[Leica] Experience with RapidGrip

[Nathan Wajsman <wajsman@webshuttle.ch>]

In addition to the pleasure of meeting Tom and all the other LUGgers who
made the trip to Photokina, I also had the opportunity to buy one of
Tom's new RapidGrips. I have now used it extensively for a couple of
weeks and can offer the following comments:

The grip is very nice. It is heavier and more solid than the Leica
plastic grip. The biggest improvement is in the surface; while the Leica
grip can get a bit slippery, Tom's grip has some sort of "sticky"
surface that provides a much more confident grip. Also the shape and the
larger size provides more security. Additional benefits include the
battery storage compartment built into the handle and the screw hole
that can be used to store a spare Soft Release.

A couple of things that I like less: the RapidGrip attaches to the
baseplate via the tripod socket, but instead of the handy flip-out bolt
on the Leica grip, Tom's grip uses a large screw with a coin slot. So
removing and attaching the RapidGrip is more fiddly than the Leica grip.
Secondly, the RapidGrip does not provide a tripod socket. I assume this
is because its primary intended use is with the RapidWinder. But it does
mean that you effectively lose the tripod socket, given the somewhat
inconvenient removal of the RapidGrip. For me this does not matter, as I
never use a tripod with this particular M6 body.

Overall, if you can live with the tripod inconvenience described above,
I think that Tom's grip is vastly superior to the Leica grip and well
worth the money.

Nathan

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Nathan Wajsman
Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland

e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch

General photo site: http://belgiangator.tripod.com/
Belgium photo site: http://members.xoom.com/wajsman/
Motorcycle site: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/1704/