[Leica] Traveling light with Leica.

["Rodgers, David" <david.rodgers@xo.com>]

Hi all!

I just returned from Sapporo, Japan. Spent four days in Tokyo and 9 days in
Sapporo. Shot 35 rolls of color film, 24 rolls of b/w (and surprisingly 7
hours of video). I took a fluid head tripod thinking I'd use it for video
and stills, but I ended up using it only for video. 

I only took two bodies, M6 and R7. I used both equally. Had a 15 Heliar,
35/1.4 ASPH and 90/2.8 Elmarit for the M. I had a 28, 50 and 80-200/4 for
the R7. I didn't use my 90/2.8. Could have left it at home. I could have
used my 400 Telyt. Too bad the two wouldn't have been an even trade size
wise. Aside from that, the selection of equipment was just about perfect.
Not to mention, it all fit in a single Billingham bag.  

I photographed a team of 13-year-old All-Star baseball players as they
competed with teams from Sapporo's 9 Baseball Federation Districts. It was
quite an event. I was on hand for the opening of the 45,000 seat Sapporo
Dome and the Japan Professional All-Star Baseball game. Had a chance to meet
with the Mayor of Sapporo and also Masahiko Harada, the Olympic medalist in
the Large Hill Ski Jump at Nagano. I met the Mariners scout who signed
Ichiro, and got a tip on two young players who are most likely to follow his
footsteps into stardom in MLB. 

I watched the Japanese Olympic team was work out at the Large Hill in
Sapporo. No snow but they jumped on synthetic grass carpet. Pretty
incredible to see ski jumping in 90 plus degree heat.      

Best of all, the Sapporo Beer Festival was in full swing while I was over
there. It's as big as Oktoberfest in Munich. 

I didn't have a motor drive or autofocus and I never missed it. Well, maybe
motor drive a time or two. Long live Leica, both M and R. 

Dave