Re: [Leica] LTM vs. M

["Michael E. Berube" <photog@pivot.net>]

On Sun, 12 May 2002 07:05:49 -0700 (PDT), "Andrew Amundsen" quoth unto the 
boundless Leica Users digest Ether...
 >I love the looks and sound of the Bessa R2 but I'm afraid of liking
>it too much! I may decide I don't want my M2 back. Then I'd have
>nothing to say on the LUG! So far I'm a one leica man...Andrew

I'll second Jeffery's comment...the R2 is a great camera. It allows the use of 
LTM and M lenses just like your M2 (so you could still be topical on the LUG), 
it has a combined VF/RF which is as bright (if not brighter) than the M6, it 
has a built in meter, it synchs with a flash (if you ever want to) at 1/125 has 
easy metal swing back and is $525 from CameraQuest.com. It handles very well 
and is a first class camera for RF enthusiasts. (Do get a TomA mini softie from 
for use with it though.)

That being said, the IIIc and IIIf are also a pure pleasure to use when you 
have time to spend making photographs. Simple clockwork precision and a 
complete feel of fine craftsmanship quality of build. I'm only 34 but I dare 
say my 1949 sharkskin IIIc will probably outlast me with proper curtain 
maintenance and mine is a beater by collector standards. I use it now only with 
a 50mm lens (or wider than 35 lenses) as I find that jumping back and forth 
from RF window and the aux finder annoying to rely on when I have available the 
R2's built in parallax corrected finder. The lack of meter and the slow loading 
doesn't bother me much. I shoot print film so handheld reflective meters or 
sunny 16 rules are accurate enough and if I am shooting something that I know 
will need fast action, tele or macro I use one of my FM2n bodies.

Let us know what you eventually choose and have fun with whatever you choose. 
More important to make good photos than with what you are making good photos 
anyhow.

Carpe Luminem,
Michael E. Berube
http://www.GoodPhotos.com

- --
To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html