[Leica] RE: Manchester area, & Stephans

["Aubin, Norman C" <Norman.Aubin@Europe.Boeing.com>]

Greetings!

Let me introduce myself.  Name is Norm.
I am a Seattle Wa. resident, although I am on business travel for the
Boeing Co. to 
England.  Specifically, I'm at Lytham - St.Annes, working at the Warton
BAe facility.

Prior to coming over here I traded my RE and 28-70 for a new chrome M6
and 
matching 50 mm f:2.0 .  Best move I ever made.  Jim Kuehl made a
wonderful trade, 
and provided fast service.  I am planning to buy much more stuff from
him soon,
and recommend him highly to others!!

The 50 has been a wonderful lens so far, but I did stop at Stephans
Classic Cameras a
few weeks ago and purchased an excellent+ condition 28mm f:2.8 to
augment my 
shooting around here.  Seems that the wide and normal are the right pair
for this
locale: streets are narrow, castles are BIG, and in general the 28 and
50 satisfy my
perceptions.   Stephans is a great place, and they have a branch in
Preston at the 
Miller Arcade, where I stopped and visited/purchased.  David was the
gentleman who 
was kind enough to adjust the horizontal focus on my M6, which was
slightly out at
infinity.  He was able to adjust it enough that it now focuses very
well, and we 
did it without a collimator.  He further offered to fine tune it if I
get down to Manchester,
where his equipment is.  If I get down there soon I'll take advantage of
that offer.

I talked to Leica UK, over in Milton Keynes, and they too offered to
adjust it for free,
but the idea of a three hour drive each way on a business day has little
appeal.

I had been shooting print film to send the pix home to my family,  but
have switched 
over to chromes now, K-25 and E-100SW.  I will be getting a loupe and
light table shortly
so that I can sort the chromes and select for re-printing and sending
home.  But it
seemed a shame to have such good equipment and limit myself to prints,
when chromes
really do a better job of capturing the colors and feel of the place . .
.again . . . in my
opinion. I also want the archival quality of K-25, cause some of this
stuff will be worth
reprinting in the years to come . . . 

I can say now that I already feel the need for a second body, and maybe
a wider lens,
and a faster long lens.  Thinking that maybe I should trade the 28 for a
35ASPH and 
a 24ASPH, along with a 90mm f:2.8 and a second body for B&W film.  Of
course, then 
there are other lenses. . . I think eventually I'll end up owning all of
them!!!!!!  For now, the 
28mm and 50mm are more than satisfactory, so maybe I should just go make
pictures
for a while instead of lusting after equipment . . . . . . .   

I can honestly say that this area is wonderful for photographing;  the
castles, the ruins,
the streets of the cities, the countryside. . .its just wonderful!  One
can't have enough
time to do it justice . . .but its fun trying.  Damn job gets in the way
of my life though . . . 

Feel free to drop me an e-msg offline if you want to trade notes on
places and such,
I know that I'm interested in hearing about places to go .etc., and I'd
be glad to 
share my experiences.

Once I have time to think it through I'll try to write a more
comprehensive description of
what changing from SLR to Rangefinder has been like for me.  Its
definitely a learning
process!  And I also have to admit, I miss my 4x5 - a lot!!  the M6 may
arguably be the 
best 35mm in the world, but the 4x5 still does things no smaller camera
can ever hope to
accomplish.  

Take care - 

Norm

*********************************************************************
> From: jeremy.kime@bbc.co.uk
> Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1998 10:25:00 +0000
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Trip to England
> 
> Vahan,
> I believe I'm the only(?) Mancunian (Manchester resident) Lugger on
> the   
> net. We'll have to meet, 'do lunch' or something...
>  Stephens Classic Cameras are certainly THE shop to visit, they're in
> the   
> middle of the city in St Annes Square. 44 161 (0161 when you're here)
> 834   
> 7754. They were one of two spaonsors for the LHS Leica day recently.
> 
> David (Stephens) and Steve are the two guys there.
>  If you can send your private e-mail address I'll mail you seperately
> 
> regarding places to visit and fixing up a 'meet'.
>  I'm :- jeremy.kime@bbc.co.uk
> Are you any connection with the Shahinian loudspeaker firm?
> Jem
> 
>  ----------
> From:  'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
> Sent:  29 April 1998 19:10
> To:  KIMEJ44; 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
> Subject:  [Leica] Trip to England
> 
> I will be spending the first 3 weeks of May in the Manchester England
> 
> area,
	SNIP