Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/06/21

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Subject: Re: [Leica] New Leica Minilux with Hot Shoe
From: Pascal <cyberdog@ibm.net>
Date: Sun, 21 Jun 1998 16:19:48 +0200

On 21-06-1998 03:29 Charles Dunlap wrote:

>I'd like to see some photos with the lens. Perhaps the glass is so much
>better than the Tvs (which took very nice photos in my test of it) that all
>of the shortcomings of the body will be negated. That's a pretty tall order.

FWIW, I have seen pictures taken with this lens, and I must admit they 
are REALLY good !
There are several other drawbacks to this new camera however:

Firstly, I really don't like the fact that the lens protrudes from the 
camera (it doesn't fully retract into the body like the Minilux or the 
Nikon 35 Ti), so you'll have to use a lens cap every time to protect the 
lens.
Secondly, there is the loss of aperture priority settings you have on the 
Minilux (only Program functions).
Thirdly, as with the Minilux, the viewfinder does not show anything 
except a green or red light as indications. But the Minilux has at least 
an LCD panel with indication of shutter speed (although you will have to 
take your camera away from your eye to look), while the LCD display on 
the Minilux Zoom does not show the shutter speed!
Fourthly, the shutter speed ranges from 1s to 1/250 on the Minilux Zoom, 
but from 1s to 1/400 on the Minilux. 1/250 as maximum speed is on the 
limited side.

In comparison to the Nikon 35 Ti/28 Ti, the latter's viewfinder is more 
awkward to look through, but you can at least see a display of, among 
others, shutter speed in it.

On the other hand, we should not forget these cameras are for P&S use, 
and are no replacements for a full-fledged Leica M or R equipment. They 
are only substitutes, and the only things that are REALLY important to me 
are perfect lens and exposure. I don't doubt both Miniluxes fulfill their 
contract in these respects :-)

So I would call the new Minilux Zoom a "mixed blessing" and the more I 
think about it, the more I become convinced that I would choose the 
Minilux instead of the Minilux Zoom, if I had to take one of them. 
Especially now that its price has been significantly reduced. That's 
maybe the most interesting aspect of the new camera, because it had a 
price-lowering effect on its (IMHO better) counterpart.

Pascal

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