Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/09

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Full circle with Nikons
From: Mark Rabiner <mark@rabinergroup.com>
Date: Wed, 09 Jul 2003 16:24:45 -0700
References: <OFA95155BC.DED7D76E-ON86256D5E.0068C3F1-86256D5E.00692712@rockwellcollins.com>

grduprey@rockwellcollins.com wrote:
> 
> Actually the F3 is still available from Nikon, but at $1300.
> 
> Gene
> 
> 
My point they only stopped making them last year.

My point on " Full circle with Nikons" is not to compare Leicas
unfavorably against Nikons. 
But to show the irony of getting back to a whole system of cameras you
thought you'd never touch again because of a technology you never
thought you'd be involved in. And to discover there are plenty of
technology I've not gotten involved in which are kind of usefull and
fun. And after a decade of rather low tech Leicas and Hasselblads it's
interesting to go high tech in order to go digital. Do they have low
tech Digital? I'd think that not be possible. Going through this
"Complete Nikon System, an Illustrated Equipment Guide" by Peter Braczko
I found myself forgetting that i was not reading the Laney or
Lager.(Leica collectors books) Each lens goes back back back generation
over generation and you wattch them do that with the pictures. It's like
when you see man then ape then money then tadpole. At the
paleo-rangefinder tadpole era we see all the rangefinder glass was just
ported over to the SLR! Just curious did Leica do much of that? Did they
Use M glass configurations when they came out with the Leicaflex in
1964? By the way how do i know that? I've got the Laney Leica collectors
guide with in arms reach of my computer at all times.
(the Nikon book is in the bathroom) (which is a good place to be)
When the digital back comes out in the next few years and it turns out
to be a good thing I'll see what i can get for all this high tech glass.
maybe i'll use uv filters (brain tumer alert!) to keep them free of I
dont know what. Then I'll start my Leica R glass system to match my
Leica digital and analog SLR shooting systems.
I'll start with the macro's. The 60 and the 100. Then super wides which
really are necessary from the get go for digital.

One big criticism of Nikon I have is that their big selling point has
been the never changing lens mount. Well they do change and now we are
all of a sudden at a point where the cameras coming out now won't meter
at all with any non AF lens. Won't meter at all with a lens with no chip
in it. (You can have a chip put in for 80 bucks by some guy)
That and lenses with no aperture ring and it looks like trouble in Nikon
city. Lenes with an image circle which only covers the digital format.
Mixed feelings.

At a LHSA meeting about three years ago or so there was a display of
mannikin torso's (instead of a stinkin slide show) each with it's own
"kit." By kit what was meant a certain photographers regalia. What was
hanging from them and where. 
A champ at recognizing repeating patterns i saw a whole bunch of torso
people who had a Nikon hanging off one arm and a Leica off the other.
I'm sure the cameras smashed into each other gleefully. Probably
interchanged a few parts.
Leica's and Nikons go together like vodka and caviar''. Like Cheese and Pepperoni.

Lets remember Nikon has a rangefinder camera in production now. It could
come down to a reasonable price so sub billionaires could afford it.

Most of my body of work over three decades was done with Nikons, some
with Hasselblads.
Its interesting to me how I'm back playing with them now through digital happenstance.


Mark Rabiner
Portland, Oregon USA
http://www.rabinergroup.com
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Replies: Reply from Karen Nakamura <mail@gpsy.com> (Re: [Leica] Full circle with Nikons)
In reply to: Message from grduprey@rockwellcollins.com (Re: [Leica] Full circle with Nikons)