Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/04

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Now that Leica glo' no mo ---
From: Patrick Jelliffe <pbjbike@yahoo.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2003 15:21:07 -0800 (PST)

Get back to me when you get the mess cleaned up and
use a Hexar for an extended period. I dare ya.  

Patrick


- --- Jerry Lehrer <jerryleh@pacbell.net> wrote:
> 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. ]
> 
=== message truncated ===


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Replies: Reply from Henning Wulff <henningw@archiphoto.com> (Re: [Leica] Now that Leica glo' no mo ---)