[Leica] Re: Hexar RF

[Cummer Family <cummer@asiaonline.net>]

>Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 18:05:23 +0100
>From: Lucien <director@ubi.edu>
>Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: Konica RF Shutter Noise
Lucien wrote:
>Cummer Family wrote:
>> Whether that is noisy or not - compared to what (?) - I will wait
>> and decide for myself when I can hear it with my own ears in a few weeks
>> time.
>Howard,
>Why do you think Leica want to make an aperture priority M6 with the same
>shutter as in the normal M6 ?  (The M6 family of Mr. Cohn).
>But the real problem with the Hexar RF is the 0,60 X viewfinder
magnification.
>The M6 TTL offer 0,72 X or 0,85 X.
>I don't think it will be possible to really use accurately the 50/1,4 -
50/1 -
>75/1,4  - 90/2,8 - 90/2  and 135 mm on that camera.
>Lucien.

Dear Lucien,
Does Leica want to make an aperture priority M6 with the same shutter as in
the normal M6? I don't know. Is that what Mr. Cohn said at LHSA in Chicago?
Why would they do that? Well it would be in keeping with their slow pace of
innovation - 20 years after the CLE you finally get TTL on the M6. Perhaps
they don't have a source of faster electronic shutters - can a rubberized
cloth curtain shutter even be turned into an AE automatic shutter? Not in
its present configuration, I don't think. If the M6 is to have an AE
version then an electronic shutter (Copal / Sekonic (?)) is perhaps the
answer - why would Leica reinvent the wheel? And likely, a steel bladed
electronic shutter (whatever generic brand)would have the advantage of
higher speeds, higher flash sync, and, of course, louder noise. For those
of us attracted to higher speeds we would have to accept the trade off, for
those preferring the silence of the slower older shutter, that choice will
likely be provided to them as well. 
About rangefinder accuracy, I agree that the Konica will likely be most
useful as a wide angle M body. The CLE viewfinder is 0.58, compared to the
Konica's 0.60, and I routinely use a Elmarit 90 on my CLE without focussing
problems. Whether that will be true with the Konica I will have to wait and
*see*. :) The problem with both the CLE and likely the Konica is that the
frame lines for longer lenses are just too small to accurately frame a
picture. And with my CLE I do have focussing accuracy problems when using
my Summicron 90! :) I think the Konica should be an improvement for
eyeglass wearers for the 28 frame line - never can see it completely on my
M6 - but see it fine on the CLE. For longer lenses the answer is still the
M6HM in my view.
Best Regards
Howard Cummer