Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]David Almy wrote: <<<<<One last thing: Is the zoom too big and heavy to hand-hold at slow shutter speeds? I do a lot of available light shooting wide open and the zoom appears massive and log-like in its heft. It is hand-holdable in real-world practice? >>>>> OK David are you ready! :) Boy I sure love the crispness and sharpness of the lens, there isn't any question it is one hummer of a beauty! But!!!!!!!!!! I find myself wishing I still had my 180 2.8 for the slow shutter speed stuff! Honest as honest as I can be there it is! The 70-180 is finally hitting home to the old guy here who can/could hand hold the 280 2.8 and shoot at 1/15th and cut glass with sharp transparencies. With the 70-180 I've lost more images in the past two months from squiggly camera shook transperancies than I really want to admit. The 70-180 can be hand held, but if you are working at slow shutter speeds it is a mother to try and get it completely comfortable in your hands to squeeze off nice sharp ones consistantly. I don't know if it's the shape or the weight or a combination of both, whatever. I've been using it with a monopod, where never in my life did I ever think I would be using a monopod to use a 70-180 lens. I mean it is self defeating to have this most incredible lens that creates images on film that you can cut your fingers if not careful when handling slides, then blowing them by the dozen from camera shake! << is it hand-holdable in real-world practice?>>>>>>> Yes and no! I can still hand hold my 280 2.8 easier and have a higher ratio of sharp images at slow shutter speeds than I can the 70-180! So Dave from real world practice, I have to say it is difficult to hold and shoot slow shutter speeds. :( Damn! ted