[Leica] In praise of the RF cameras and Leica in particular

[bdcolen at earthlink.net (B. D. Colen)]

A wonderful summation of the rangefinder/Leica experience, Richard.
Shooting with a rangefinder really IS a different experience from
shooting with an SLR. I use both, and I prefer the RF because it makes
me so much more aware of the frame, and the importance of framing.
Having that picture window with the lines on it makes me far more aware
of graphic possibilities than does looking down a tunnel at the subject.

But a word of warning - try to avoid the selling/buying trap so many of
us fall into. Find what works for you and stick with it through hell or
depression. Because every time you see you'll lose money. And you will
invariably, at some point, buy the same damn focal length lens, or the
same body again, but will, in effect, pay more for it. If I had all the
money I've lost on selling and rebuying I'd have my kids' college
tuition covered. :-)

B. D.

-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+bdcolen=earthlink.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of
Richard F. Man
Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 6:11 AM
To: lug@leica-users.org
Subject: [Leica] In praise of the RF cameras and Leica in particular


I suspect a good number of you started out with RF or have made similar 
discovery long time ago, so this is boring old news to you - but the RF 
system and the Leica in particular is a fantastic photographic tool. Not

that I am that good a photographer, but I am trying and learning. My
wife 
pushed me to get the M7 as part of my 40th birthday present. This is
after 
2 years of my renewed interests in photography and collecting OM lens
right 
and left. However, one phrase spoken by a gentleman we met back in Nova 
Scotia in 1987 stuck in my mind, "someday everyone wants an M..." Then I

read up on Leica sites and such. I don't quite get all these weird 
descriptions of different style of photography or looking at object.
After 
all, a viewfinder is a viewfinder. Why should it be any difference
whether 
it is a rangefinder or a mirrored SLR? But hey, it is my midlife crisis
and 
there are worse ways to blow some money....

250+ rolls of slides, plus down to 3 main lens 35/1.4ASPH, 50/2, 90/2AA
later. I think I see it now. No, generally I do not prowl the streets, 
prefocus and shoot, I just shoot (boring) semi-formal portraits mostly.
But 
what a glorious view. With the framelines in the middle of a greater
view, 
I see more possibilities of moving (left and right AND front to back) to

recompose for better lines and more interesting scenes. And what scenes
it 
records. While I don't print chemically and instead of scan the slides
and 
print on an inkjet, I am most impressed with what I see after printing
out 
~30 11x14 prints for my portfolio last week. What glorious colors and 
depth. They look good on 8x10, which is what I used to do, but they look

awesome as 11x14.

And the M7, primitive to the tee, has just the right amount of "things."

Personally I would prefer full aperture and shutter speed display in
both 
auto and manual modes, plus an easier to use exposure compensation 
dial/lever, but it is close to perfection. We have a Minotla A2, which 
takes darn good pictures, and a Sony T1 that is so small it is always in
my 
pouch, but time and time again, when I want to take pictures, out comes
the M7.

It certainly has been a learning experience. I bought and sold an M6 
(needed the money at the time :-( ). I bought a Noctilux and sold it a
year 
later to get the Tri-Elmar. Now the Tri-Elmar sits. I will probably sell
it 
to fund the R-D1 or something. The CV 21/4 just got sold. I am not built

for that angle of view. I am keeping the CV 75/2.5 just because it is so

small. The 3 remaining Leica lens never disappoint. If a picture does
not 
work, it's my problems, not because the lens is inadequate or the camera
is 
not good enough.

// richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly,
please 
use richard at imagecraft.com)