Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>How are you defining "best built?" One way to consider the best built is to >look at what camera or cameras have consistently taken major beatings over >decades and continued to function. I realize its a heretical thing to >suggest, but the Nikon F looks pretty good by that standard... >B. D. I didn't invent the term best built but I guess it would mean solidness and reliability in equal amounts. Unfortunately the best built doesn't necessarily have to be the best designed. Instead of trying to compose an essay I'll type in some gripes and praises. The Contarex is probably a more solid camera than the Leicaflex. The plates are more difficult to dent and the chrome is harder. This makes it more dropable. The Leicaflex is a more elegant design. and far better thought out IMHO. The brake system even on the cruder STD is a marvel to look at. It not only brakes the curtains but also releases the mirror and is adjustable. The gear on the right side of the mirror box of the Contarex Bullseye looks to have been machine cut while as most every gear on just about every camera is stamped. The Drum gears on the Leicaflex are apparently drop forged. The steel is so hard that it's impossible to scribe it with a tool steel punch! I tried! The mirror on the Contarex is damped via a mechanical escapement mechanism and has a complex travel arrangement. It pivots and then swings up and is quieter in operation. The LF mirror just drops but it's a controlled rise and drop. and it's hardly noisier once the lens is on the body. I think it may have been designed so that reopening the lens provided some damping! Has anyone noticed that without the lens it's less clappy but almost as noisey as any other slr but once the lens is on the noise drops precipitously. The shutter speed dial on the LF clicks more positively but can be ripped past B and on to 2000 (wrecking the whole camera), by someone determined enough to do so. (an idiot). The LF advance lever rides on ball bearings and stays unwobbly 30 years later. The LF finder is way better Auxilliary rollers on the takeup side of the LF shutter are mounted on a folded carrier, bolted on to the mirror box. If the camera is dropped hard enough on it's bottom plate, these idle rollers can jump out of their axle holes and make the camera useless. (very high Gs) The Contarex has the dopey rubber mounted damper assy on the mirror box which will probably fail on you in your lifetime. Both have lockable mirrors which require that you remove the lens. The LF is the most awkward of the 2 in this respect but only the older 21 might pose a problem. The Contarex comes apart easily for shutter repairs while the LF requires a major breakdown. The aluminum shutter speed dial hub on the LF is delicate and it's location tabs will crack off if the camera is knocked hard enough on the dial. The SL2 hub is better though. This may have been intentional and done as a way of sparing the advance train. The LF advance and release is smoother. The filmplane on the contarex is only supported positively on the bottom and I can imagine how a knock from the right angle might throw it off. The LF has a one piece chassis from lens flange to film rails. and I would trust it more. The bullseye metering system is retarded and practically useless. The LF has a small spring in front of the speed governor which performs 3 different functions! Beat that !!!! That's all I can think of for now Obviously it's necessary to have them both! BTW: I am sure that there was only one camera the Leitz guys were thinking of beating when they designed the LF. It must have been the Contarex. As for the Nikon F It's a great little rudimentary camera with crude speed governance, non independant curtains a crude brake system, crude mirror actuation and all together noisy. The top plates can be bent out of shape by a baby with 3 fingers. It's reliable though. But mostly because of it's simplicity. The F2 is slightly less crude but far noisier because of the faster curtain. Does anybody remember complaints about curtains snapping off F2s (Crappy Brakes) The M series shutter is similar in some ways to the old F but much higher grade and better damped As for the Alpa, Unfortunately I've never been inside one, though I've heard it's in the same class the the LF and Crex quality wise but I've also heard it's not as sophisticated mechanically. Anybody got a busted Alpa to sell? bout time I found out. Which is the best one BTW? Javier