Leicavit or Motor Winder for MP

[paul_chan4]

I am contemplating getting this accessory for my MP. What are the

distinct advantages of one over the other? Do they not serve an

identical function at similar cost?

[jerry_lehrer]

Paul,

 

I dunno 'bout the rest of you guys, but with a motor winder, I can keep my left eye on the eyepiece and just click away. I could never

do this when I had a Leicavit. Of course the motor requires batteries. But I can live with that.

 

Jerry

[james_.1]

I'd get the leicavit- just something about pure mechanical/manual that's attractive. Isn't it

quieter too? *shrug*

[seb v.]

Jerry,

 

Why couldn't you keep ypur left eye inside the viewfinder while pulling the Leicavit lever?

That's how I use mine and how, I think, the Leicavit was designed.

 

Seb.

[stuart_richardson]

To be honest, I would say neither. They both add a good amount of weight and size to the

camera and offer only moderate benefits. Think to yourself: "How many times have I

missed a shot because I couldn't fire 2-4 frames a second?" If the answer is significant,

then by all means, get one. If not, then I would just make do. As for which one, they are

different. The motor is louder and bulkier, but it is faster and all you have to do is press a

button. Keep in mind that it is not that simple...since the motor is purely mechanical, it

will push the shutter button back up into your depressed finger for every shot. It also

means no AE lock after the first shot on the M7 (though with your MP this is less of a

problem). The leicavit is more integrated into the style of the camera and is less obtrusive.

it is also quieter. It does, however, require enough coordination to quickly squeeze the

trigger, release the shutter, squeeze the trigger and release the shutter (and so on)

without moving the camera all about. You want to make sure you are smooth, otherwise

you are going to be stripping gears...or at least that is what it sounds like...Even if you are

speed demon, the motor is going to do the job better if you really need the speed. <P>I

would dare to suggest that high speed winding is not really the forte of the M cameras,

and that the leicavit and the motor are really not great solutions. If you really need a high

speed camera, an AF SLR is really a much better tool.

[Alex_Es]

As people suffer, we talk about this. Well, all right. If you are decided on getting one or the other I'd go for the Leicavit. Here is why:

 

1. It is lighter than the motor.

 

2. It is quieter than the motor.

 

3. It is stronger than the motor. I have the motor and like it but it is rather fragile, pariticularly where the grip/batter case connects with the motor's body. Mine came apart there and had to be serviced, fortunately under warrenty.

 

4. The Leicavit looks way cool on an MP.

 

5. If you are going for Leica's special deal--pay the new (awful) price for the MP and get a free Leicavit or Motor, the Leicavit wins hands down. It is more expensive than the Motor. It is also almost impossible to find at a good discount or used, while there lots of discounted or used Motors around. You get more bang for the buck and your MP looks cooler too.

[torben_daltoft]

There's also Tom Abrahamson's rapidwinder; very nice device too. However, I always fall back to the "plain and simple", i.e. M2 w. Summaron or M7 and E3. Only when I, once a year or so, shoot my 280 mm, the motor comes in handy (HQ device that motor btw, after the dreadful winder)

[rab_l]

I have just bought a rapidwinder2, and exchanged it for the motor, partly because the

rapidwinder had a clunk part way through the action, but mainly because with the motor

you can focus and shoot while the motor winds, with the leicavit you can't focus at the

same time as winding, personally I find this to be a huge advantage in the way I work and

will probably buy another for my M6.

[ben z]

I'm a right-eyed shooter, and I've tried both a Leicavit and Tom A's rapidwinder and maybe I've just got the fastest thumb in the west but I can go just as fast with the normal advance lever, plus my hand's not big enough to keep my fingers around the focusing ring or on a tab and work the Leicavit/Rapidwinder trigger at the same time. For the few occasions I've wanted a motor I picked up a used previous-version motorwinder for under $100, but frankly it's sat in the drawer all but the few times when I forced myself to use it.

[christopher_a._junker1]

As a left eye user who started with LTM bodies, the Leicavit not only made it possible to keep the left eye on a subject, it also helped fill the hand for a better grip. I also found that I never had any problem loading or advancing film when I used the Leicavit. Durable too, I've used it regularily since 1967.

 

I have a motor for an M4-2 and used it only when I had a 135 2.8 mounted. I'm trying Tom's Rapidwinder2 and find it takes my mind off winding and on framing the subject. For left eyed people it is really useful. It's built like a tank with a perfect fit on the M4-2 body and Tom designed a much better lever lock than Leica. Good tool.

[Alex_Es]

I would certainly recommend Tom's Rapidwinder over the Leicavit. It is half the price and I believe it is more rugged. It is made of aircraft aluminum and has a steeltrigger. Also you can put a Rapidgrip or any other appropriate grip on the Abrahamsson Rapidwinder. Tom makes a glossy Rapidwinder that would look way cool on a black paint MP.

 

I would have mentioned the Rapidwinder above but the question specifically concern a choice between a 'vit and a motor.

[OCULUS New York]

Paul, I just bought a barely used Motor M off of ePrey and am astounded by its performance on my M6ttl. It is virtually silent (sure I can hear it, but nobody more than 4 ft away can), I had an M grip on there before, so it really doesn't add any tactile dimension, save its modest weight.

 

I love the performance (never thought I would, but that's why I "experimented" by buying a used one) and keep it on there, despite Sherry K's comment that no motor should be wedded to an M, as it places more strain and wear on the wind mechanism.

 

Balance-wise, it doesn't seem to change anything, although, the added height, with a wide viewfinder mounted up top, has put it beyond the width of my Billingham Leica bag.

 

Personally, I've never considered a mechanical winder. The only one I ever saw in action, used by a collector, promptly froze up on him and he had to send the whole mess back to Sherry K for a RE-visit. As far as speed, to me, it's like the difference between left and right-hand drive shifting. It's going to take time to get used to it, and in the end, it doesn't make much difference. And, I'll note that if you are like me, and many others around here, we switch on and off cameras. Getting used to, and using to best advantage, a transparent motor drive is far more readilly accomplished than fiddling with either a top or bottom lever every so often. If anything, I catch myself manually winding mine!

 

Oh, and my mint used Motor M was cheaper than any winder I have noticed.

 

Cheers,

Ray Hull

[nemeng]

My motor lives on my M6TTL (for QTVR work). Can't imagine shooting without it. Easily lasts for over a hundred 36-exp rolls before you need to replace the batteries.<p>

 

I've got a rapid winder, but don't use it very much nowadays. If I need speed then I use the motor, if I don't, then I may as well save the weight and bulk and use the camera's wind-on lever.<p>

 

FWIW, here are detailed entries I have on each in the Leica FAQ:<p>

 

<ul>

<li><a href="http://nemeng.com/leica/033b.shtml">

http://nemeng.com/leica/033b.shtml</a> (Motor-M)</li>

<li><a href="http://nemeng.com/leica/033ba.shtml">

http://nemeng.com/leica/033ba.shtml</a> (Rapidwinder)</li>

</ul>

[brunom]

Paul

 

I have a Rapidwinder and find that with my large hands the handling is better [steadier?] than the M alone. I also find that it is at its most useful when shooting vertical photos - I am right handed and use that hand to grab on to the camera - the left hand winds on.

 

Regards

 

Bruno