RE: [Leica] Leica and a new M?

["Kotsinadelis, Peter (Peter)" <peterk@lucent.com>]

Bill,

That's your opinion.  The 20-35D is a good lens, but Nikon only recently
came out with a 17-35 and finally a 28-70D.  Both of which I am told,
especially the 28-70D are soft wide open.  
Nikon AF SLRs also focus slower than say Canon, except for the new Silent
wave motors which do increase focusing speed, but make for crummy lenses.  
Nikon has lost market share, as has Leica because they don't listen to the
needs of photographers.  They prefer to tell them what they need, so the
photographers go elsewhere. For the record, Nikon was not first to develop a
lens in Japan, nor a camera, and certainly not the first to build an SLR.
They were not first in using lens coating, nor first to incorporate AF
technology in a camera.  Only now have they started to incorporate features
photogs have asked for over the years after losing the majority of the Pro
market. 

Thank you for justifying owning and taking your Nikon gear, have a great
trip!

Peter K

- -----Original Message-----
From: Bill Carson [mailto:poppie@fidalgo.net]
Sent: Friday, October 29, 1999 11:58 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica and a new M?


Nobody asked for it, but here is my opinion re the field of 35mm SLR
cameras:
In spades, NIKON wrote the book and still leads in every respect; mechanics,
electronics and optics and durable quality of all!.  Say what you will about
the
Leitz glass but they have nothing even remotely comparable to the
20~35-2.8D,
the 35~70-2.8D and the 80~200-2.8D.  These three lenses will take care of
99.99%
of most photographer's needs and, aside from the fact that the 80~200 is big
and
heavy, make a wonderful 'kit' for just about any type of photography.  And,
Nikon stuff is tough; it'll take the jarring, jolting, knocks and shock as
well
as any and better than most.  Camera, optics and accessories all go together
beautifully plus the Nikon marque offers lenses up to 2,000mm and down to
8mm --
along with accessories that fill just about every photographer's conceivable
need.  A couple of thoughts Re the M-6: Their electronic exposure design is
a
disaster with the Switch-Off via Shutter Speed Control and the matching of
arrows powered by a battery that is both expensive and short lived.
Adjustment
of exposure setting via Aperture Ring on the lenses is not good design
because
there's  1) a different 'feel' for each lens and 2) is difficult at best
with
several of their lenses (#11831 50mm ElmarM).  The camera and current M
lenses
are absolutely  beautiful sweat hearts tho!
I'll be signing off  the LUG for about a month to cruise from Athens to
Singapore but I'll have the M-6 and Nikon gear + 35 rolls of Tri-X with me
for
pix.  Enjoyed spectating for awhile and will listen in later. Wiedersehen.
Bill
Carson KE7GM