Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/06/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 09:38 AM 6/21/00 -0700, Mark Langer wrote: >With all the chat about the virtues of the Rollei 35S and SE, I thought >that I might add a couple more off-topic lines about the Petri Color 35, >which is in many ways an improved version of the Rollei 35 design. <snip> > >Generally, I'm a big fan of Japanese leaf-shuttered rangefinders or >compact cameras of the 60s and 70s for their combination of low cost and >high quality. <snip> There are a lot of low-budget delights >among cameras of this sort that make it worth-while seeking them out. I'm a big fan of them also. While much larger than a Rollei and more comparable in size to an M, I've found the Walz Envoy 35 to be one of the best cameras that I've ever owned. With a 4.8cm 1:1.9 Copal SVL leaf shuttered S Kominar lens and an excellently bright (if short) rangefinder I've gotten some good shots with it in some very low light and hand held. The advance stroke has a loud ratchet sound but it smoother than any Leica that I've ever held. Of the Walz cameras this is the only one I like for having the finest finish. Unfortunately it is also the one with the least frills. It does have a timer and both X and M synch for the synch port which is out of the way on the left hand side of the body. It is ROCK solid and the glass is as clear today as it was when manufactured in the 50s. The lens has full EV and DOF scales as well as the modern speed (to 1/500) and aperture ranges (to f16.) When I know that I'm shooting actual portraits outside I often take this camera along for any of the fill flash work. Which takes me to my second meandering....One of you electronics engineers should make (or alter) and market an electronic flash that emulates the intensity fall off timing of a classic flash bulb. With the resurgence of the older "retro" cameras that have the "M" synch settings but have Focal Plane shutters, I think that you would have a HUGE niche market. I would save up a long time to pay a LOT of money for such a tool. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to use your M 4 or older Leica with fill flash upto 1/500 without having to mess with costly hot bulbs in between each shot? Carpe Lumen, Michael E. Berube http://www.goodphotos.com