Re: [Leica] Rapidwinder

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

Yea! Tom!
- ----- Original Message -----
From: <TTAbrahams@aol.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2001 5:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Rapidwinder


> George, sorry about the late answer to the vertical use of a M6 with a
> Rapidwinder. I was stuck in my machineshop trying to catch up with the
> backorders. I am a left-eye photographer and started making these
> Rapidwinders when my last two black Leicavit MP's bit the dust. For me and
> about 3000 other M-users they work, but it is not for everybody. This is a
> blessing for me as I am at capacity for production.
>  On the vertical angle, I flip the camera up and releasing with my
"regular"
> finger on my right hand, holding the camera in my left hand. The edge of
the
> camera is cradled in the palm of my left hand, the fingers wrapped around
the
> lever. Release, "squeeze with the left fingers and release again. As for
your
> "friends" at Magnum, we obviously dont know the same people, as Magnum
N.Y.
> and Paris has been steady customers of mine since I started in 1987. There
> are at least 50 Rapidwinders in the hands of Magnum shooters.
>  There is an advantage to the Rapidwinder in using the M's - it does add
some
> "bulk" to the bottom of the camera and this makes it easier to hold it,
> particularly with larger lenses ( 21/24, 35/1,4, 50/1,4, 50,1,75/1,4 as
well
> as the 90's and 135's). The lever is made from stainless steel and has
been
> used as an offensive weapon, defensive weapon and also as a tripod. The
user
> stuck the lever into the drywall of the apartment and steadied the camera
> that way. I asked him what the owner of the apartment thought of it? " Oh,
he
> was dead, it was a murder investigation"!.
>  I am quite happy you dont see any use for the Rapidwinder as I would have
to
> put you on the backorder list if you changed your mind.
> Tom A
>