[Leica] PMA Show and LHSA's Black paint M6TTL

["Sal DiMarco,Jr." <sdmp007@pressroom.com>]

Luggers and Leggers,
        After just returning from the Photo Marketing Association's show in
Las Vegas, anbd I thought all of you might like to hear about the Leica
related things I saw.
        The German Leica contingent was large led by CEO Hanns-Peter Cohn
and VP for Sales Norbert Strauch, along with the the usual America suspects.
The mood of the Leica people was up beat.
        Mr. Cohn was proudly carrying a Millenium M6 and taking pictures
with it! I told his camera was probably the only one that will every have
film in it. I hope I'm wrong.
        Leica did not introduce anything we haven't already seen. The R8
motor was there along with the C1 and the Digi-zoom and the Digi-copy. BTW,
the digi-copy looks like a quick way to digitize your slides.
        Bill Rosauer, President of the Leica Histirical Society of America
and John Hayden of the LHSA was in LAs Vegas to finalize the Society's black
paint M6 project. I saw the final version and it IS impressive. For all you
anti-red dotters out there the "red dot" will be black. No more details from
me. Wait for your LHSA mailing. If your not a member join. It is worth it
just to buy this camera.
        For the first time, I had a chance to wrap my hands around a Konica
Hexar RF and the Viogtlander Bessa-R and to see the new lenses. I was
singularly un-impressed. Both cameras seemed filmsy. For me, the main
advantage of the Hexar was the X-sync. The 1/125 sync doesn't cut it. I told
the salesperson, if is had a 1/250 sync, I would be leaving the show with
one. His response was a 1/250 sync shutter would increase the cost of the
camera. I do not agree with his statement.  The lens mount was not smooth.
The viewfinder OK. Word on the floor is the lenses aren't great. I shot some
film with the 28mm and 50mm and will know more when I see the results.
Konica will have only 76 units in the near future. I guess, they are
continuing to copy Leica with instant back orders.
        As for the Bessa-R,  for screw mount fans, now they have a metering
camera with a variable viewfiner 35 thru 90. It is small, quiet and
relatively inexpensive. All the lenses were shown. I only have limited
experience with the 15mm, but everyone says they are very good. Just
remember in terms of lens quality, there is good, better and Leica.!

Cheers,
Sal DiMarco, Jr.