RE: [Leica] Leica vs. Contax wars

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Hi, Arthur -

First off, don't be shocked - this is not the Leica Users Group, it is the
Leica Deification Group. :-)

That said...and having owned a G1 and three lenses before returning to the
M...The G series is NOT a true rangefinder camera. It is an extremely
sophisticated, autofocus, interchangable lens P&S. That is the ugly truth.
The lenses cannot be focused manually in ANY way. It does NOT have a classic
rangefinder view finder system, which allows one to see what is beyond the
frame lines.

Is it a good camera? Yes, for what it is. Does it have fabulous lenses? I
think so - if you're willing to put up with how slow most of them are.

Is it a competitor with the M? Yes, in that some people who would otherwise
by Leicas are buying Gs - but, and I know this will tick some people off, I
would posit that the majority of those chosing the G over the M are dabblers
with a good deal of expendable income. (Yes, I know that there are some very
serious - and very good - photographers on this list who use G cameras: they
also use Leicas or other full-function cameras.)

Anyway...That's my view of this particular world.

B. D.

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
ARTHURWG@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2000 1:31 PM
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica vs. Contax wars


Yikes!  John says my question is "purile nonsense" because the G2 is "not a
rangefinder." Well, I think it's a direct competitor to the M6 and probably
better at most things. I don't own a G2. I do own an M6 and have previously
owned an M3, M4 and Cl.  I may or may not buy a G2 one day. But I'm shocked
by the level of vituperation on the LUG.