Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/23

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Favourites
From: Alastair Firkin <firkin@netconnect.com.au>
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2001 07:54:06 +1100
References: <20010220142052.8605.qmail@larch.math.umn.edu>

>Alastair;
>	You mention the Rollei QZT as a P&S favorite.  Could you comment
>further?.  What is the handling and quality like?
>	A friend of mine had one and got rid of it because of some
>breakdowns and less than efficient service from Rollei. This scared me off
>even though the price has come down dramatically.
>Jay

I could never have justified the QZT at its original price, but I saw 
one in Hobart at the time it was released, and lusted after the 
"design". Several years later, the prices began to tumble, and Joseph 
was able to arrange a good deal for me in Honkers, so I bought one. I 
would have got one for Helen as well -- his and her p&s's, but she 
did not like the lack of an on-board flash.

The camera has a "genuine" feel about it. Heavy robust and obviously 
well made, but it is now very dated, not having been updated for 
maybe 10 years, so although it was "state of the art" then, its now 
pretty much what you would expect in a "cheaper" point and shoot.

The manual focus is usable, but not fast, the exposure features are 
fine, the lens is fantastic, the zoom is a "bit" noisy, the flash is 
"dedicated" and may limit the life of the system, but it is otherwise 
fine for someone who prefers not to use flash, the lens cap/remote 
idea is cute, but the cap is too heavy for the catch and is prone to 
falling off, no filter threads, no case, beautiful flowing lines and 
easy to use apart from the slightly clumsy manual focus -- which is 
just autofocus by dials --- it is handy however to set a focus and 
leave it set while you explore the composition.

All in all, a fine little camera, now nearing a reasonable price, but 
a camera which is too good to be a point and shoot, and without a 
"future" as a "solo" camera for someone who wants it for "ever". I 
like it and planned to use it with Kodachrome to "document" trips 
leaving the M6 to do the "serious" stuff, but so far, its only been 
used for family events and generally "snappy" situations.

Cheers
- -- 
Alastair Firkin

http://www.afirkin.com

In reply to: Message from goldman@math.umn.edu ([Leica] Favourites)