Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/06/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Keep it up guys, (BD, Martin, Slobodon, Kyle, & the rest), if you are successful in altering the mindset of those who would attempt photography with an old, and obsolete camera system, then maybe the prices for these wonderful cameras will come down to more reasonable levels. ;-) Seriously though, I think you are preaching to the choir. Those of us that actually use the old screw-mount cameras seem to do just fine, and get a big laugh out of your complaints. My own experience with all-mechanical, meterless cameras spans some fifty plus years starting with a little Retina folder that you had to focus using the distance scale and then set little levers and dials for aperture and shutter speed, and a manual cocking lever. Right now on my wall there are a few prints from the Kodak slides that were taken with that camera in 1953. Exposure was set using the guide on the film box. The most "modern" camera in my stable is an EOS-10S from the mid-90's. I haven't used it in the more than three years since rediscovering the joy of using these gorgeous little mechanical marvels, the screw-mount Leica and Canons. I will admit to being a bit of a gear head, and do use other cameras for special needs where the rangefinders are less handy, (macro and tele use with or without motordrive). Just this past Sunday there was a Concours de Elegance nearby showing classic cars and motorcycles. It was total eye-candy for a casual photo outing. I carried a Leica IIIf with a CV 15mm and a Jupiter 3, 50mm, exposing a couple of rolls of 400 speed print film and one roll of Elite II, 100 speed. No meter, and in bright sun to deep shade. I may have missed five exposures out of the 100 shots. Most shots were super close with something in the finder at 1 meter with the 15mm and around 5 - 10 meters with the 50mm for cars and motorcycles parading up to the trophy stand. Talk about love of the great things from yesteryear, these people spend fortunes and years of their spare time on restoration of the best of the past. Cars and motorcycles from waaay back looking like they just came out of the showroom. Ferraris, Aston Martens, Corvettes, Thunderbirds, Lamborginis, Panteras, Porches, Arials, Vincent, Triumph, Matchless, BMW, Harley Davidson, Pierce Arrow, and more. It would have been sacrilegious to photograph the show with and F5 or even R8. The LTM cameras are easy to use and a delight to carry, and most certainly a decent entry to the Leica family. If you buy one that works, it will probably keep working, and if not they are actually easy to get into good shape. Just my opinion of course, Paul Connet - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html