with it. I'd go with 
the Minilux if I wanted one of the Leicas. 

Between the Minilux and the Contax T2 is a bit of a toss up for me as I 
like the Contax a lot too, but the slightly longer focal length on the 
Minilux is my favorite general purpose lens. I still consider the Rollei 
35S and 35 Classic to be the nee plus ultra of cameras in this size 
class: all the Leica M values of a simple, mechanical, manually-operated 
camera with a world class lens in a tiny package. If I didn't want the 
lens interchangeability so I could use things like the Heliar 15, I would 
have been satisfied to stick with the Rollei 35S and not spent the money 
on the Leica CL... ;)

Godfrey