RE: [Leica] M camera NOW R camera ?

["bdcolen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Here we go. Doug, I didn't say these features were essential for YOU, or
any one individual. Nor did I say that if it provides what the
photographer wants, the R system isn't great.

What I said was, and I say again, that it is utterly ludicrous to make a
statement such as "to claim the R8-9 cameras are anything less than the
very best and most capable optical instruments in 35mm photography is
ignoring fact." Or to say that about ANY camera for that matter.

As to 10fps - I know that my son, and every other professional
skateboard photographer shooting sequences, consider the high-speed
motor essential. As to the other features, if you don't need them, fine.
There are people who do - not because they are incompetent, as you
imply, but because they find that these features make their work easier
for them.

Keep in mind, there's a hell of a difference between shooting birds, and
shooting when you're being shot at - and in the later circumstances,
there are any number of photographers who would find stabilization
lenses and autofocus a Godsend. And then there are those who wouldn't.
;-)

B. D.


- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Douglas
Herr
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 11:36 AM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] M camera NOW R camera ?


bdcolen <bdcolen@earthlink.net> wrote:

> "Most capable?" Where's the autofocus? Where are the 35 1.4
> and 28 1.4 lenses? Where's the 10 fps motor? Where are any 
> number of features that many, many, many - nay, countless - 
> professional and non-professional photographers consider 
> essential?

B.D., the 35mm f/1.4 R is in the Leica catalog.

A 10 fps motor is essential if you don't know how to time your exposures
or if the shutter lag is so long that capturing the right moment depends
on capturing lots of moments and editing later.

Motorized rewind is essential if you have to depend on a 10 fps motor
and you change film every few seconds.

AF is essential if the camera's viewfinder isn't good enough to focus
manually.  See "Pete", "Black Skimmer", "Golden Eagle" and
"Sharp-shinned Hawk" on my website - use a camera with a good viewfinder
and focussing a lens suddenly isn't rocket science.

3D color matrix metering is essential if the photographer has forgotten
the basics of exposure metering.

IS/VR is essential if one has forgotten how to hold a cmaera steady.  I
regularly use a 400mm lens at 1/125 or even 1/60 sec hand-held, and the
560 at 1/125 or 1/250 sec.  "Prairie Warbler" was made at 1/60 sec,
"Black Skimmer", "Northern Goshawk, immature" and "Pied-billed Grebe"
were exposed for 1/125 sec, and "Coyote" and "Sharp-shinned Hawk" were
1/300 sec exposures, with a hand-held 560mm lens.

These features can be handy if one is rushed and can't take the time to
use appropriate technique but the cameras that have these features lack
what I consider essential: R lenses.

Doug Herr
Birdman of Sacramento
http://www.wildlightphoto.com
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