Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]On 12-07-1998 17:49 Bud Cook wrote: >For those lucky enough to have attended the Bay area soir=E9e, I'd be >interested in hearing about your impressions of any slides taken with >the Minilux Zoom. Bud, I have seen already many standard 10x15cm prints on Kodak Royal paper, and I must say the results are outstanding. Last Saturday, my local photo shop showed me the results with and without flash taken on Fujicolor 400 NPH Professional film. Impressive, but I haven't seen them enlarged yet. While one cannot blame the excellent lens of the Minilux Zoom, there are, at least in my opinion, some important drawbacks in comparison to the Minilux: - - top shutter speed limited to 1/250 instead of 1/400 (could especially be problematic in bright sunlight when you are using a speedier film because of the zoom lens); - - no indication of shutter speed on top LCD panel (but then, of course, you have to pull the camera back from your eye which in any case is not very handy...); - - no aperture priority mode (you are always in program mode); - - while the lens is great for being a zoom, there is the question of the widest opening being at 3.5 at 35mm or even 7.0 at 70mm instead of 2.4 in the case of the Minilux' Summarit 40/2.4. On the other hand, it looks great (full white titanium, no leather parts), has the option of an extra flashlight, and the the AF-manual distance setting ring is now protected so that you don't accidently switch from AF to manual. It's a mixed bag, but I would choose the Minilux over the Minilux Zoom without hesitation. I am not in the least concerned about the Minilux Zoom's lens qualities, but there are simply too many other limitations for me. Meanwhile, I have taken a Minilux (not the Zoom version) on a visit of a NATO fighterplane airbase a couple of days ago, in order to test it. I'll get the results in a few days and keep the group informed. Hope this helps. Pascal - -------------------------------------------------------- Check out: http://members.xoom.com/cyberplace/ - -------------------------------------------------------- An Apple a day keeps greedy Microsoft away ! - -------------------------------------------------------- <<< PGP public key available on request >>>