RE: [Leica] R: IIa or IIIa,: (Contax!)

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

The wheel focusing works fine, although I found it's pretty easy to also
focus by manipulating the lens itself...The 50 1.5 Sonar (forgive me, Marc,
if I misspelled it)is a very nice lens. I used a IIIa for a while along with
my Nikon equipment, and using it was what convinced me to get rid of most of
the reflex equipment in favor of modern Leica RF equipment...




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Skip
> Williams
> Sent: Monday, January 03, 2000 1:50 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] R: IIa or IIIa,: (Contax!)
>
>
> Something most of the respondents to this thread are missing
> is that the
> original post was asking about opinions on a Zeiss Contax IIa
> or IIIa, NOT
> a Leica LTM Screwmount IIa or IIIa.  The discussions have
> mutated to an LTM
> discussion.
>
> Does anyone have PRACTICAL experience on the use of a IIa/IIIa vs.
> contemporary LTM IIIf, etc.  I know about the longer baseline of the
> Contax, brighter viewfinder on the Leica, smaller LTM bodies,
> superior
> Zeiss lenses, more difficult LTM film loading, etc....
>
> But what I would like to know is how does the Contax handle
> in use?  I've
> never used one and I'm considering buying a IIa w Sonnar
> 50/1.5 or 50/2 as
> an alternate tool to my M or LTM's for grins.  Does the wheel
> focusing work
> well?
>
> Skip
>
> At 1/3/00 07:28 AM  -0500, you wrote:
>
> >I've been using a IIIa on and off since I was in high school
> in 1960. I
> >bought it for $25 as a second body to supplement my Yashica
> YF and later
> >Canon VIT. Recently, after 30 years away from serious
> photography I started
> >using it again and its even nicer than I remember. The only
> problem was that
> >in addition to 1/1000 sec., which never worked, 1/500 has
> also stopped
> >working--slow speeds are still fine. (time for a CLA). I
> bought a IIIf to
> >serve as my main camera (should be more reliable--its ONLY
> about 45 years
> >old). The shutter on a IIIf is supposed to be smoother and
> quieter than on a
> >IIIA, but i haven't noticed any difference. The more widely spaced
> >viewfinder rangefinder windows on the IIIa might be a slight
> disadvantage
> >compared to the IIIf,but I use a Russian universal finder most of the
> >time--even for the 50.
> >
> >In short, I highly recommend a IIIa as a 2nd Leica you can
> use without
> >worrying about.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> Skip Williams
> Westfield, NJ
> skipwilliams@pobox.com
> -----------------------------------------------
>
>