Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/30

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!
From: creativevisions at verizon.net (Michael J Herring)
Date: Wed Mar 30 18:38:20 2005
References: <4243D8D4.6060502@netscape.net><4243EFB3.1000700@summaventures.com> <048d01c5323e$9dd880e0$1ae76c18@ted><000801c533fb$bf45aeb0$aa00a8c0@ic7max3> <002301c53425$1410b240$1ae76c18@ted>

Hi Ted,

Thank you very much for the detailed answer.

As luck would have it, a co-worker has an R8 and he is going to lend the
camera to me, along with a 60mm Macro Elmarit and the 35-70 Leica zoom.
Just for kicks, he is going to lend me his 24-85mm Zeiss for the Contax.
He is very impressed with this lens and he wants me to photograph with
both
systems and then make 5400dpi scans on a Minolta film scanner for
comparison.
He believes the Zeiss lens will hold it's own - even against the Leica
prime.
I am skeptical about this.

Take care,
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2005 1:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!


> Michael J Herring asked:
>
>>>>Which Leica R bodies do you recommend for someone who is currently
> shooting with a 20 year old Contax RTS and the following Zeiss lenses:
> 25mm f2.8
> Distagon, 60mm S-Planar Macro and 85mm f1.4 Planar?
> I have been thinking about getting the 100mm macro and a wide angle.
> Some folks have suggested the older Leicaflex bodies as being more
robust.
> What's your take on this?<<<
>
> Hello Michael,
>>From experience of using nearly all the "SLR models to now 3 motor
driven
> R8's" I'd take an R8 or possibly an R9 ahead of all the others.
>
> Now having said that, of course it depends on ones income availability
to
> purchase, say a Leicaflex SL or the R8? If money isn't a major problem
I'd
> go with the R8 as the metering and viewfinder are excellent. For me,
> superior to the Leicaflex SL MOT even with it's very good viewfinder.
>
> The SL is a pretty damn fine camera, I still have the very first one I
> bought in 1969! :-) And yes it still works. It's built like a Tiger tank
> and the metering always worked fine in the 3 I used with motors.
However,
> it's still an old camera and yes as the stories go... "Leica's last
> forever." ;-) However, my bet would be with the R8 if your income allows
> for the purchase.
>
> And given what I'm hearing about "film cameras" loosing value you might
be
> able to find an R8 for a fairly good price.  Then I'd have the "all
matte"
> screen installed or you can buy it from Leica NJ and install it
yourself,
> no big deal.  However, if you're like me I don't finger fiddle with the
> innards of a camera and had Leica in Toronto install them in the 3
bodies.
>
> And if you're thinking of using the 100mm macro on the R8 it works like
a
> dream because the matte screen is so bright and it allows you to focus
> anywhere on the screen. As far as wide angle lenses? I use the 15mm
> probably more than any other wide. I also use 3 zooms, 21-35, 35-70 &
> 80-200 and a couple of prime wides without any problem what so ever.
>
>>>Some folks have suggested the older Leicaflex bodies as being more
>>>robust.
>> What's your take on this?<<<
>
> Well to some degree yes they are, as I said, the Leicaflex SL is built
> like a Tiger tank. So it's still an old camera and I think you should
ask
> yourself how hard will you use it and or bang it around. Probably more
> important to ask is ..... "How hard has it been banged around?"
>
> Then how hard will you use it and how much will you bang it around? By
the
> same token the R8's I use are motor driven tough hard working cameras
that
> haven't failed me, they're well made and for my hands have an excellent
> inhand feel.
>
> I suppose my simple answer would be, if you can get your hands on an SL
> and see how you like the feel and the viewfinder, then do the same with
an
> R8 with the same lenses. Then make your decision.  Mine would still be
the
> R8 providing the monetary situation wasn't a problem.
>
> I trust this helps.
>
> ted
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


--
I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
It has removed 367 spam emails to date.
Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now!



In reply to: Message from gwpics at netscape.net (Gerry walden) ([Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!)
Message from pdzwig at summaventures.com (Peter Dzwig) ([Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!)
Message from creativevisions at verizon.net (Michael J Herring) ([Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Admiration for Ted and many others!)