Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/12/27

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Subject: [Leica] Best camera/lens choice
From: rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra)
Date: Mon Dec 27 19:34:54 2004
References: <bf.4d9fa3e6.2f01cdfd@aol.com><B7564520-5872-11D9-B040-000A95C33F68@dodo.com.au><01e501c4ec84$d44d7220$308e5741@earthlink.net><FF16635E-5878-11D9-B040-000A95C33F68@dodo.com.au><020801c4ec87$23a56b00$308e5741@earthlink.net> <7DC9283E-587C-11D9-B040-000A95C33F68@dodo.com.au> <021401c4ec8b$952bc720$308e5741@earthlink.net>

Yes, the auto digi marvels that anyone can use do make for better 
snapshots taken by complete amateurs.  No question about it - and thank 
you to the programmers who've made it all happen.  It makes looking 
through Aunt Mabel's holiday pics so much more enjoyable.  However, 
your R shots, or M shots should you go that way, will still win, and by 
some significant margin.  And if it comes to a slideshow, your shots 
will win by a factor of 10!  :-)

I see the herd disembarking, some with empty digi batteries, some with 
full cards, some without reading the instruction book, some having read 
the book and stuck somewhere in the fourth menu level, some pressing 
the button and hoping the shutter lag elapses before they have to get 
back on.  :-)  And there will be one film shooter who actually knows 
what he's doing. He set the shutter and aperture to suit the light and 
scene before alighting.  Focus, compose, shoot.  The others will 
realise you know your stuff and will plague you for advice on how to 
use their new black boxes.  Might be an idea to practice your polite 
shoulder shrug with cute helpless smile.

Rick.



> Rick,
>
> Recreation, as part of a group tour.  I'll be one of the herd.  
> Photography,
> because I can't travel without taking pictures, even if they're not 
> great.
> I like the doing, and if I get a few good shots, or if my companions 
> enjoy
> seeing themselves projected on screen, then I'm happy, adequately.
>
> As for user comfort, I still like the M.  I was focusing my M3 before 
> anyone
> knew that Leitz would try their hand at SLR's.
>
> Funny, though.  When I first started traveling with friends 35 years 
> ago, my
> Kodachromes were something special in their eyes.  Now, everyone is
> out-shooting everyone else with their digital cameras.  Without knowing
> anything about f stops, depth of field, and latitude, they are getting 
> good
> results in auto-mode.
>
> And the same people who would have thought me insane to spend more 
> than 79
> dollars for a camera are now plunking down 600 bucks for a machine 
> that they
> will want to replace in a year or so.  There's something about high 
> tech
> that makes folks more willing to part with their dough.  I have an R8, 
> but I
> also enjoy using my SL, which was made long before the first home 
> computer.
>
> Julian
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Rick Dykstra" <rdcb37@dodo.com.au>
> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 9:59 PM
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Best camera/lens choice
>
>
> Ha. Reminds me of the Rolls Royce salesman's line - 'the engine's
> performance is adequate'.  Or was that 'sufficient'?  There's a
> difference you know.
>
> Julian, I'm sure you'll find either M or R adequate, as you know.  :-)
> For me, the M is the more relaxing system to use, because its
> simplicity allows only limited picture taking methods - very suited to
> recreation, while still providing very professional results.  And it is
> so easy to focus, in bright light or dim.   I find the R system more
> suited to technical photography.
>
> Did I miss the point on the reason for the travel?  Is it for
> recreation with photography as part of the fun?  Or is it travel
> undertaken with the object of taking as many really excellent photos as
> possible?
>
> Rick.
>
>
> On 28/12/2004, at 1:44 PM, Julian Koplen wrote:
>
>> Rick,
>>
>> Actually, I was not looking for ultimate lightness, just the best
>> combination of adequate lightness and adequate equipment to take
>> adequate
>> pictures of the trip.  On a group tour, I won't have the freedom to
>> wander
>> around at sunrise and dusk in hopes of getting something out of the
>> ordinary.
>>
>> Julian
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Rick Dykstra" <rdcb37@dodo.com.au>
>> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
>> Sent: Monday, December 27, 2004 9:34 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Best camera/lens choice
>>
>>
>> On 28/12/2004, at 1:27 PM, Julian Koplen wrote:
>>
>>> Rick,
>>>
>>> I was a little careless in my expression when I said money was not 
>>> the
>>> consideration;
>>
>> Oh, that's a pity.  I always enjoy spending other people's money for
>> them.  I still think the low hassle travel way to go is an M body, a
>> fast 50 and a wide.  Load up 100 speed slide film and go!  I've yet to
>> achieve this nirvana of lightness, but promise to travel this way next
>> time.  :-)
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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In reply to: Message from Thinkofcole at aol.com (Thinkofcole@aol.com) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from jkoplen at mindspring.com (Julian Koplen) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from jkoplen at mindspring.com (Julian Koplen) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from rdcb37 at dodo.com.au (Rick Dykstra) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)
Message from jkoplen at mindspring.com (Julian Koplen) ([Leica] Best camera/lens choice)