RE: [Leica] rapidgrip, now rapidwinder

["Mike Smith" <travlpix@optonline.net>]

John,

I'm a right-eye shooter, and use a Rapidwinder. While I agree it's probably
not as useful for us right-eyers as for lefties, it's still a great gadget
for quick shooting once you get the hang of it and learn to advance the film
smoothly, without jerking. It also has a very high "cool" factor. I tend to
knock the lens out of focus while Rapidwinding, probably because I insist on
using two fingers on the lever rather than the recommended three -- the
extra finger often rubs the focus ring. (Standard practice is to hold the
camera with forefinger and thumb of left hand, use the other fingers to pull
the lever. This keeps all fingers occupied and away from the lens.)

The Rapidgrip is much better than Leica's grip -- bigger, feels better, etc.
The only downside is Tom's attachment screw is slotted, rather than fitted
with a fold-down ring. I use the ring on the Leica grip as a jury-rigged
attachment for one end of a hand strap; the other end attaches to the strap
lug. Not only does this provide extra grip security without wrapping the
neck strap around your hand, but it lets you drop the bottom plate when
changing film -- the plate hangs off the strap. Yeah, the fold-down ring
will probably break off the handgrip eventually, but it hasn't so far. Maybe
everybody does this, I don't know -- the other shooters I hang out with all
use auto-everything SLRs, and can hardly lift them with one hand, much less
hold them steady enough to shoot with.

Nevertheless, once you use the Rapidgrip, you'll never take it off.

Mike Smith

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of John
> Collier
> Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 9:20 AM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] rapidgrip, now rapidwinder
>
>
> Rob,
>
> Are you a "left eye" shooter? As a "right eye" shooter, I have always felt
> that it would be more difficult to do a series of follow focus
> shots if you
> had to wind with your left hand as well as focus but, I have
> never actually
> tried the rapidwinder, and would love to hear your comments on it. Most of
> the users seem to be "left eye" shooters* where I can see that it
> would be a
> godsend.
>
> John Collier
>
> *My apologies to those who are not, I would love to hear comments from you
> as well.
>
>