Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Pat The sound you hear is of me barfing. When you have used a Leica for X years, any other camera may feel strange, and vice versa. I had used a Contax I and II for many years before I owned a Leica, and believe me, the Leica felt weird until I got used to it. Everything turned the wrong way! The same dislocation occurred when I went to a Nikon F2 for SLR work. A little time, and alles ist in ordnung. Jerry Jerry Patrick Jelliffe wrote: > At the risk of starting an intersine spat regarding > the discussion of intellectual property that may not > have had the permission of the author to be posted > here... > > The best experience I had with a Hexar was zone > focusing, because I could never focus well with that > finder. Motor drive is sweet, as is the AE, but I was > frustrated most of the time when focusing critically, > wide open and close--a nightmare. Shutter lag also > frustrating, and the noise of the advance. Had the > lens mount shimmed for the back focus problem, and > there was some improvement, but still not up to > snuff.. Sold the first RF, then about a year later > thought about buying another, because you want to like > it, "it's so full of features". > > A LHSA member invited me over to look at an RF he was > selling for a friend. Before we got to the sale, he > showed me his amazing collection of screw mount > Leicas, as well as several M's he'd CLA'd. I was in > heaven, with SHNOO's on the SM cameras, and Leicavits > on the M's. Everything adjusted to perfection. And > yes, with every model, my hands fell naturally on the > contrals, and it was intuitive. I felt like I was in > the middle of a harem. > > Then, he handed me the Hexar, and it was a no-brainer > to pass on it immediately. LHSA guy just smiled. Lots > of bells and whistles, but it felt like the automatic > transmission 4 cylinder economy car that was the last > car left when I landed at midnight in a snowstorm in > Denver. Yeah, it'll get you there, but so would > walking. Gimmie the BMW 3.0cs with dual Webers and 5 > speed. I have to agree with Erwin on this one, and I > think he truly attempted to be objective with the > Konica. I WANTED to like it. The sine qua non of > Leica is spiritual fervor, and cannot be explained. > > Patrick > > > --- "Richard F. Man" <richard@imagecraft.com> wrote: > > So what do you y'all think of this editorial from > > Dante's site: > > www.dantestella.com. Does any of you have experience > > similar to Erwin's? I > > think it this is just shilling from Erwin, but then > > what do I know? Of > > course he wrote something equally dramatic for the > > new MP experience too. > > So... thoughts? As usual, I suspect it has been > > discussed before, but would > > be interesting to hear the thoughts now given the M7 > > and the new MP.... > > > > > http://www.dantestella.com/technical/rangefinder.html: > > Quote from another website, I am sure it is from > > Erwin Puts' site > > somewhere, as I was mightily intrigued and confused > > when I ran into it > > myself -- // richard > > *** > > — "When you close your eyes and pick up the Leica > > and the Hexar several > > times, the difference in feeling and haptics > > emerges. When you hold the > > Leica, your thumb slides behind the advance lever > > and your finger lays on > > the shutter release button, which is sharp as a > > trigger. This simple and > > intuitive act signifies to the brain a state of > > alert attention and you > > fall into the mood of a hunter or an active > > sportsperson anticipating the > > moves of the other players. When holding the Hexar, > > both hands hold the > > body and wen your finger touches the release button, > > there is no trigger > > effect. The finger just rests there and you do not > > get any feedback from > > the body. So you switch almost automatically into a > > more passive state of > > mind and allow the camera to work for you. That is > > easy to do as the > > automatic functions of the camera (exposure, film > > transport, motorwinder) > > are so well executed that you start to rely on them > > and even transfer > > control to them. In fact you are starting to become > > an operator of the > > camera, adjusting the wheels and not the driver who > > forces the camera to do > > as he wants it to act." > > > > And here's Dante's editorial remark: > > *** > > — Whoa, Nelly! The above-statement was written by a > > noted Leica expert in > > relation to two cameras that take the same lenses > > and have exactly the same > > type viewfinder and focusing. Personally, I would > > like to see the EEGs of > > people using Leicas and Hexar RFs before I swallow a > > statement like that. > > While the writer is normally very organized and > > scientific in his methods, > > I can't help but conclude that this statement is > > probably the clearest > > proof that Leica (Leica, not other brands of similar > > equiment) is a > > religion. Isn't a camera supposed to work for you?! > > Ifyou want to talk > > haptics and concentration, there is nothing that > > breaks the concentration > > of a left-eyed shooter faster than putting you right > > thumb in your right > > eye while winding an M3. Talk about tactile. I'd > > rather take the shot and > > forget about the "experience" of taking the picture. > > > > // richard <http://www.imagecraft.com> > > <http://www.dragonsgate.net/mailman/listinfo> > > On-line orders, support, and listservers available > > on web site. > > [ For technical support on ImageCraft products, > > please include all previous > > replies in your msgs. ] > > > > -- > > To unsubscribe, see > http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > > __________________________________________________ > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more > http://taxes.yahoo.com/ > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html