Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/05

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Subject: Nikon vs. Leica answer
From: Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>
Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 22:39:43 +0200

At 19:34 +1000 04-08-1997, Chris Bitmead wrote:
>>The F5 feels great, although heavy like the R8. Very impressive specs,
>>but do you really need them? I found, in the end, the handling of both
>>Nikons (just like the EOS) very complicated. You see, I like
>>old-fashioned operating controls on cameras (that is: a big shutter
>>speed dialing ring, a manual rewind lever, no +/- buttons and so on,
>>you know what I mean). All modern AF cameras seem to be
>>complicated. You almost have to have the manual at hand to be able to
>>find out all functions. I felt I had to re-learn how the camera would
>>be working.
>>If you have more specific questions, I will be happy to answer them.
>
>Since you already had a Nikon system, I'm curious then as to why you
>didn't get an F4 or F4s since they have all the old fashioned controls
>you like. There must have been something else that drew you to Leica?

Well, I asked for the availability of new F4 cameras in the beginning of
this year, and it was confirmed that these were no longer sold (at least in
Belgium). So my only choices were F5 or F90x (N90x), as I prefer to buy
new. Also, the F4 is out, and although it is a very good camera indeed, how
about servicing in some five to ten years from now?
But the main argument were the lenses. I went for Leica because of the
highest optical quality. Nikon surely is excellent too, but would you
invest money at present in non-AF Nikkor lenses? Not all MF Nikkors are
available in AF version, and those that are, are often of lesser quality
than their MF counterparts (example: Nikkor AF 28mm f/2.8, which is almost
half the price of the MF version).

Pascal
belgium

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