Re: [Leica] My Leica 'tis of thee

[Mark Rabiner <mark@rabiner.cncoffice.com>]

Robert Appleby wrote:
> 
> Mark, I've often been in situations where I've had to switch between films
> and then forgotten to switch the film speed back. DX coding sounds like a
> good idea to me. Surely the "philosophy" of the Leica M, to make
> photography more direct without lots of fiddling with settings, is well
> served by this feature?
> As for AE, it can always be switched off, can't it? And why would a new
> drive for the M be so appealing while the little motor in the Hexar is the
> devil's work?
> I love using the M (and don't use anything else), but I'm not blind to its
> limitations. I don't presently own a Hexar, but if it came as just the body
> at a reasonable price, I'd be tempted. If it had the F5's light meter in
> it, I'd get one tomorrow. On the other hand, AF is not a feature I'd be
> interested in.
> It's true that in the end everything is dispensable except for shutter
> speed, aperture and ISO settings. But sometimes it's convenient to have
> more features and may make a difference in getting the shot. After seeing
> my wife's results with the F100 shooting moving targets a lot of the time,
> I can see how it's extremely useful for the kind of work she does.
> I think working photographers generally have a pretty pragmatic approach to
> equipment. Why this doctrinaire insistence on limiting the feature set of a
> camera to what the M offers?
> Speak to me, bubbaloo!
> Rob.

There is nothing unusual about AE, AF, DX and now we have focus bracketing on
top of the ever popular exposure bracketing on every single system out there.
What is unusual is the simplicity and elegance and history or lineage of the M6
which stands alone.
You guys bought the camera and did not know that????
"Gee it sure is expensive and it doesn't' do anything except go click but it
sure is classy!"
DX coding is so much what a camera like the M6 is NOT all about that I can't see
how that would not be obvious.
Are some of your bodies of your various point and shoots DX coded and some not?
So which bodies do your remember to check your ASA on and which ones do you not?
Keeping them all straight?
RULE NUMBER ONE:
Do not put the film in the camera until the ASA has been switched to the proper ASA.
That's my rule which works for me.
There are a DX coding on my and my friends (mainly pros or serious amateurs)
newer Nikons.
All of us bypass this feature. We set the ASA ourselves. We NEVER have it set to DX.
And I'm sure some of us would be embarrassed if some one caught us using this feature.
More than we would be embarrassed using a P for program mode even.
A is OK in a pinch.
But who the hell needs it? Not me! That's why I use the Leica M6!
The Hasselblad CM and ELM
The Rolleiflex 2.8 F
The Cambo 4x5 N X.  two out of five of these cameras have meters in them.
I had fun with high tech Nikons in the mid to late 80's.
I'd like to just take my own pictures now thank you.
I'm not looking for convenience.
I'm looking for a camera which will stay out of the way so I can take the picture.
When people come over here I show them my prints.
Then if we have time I'll show them my cameras.
Mark W. Rabiner
:)