Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I have been watching this thread with more than a little interest. I was a more active pro a few years back and was a member of both Nikon and Canon Pro Services. I own and still use a FD 300mm f2.8L Canon and the Leitz 280f2.8. I tried the Nikon 300mmf2.8 ED-IF manual focus lens. I thought the balance was poor. It was very nose heavy. The optics were nothing spectacular! The Canon 300mmf2.8L is SPECTACULAR. The calcium fluoride main element is extremely effective in eliminating abberations. I use the lens almost exclusively wide open for ice hockey. I have never been disapointed by its performance at maximum aperature. Images with this lens are distinguishable by their high image quality! I remember a rumor that one of the Detriot News/Free Press photographers (Benny Sui ?? or something like that) had a Canon 300mmf2.8L modified with a Nikon mount so he could use it with his Nikon system! When the EOS line started, I borrowed the EOS 300mmf2.8L autofocus lens. Its a nice lens but I found autofocus useless for sports. The autofocus would hit a shoulder and the head/face would out of focus at f2.8. Seemed you have less control over the photographic process at this point. May I also say that the Canon F-1 camera with the bright laser matte SK screen and a 300mmf2.8L is wonderful! The screen is very bright and very sharp and contrasty. Best viewfinder I have ever seen and that includes the R8! The Leitz 280mmf2.8 lens is also very sharp, but it doesn't appear to be as sharp as the Canon. I attribute this to the lower overall contrast of the Leitz lens. One thing I really like is the knurled edge of the focus ring. This is so awesome I can't believe no one has tried to copy this. The lens on a monopod finds my thumb naturally aligned under this edge of the focus ring. For the record, I average 50 or more rolls of film through my systems per month. I used to see about 300 per month when I was more active. I must say I love using the R8 with winder and the 280mmf2.8 Leitz. The motor will make the R8 an awesome system for sports. The lack of a 6 frame per second rate does not make this system any less capable than the F5 or an EOS1n. Its the photographer and how he uses his TOOLS! I find the R8 a pleasure to use. Its so simple to use. There are no useless autofocus and autoexposure modes to wade through! I USE MANUAL EXPOSURE and MANUAL FOCUS systems. If I need aperature auto exposure and one of the averaging metering patterns, I can change to that mode without taking the camera from my eyes. Try that with an EOS1n !! Regards, Dave Strang dstrang@up.net - ----Pentium Pro/Windows NT 4-SP3/Zip100/Zip250/Jaz2GB/Astra 600S scanner/RedHat Linux 5.0/MSVC++ 5.0/MSVC++ 6.0/PowerStation Fortran 4.0/Photoshop 4.01/Photoshop 5.0/Illustrator 7.01/KPT 3.0/KPT 5.0/PhotoTools 3.0/Portfolio 4.0/Total XAOS/Matlab 5.0/Maple V/Office 97 Pro+SR2/MacOpener 4.0/AMIGA 1000/AMIGA 2000-GVP030 Combo/AMIGA 3000(2)/Indigo 2 XZ/IRIX 5.3/IRIX 6.2/ and member of UP.NET!