Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/03

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: AE camera availability
From: "Jim Laurel" <JimLaurel@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2000 17:53:08 -0700
References: <B58B99E4.B39F%chrislee@mac.com> <4.1.20000707172025.058aece0@gateway.photoaccess.com>

Although I have expressed a desire on the LUG in the past for an AE version
of the M6, I must agree with Jim.  After several years of using the current
M6, I am sufficiently comfortable with it that I'm not convinced that AE
would make me any faster.  Once you adopt certain habits, like pre-setting
focus and estimated exposure settings based on experience when entering a
new picture taking situation, you can become very fast indeed.  What I love
most about using the M6 is its complete lack of automation to interefere
with making photographs.

However, as I begin to turn my attention more to digital media, what would
be really useful to me is a digital body that accepts M-mount lenses.  If
you need to shoot digital, you don't have much choice.  Either you go with a
point and shoot with a lousy lens, or you must carry a large, costly digital
SLR.  The Nikon 990 I'm currently using has a 3+ megapixel density, but the
lens is really bad.  Color fringing, barrel distortion...you name it.  Can
you imagine how quiet a digital M body would be?!

The main problem I see with this is that such a body would depreciate
quickly, as all digital cameras do.  They would be the first "disposable"
Leicas.  Perhaps Konica or Voigtlander will address this market, but I
struggle to see a viable business in m-mount digital cameras.

- --Jim


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Brick" <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>; <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2000 5:23 PM
Subject: [Leica] Re: AE camera availability


> At 04:57 PM 7/7/00 -0600, John Collier wrote:
> >The M6 AE may well be announced at Photokina but if past experience is
any
> >guide, expect them to be in very short supply. I think it is better to
have
> >a camera in the hand than a better camera in the bush.
> >
> >John Collier
>
> How does anyone know that the M6 AE is a "better" camera? I would guess
> that the "real McCoy", a fully mechanical M6, will still be the better
> camera. At least until proven otherwise.
>
> Jim
>

In reply to: Message from Chris Lee <chrislee@mac.com> (Re: [Leica] [Off Topic] NEW CONTAX N1 AF SLR FOR THE 35MM FORMAT)
Message from Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com> ([Leica] Re: AE camera availability)