Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/11/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hello Lugers I recently returned from China, and as a treat to myself (on the company of course) I decided to spend the weekend in Japan before heading home - Sunday in Hakone, soaking in the hot springs under the majesty of Mount Fuji. Wonderfully relaxing and highly recommended. Last Saturday I spent all day finding all the camera shops I could in Shinjuku and Ginza. In summary - Wow ! - an incredible selection of Leica equipment - more rare M's than I've ever seen. And the Japanese love of Leicas is not just limited to Tokyo either - there is one shop in a mall adjacent to Hankyu station in Osaka that didn't just have one original back M2 - they had three. And every M and LTM in the place was arranged by ascending serial number ! Great selection, but no "bargains" as I have previously experienced with N*** stuff on previous trips. I picked up a few copies of some Leica "Mooks". I'm offering the duplicate copies I picked up to offer to fellow LUG'ers. For those of you not familiar with Japanese "Mooks", they are wonderfully made, large Softcover magazines with phenomenal pictures and illustrations. The text is in Japanese with some English (minimal) but it's the detailed photos that's the real treat and the tests of Leica M and LTM lenses that make them worth owning. So, with no further adieu: Mook 1 - Classic Leica Cameras This is 145 pages cover to cover, full colour and 11.5 x 8.5 Major contents include: a 12 shot nude pictorial comparing 12 different M, LTM and R 50mm lenses 54 pictures showing the disassembly of a black M2 a six page pictorial featuring a Japanese repair shop that specialises in rebuilding LTM optics - including grinding and re-coating. 18 step by step pictures of the painting of a Leica IIIC 25 step by step pictures of a M2 CLA 38 step by step pictures of a Leica II CLA Kardon, FED, and Leica II tear-down and comparison A Japanese M user who installed a TTL meter in a black M2 ! (I'm not kidding !!) Plus dozens of great B+W and colour work of a half dozen Japanese M photographers and collectors Price: 20 US + shipping Mook 2 - 2001 Leica Products and News ! This one is fantastic - 10.5 x 8.5, full colour and 145 pages Major features are the Leica O, .58 M6, CII, 28mm ASPH and new Tri-Elmar. The Leica O feature includes 5 pages of full scale photographs The 0.58 M6 is compared to the .72 and .85 and includes a full 0.58 test report. First glimpse at the Titanium Heaxar RF w/ 50mm f1.2 and 35mm f2 New version of the Pentax 43mm LTM First Glimpse of the New Bronica 645 RF Users report on the Cosina 12mm f5.6 The cream de la cream of 35mm comparisons, including photos, diagrams and example photos using: Summilux multiple versions of the f2 Summicron Summaron Elmar LTM Fujinon M-Hexanon LTM Ultron LTM Colour-Skopar LTM Jupiter-12 Schinder Heligon Zeiss Herar Other goodies include 4 pull "postcards" of The Leica 0, M3 and Black M3, a cut-out "paper craft" M3 w/ Summilux 50, and face views of the M1, 2, 3, 4, 4-2, 4-P, M5, and Cl. Each postcard is 8x6 on heavy cardboard stock and is suitable for framing. Price: 25 US + shipping Mook 3- Camera Style #6 10.5x8.5, full colour and 158 pages Feature is the KE-7A w/ ELCAN 50 showing 6 pages of full disassembly starting from the original shipping container to how it compares with a disassembled Black M4 of similar vintage. Other goodies include multiple features of Japanese photographers, a Polaroid shoot-out :-) and tons of advertisements with prices for local shops. Price: 20 US + shipping Buy all three and receive a SUPER-HAPPY FREINDLY BONUS: Japanese brochures for the Bessa-R, Hexar RF and Bronica 645 RF - free ! :-) Note: I'm offering these at basically cost (plus a little to cover my lugging them from Japan through Canadian Customs) - first crack goes to LUG'ers. If no one is interested, then they'll happily sit on my bookshelf until someone wants one. Kind regards William