Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/19
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I'm sorry to not have been keeping close tabs on how this tread as it has been raveling but i just got back from a big walk with my Leica from most of the afternoon. When i headed out at 1:00 the sun was shining but the streets were wet. I glanced down as i was halfway down my driveway and there was funny white stuff all around my shutter speed dial which had dried on from the day before. Looked like battery acid but it was probably cake frosting. I went back inside and cleaned it off with damp cue tips and a piece of folded lens cleaning tissue. Went back outside and it was raining solidly. But i kept going. I transferred my camera to the inside of my recently heavily scotch guarded black London fog trenach coat. It's in the mid 40's today in portland and i was wearing thin sweater inside my trench coat so i only had to have one or two button buttoned on the coat and i was fine. I find I'm wearing a black wool drivers kind of hat with a small soft brim. Keeps my head warm and dry. I feel kind of stylish in a fascist Italian kind of way. Ten minutes late i ducked into one of those Starbucks with all the sofa's and had a mocha. Talked with a friend. He had a grey beard and grey hair both of which now getting quite long like Rasputin or Charles Manson.. He's a guitarist whose into The Beatles. The sun came out at our table by the windows and i fired off a third of a roll at the closest focusing distance with my new 21 Asph and the variable finder and Leica Motor M which i keep in the I mode. All new exciting new toys for me except for the camera. Neopan 1600 i was shooting at 125th at f16! The light was amazing on him and he was quite an exotic photo subject sitting at the round table in the luxury class Starbucks. So i headed down the street again in a very slow drizzle but this time i had the camera out of my treachcoat. I forget to mention that I'm trying now for the first time with this new lens a 060 B+W yellow-green filter--- to cut through some of the phlegm. I'd very cautiously screwed it on as the glass protrudes out on the 21 a bit more than with the 24 which I'm used to and i was worried abut the filter coming into contact with it. Like i do with my 24 and my 55mm filters i put the filter on ever so loosely to help with putting the lens hood back on. I'm not sure if it was necessary with this 21. Also while the hood cover on the 24 is very loose and I'd not use it in fear of it just falling off. The hood cover on the 21 seems to stay on quite snugly and therefore be of some possible use. I had it in my pocket the whole time as it turned out. My main point might be that rain does not seem to be a big threat to Leica M6 use. The camera does not melt in a slight drizzle. In heavy rain you put it under your coat. The new variable finder i was warned it was big and one person said they could not see close with it. I just LOVE the darn thing. The rubber doesn't not mess up or scratch my glasses. I can see everything. I'll get use with it on both my 24 and 21 lenses and later on when i get the 28 Summicron I'm sure. I LOVE The way it screws tightly onto the shoe and will not budge. No worry of it falling off for a 250 US dollar of so loss. And they were charging just as much for IT as for the regular 21 finder i first was trying to get as i was used to the 24 finder and was having no problem with it. So an afternoon walk on a rainy day i no problem with an M6 just as long as you wear a trenchcoat and a hat and be a little bit careful. I got all kinds of shots! Mark Rabiner Portland, Oregon USA http://www.markrabiner.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html