Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/02/17
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At 7:53 AM 2/17/97, Ben Holmes wrote:
>I remember reading a review on these years ago. The point that struck me was
>that the author suggested having the lens painted brght orange or white. It
>seems that his profession placed him on battle fields where the Novaflex he
>used looked remarkably similiar to a then common anti-tank weapon. He was
>always afraid of being mistaken for a combatant when using this lens.
>
>Probably nothing to worry about now.
>
WRONG WRONG WRONG !!!!!
I own, and regularly have used a GREAT Novoflex lens, for many years... as
a sports shooter, at a daily newspaper in the Greater Boston Area. All the
High School Baseball-and-Footballers that I covered at the time called me
"The Uzi Man"... and therin lies the problem.
In an America obsessed with Crime and Terrorism (as well it might be),
showing up somewhere with a lens sporting a pistol grip and a shoulder
stock is ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED to result in a panicky 'phone call to, and a
High Tension Visit from, The Local Constabulary.
I quite literally HAD to stop using this lens, because PEOPLE *REALLY*
THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A MACHINE GUN, and the visits from the Police were
getting to be disruptive to the events that I was covering, to my life as a
news photographer, and to the various and sundry police departments who
were getting the calls.
Eight to ten years ago, it wasn't a problem. Folks were amused/bemused by
the lens... and would walk up to me, and ask me about it. Not any more.
Greg.
P.S.... Pat Sobalvarro... I actually came across my Novoflex Instuction
Booklet, while opening a box, last night (I recently moved). I notice that
sometimes you use an "MIT.EDU" suffix... are you in the Greater Boston
area? Mail me privately, if you'd like a copy of it... and we'll figure out
where and how to get it to you.
Greg Mironchuk
409 Central St, Saugus, MA 01906
617-941-8030 * 617-362-7417 page
gregm@world.std.com