Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/10/29

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Subject: [Leica] Deniz' question regarding the switch from Nikon to Leica SLR
From: "Greg Bicket" <gbicket@home.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2001 22:26:10 -0500

Deniz--

You know about Leica glass, and you know about your professional needs.

The R8 is a wonderful camera, and like all cameras lends itself well to
specific applications.  Although some of those at least seem to me a better
fit with amateur use than professional.  We have some happy professional R6
and 6.2 and R8 users amongst other professionals on the LUG.  I am sure
they'll chime in.  This is a pretty helpful place.

I would think that the utility of auto-focus would be something I would want
as a professional [even as an amateur] in some specific applications.  I
moved to Leica from a Nikon F3HP, and have been very pleased with my R8.  I
bought it primarily for the glass, and I have not been disappointed.  These
lenses are sharp, and color rendition is striking and very consistent, lens
to lens.

The R8's meter, in its manual and auto-exposure modes, continues to please
in terms of how closely the exposed film is recorded to the image I held in
my mind's eye when I decided to trip the shutter, even using a wide variety
of film.  I feel more in control of things than I believe I would with the
automatic functions of the F5 or F100, but mine has only been a passing look
at these cameras.

I miss the F3's MD-4 motor drive, which although about 15 years old, is
faster than Leica's Winder or motor drive.  But if your photography employs
these tools primarily as electric thumbs, and speed in terms of frames per
second is not critical, either electric film advance will suffice.

The Nikon zooms seem big because they are likely faster than most Leica
zooms.  And they contain more technology.  All three cameras have big
bodies.  The R8 seems easy to hang onto, and fits naturally in my hands.
It's extremely well balanced with several of the R lenses, which pop into
focus in most situations on a plain groundglass focusing screen.  Once my
fingers unlearned reaching for F3 controls, and learned where the R8
controls are, they seem intuitive and useful.

If rapid fire motor drive is essential, or very fast zooms are important,
you might be wise to stay where you are.  Certainly more of the features
marketed to professionals today are found in both Nikons.  With your
experience, you know whether you will employ the wide variety of features
your current cameras possess.

My suggestion would be to spend a week or two on assignment with an R8 to
determine if you can be happy with the combination of features contained by
the R8.  There is a lot of contradictory confusing information going around
about the R8.  It is a distinctive design.  Most like it very much, or do
not like it very much.  The proof is in using it.  For me, the beauty of the
R8 is that it functions well the way --I-- use my camera, gives me the
amount of exposure automation I occasionally use, and it gives me SLR
utility and Leica glass...a great combination for me.

Try one, it's the best way to know for yourself.  A good dealer will let you
have a trial run.  Hope this helps.

Enjoy the light.

Greg Bicket

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