Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/24

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Leica Quality versus Medium Format
From: "Austin Franklin" <austin@darkroom.com>
Date: Sun, 25 Mar 2001 00:58:34 -0500

> Pentax 645 (non af) and Mamiya 645 Pro AE. Neither knocked my
> socks off.

Understood ;-)  For 645, the only SLR I'd think of using would be the
Contax.  For a rangefinder, the Fuji GS645 is really quite nice.  Bokeh
isn't near Leica or Zeiss glass though.

> I can
> load my Leica M faster than I could load either of them.

The roll film is slower than cassette film, no doubt, unless you use backs,
and have them pre-loaded...though I'm pretty fast with the Hasselblad
backs...and I'd bet I'd give you a close run for the money!

> >What's this obsession with tripods?  You complain about the trouble
> carrying
> a MF camera around, but you'd LUG a useless tripod around?
> Tripods are for
> studios and "camera guys" ;-)<
>
> Here I was referring primarily to the use of my RZ 67,

Yeah, hardly a point-n-shoot ;-)

> All of the reflex bodies had tremendous mirror
> flop

All MF reflex bodies...

> My hasselblad and I just did not get along
> functionally or ergonomically;

Don't take this the wrong way...but were you holding it correctly?  I have
been surprised by how many people just don't a Hasselblad correctly!  They
want to wrestle it or something...best two out of three...I just don't get
it.  Bottom of body in palm of left hand...index finger on shutter.  Right
hand free for focus/aperture/shutter speed/winding...  I find this the best
ergonomics and best balance of any MF I've used...even the Rolleiflex 6008
is a PITA compared to the Hasselblad...the Hasselblad has both the aperture
and shutter speeds next to each other around the lense...easy to go from
exposure setting to focusing...

I really like MF rangefinders...though most of them are just tooooo big for
my likes.  That's why I really like the Fuji and the Super Ikontas for light
and easy to use MF cameras, but alas, the quality isn't there compared to
the Rollei or the Hasselblad.

BTW, my opinion, anyone who hasn't used MF, and is into photography, really
should get one and use it...it is a different world ;-)