billsr
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Posts posted by billsr
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Tony Rose in Thousand Oaks, CA, Popflash dot com, sells Zeiss lenses. Very good prices, as well!
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I finally found out how the site works. Success! Best regards, Bill
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Who should I sleep with tonight, the fat black girl or the skinny blonde? ;<))
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Lutz, it looks like fun, but I can not make it work! Best, Bill
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You could get a new Zeiss Ikon for around $1300 US. It will accept all your Leica M lenses and it has the brightest range-viewfinder in current production. It uses film, BTW. Best regards, Bill
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I only wish that Leica could afford to dedicate itself solely to producing the finest film based equipment in the world, thus assuring the continuing existence of the film medium. There is already more than enough digital stuff on the market for anyone who wants it. I realize that is only a distant dream now. Best regards, Bill
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It's really very simple! I found focusing much faster with a Leica than with my Nikons. The best place to start is with the owners' manual. Don't over complicate things by thinking too much about it. Just do it! (practice). Best regards, Bill
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Lehrer, touche! Let me just say that at its minimum focusing distance, the 90mm f4 macro +adaptor kit is "sufficiently compensated". I haven't noticed any loss of important picture detail due to parallax with my outfit on an MP .72 VF. But then Im taking pictures of natural subjects and not lens resolution charts like the nit pickers here do! Best regards, Bill
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Abid, I own the lens with the closeup adaptor and angle viewfinder. The outfit makes excellent closeups and handheld focusing is very easy. Most would say that an SLR is best for macro, but I have 2 Nikons and I can assure you that the macro Elmar is easier to focus, because you always have a bright viewfinder image with the rangefinder. The macro adaptor is fully parallax compensated, so that isn't a problem. I find the kit ideal for nature subjects such as native plants, wildflowers and insect shots. Of course, if you need EXTREME closeups, you need the Visoflex or an SLR, but focusing will be much more difficult. The whole macro lens, adaptor and angle finder outfit will set you back a big chunk of cash, but it is a pleasure to use. Best regards, Bill
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The silver finished Zeiss Ikon has an organic (paint) coating,although it is of excellent appearance and looks like chrome. I think we can assume that the black model is painted as well. I tested the silver finished body and lens wih an ohm meter and found that the finish is not electrically conductive, ergo non metallic. Best regards, Bill
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Peter, I am not a "street" photographer, but If I were, I would suggest carrying an electronic stun gun or pepper spray (Capsaicin) rather than brandishing my Leica as a weapon. In fact, I do not take my MP to dangerous locations, that is what Hexars are for, as the rangefinders are already out of whack. I will concede that the added weight might render Leica a superior weapon to my Zeiss Ikon, but neither camera would be my first weapon of choice! ;<)) Best regards, Bill
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My Zeiss Ikon body does not "suck" as some have suggested here. It is refreshingly lighter in the hand than my MP and is thus a joy to handle. At the end of a long day it doesn't feel like a millstone around one's neck. The ZI is made of lighter weight metals, but assuredly not material of lesser quality or strength. A camera need not be a "boat anchor" to be durable or of high quality. Use it before you abuse it! Best regards Bill
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I have Nikon FE2, FM2, Leica MP, Hexar RF, and Zeiss Ikon, plus a Canon Elph in my pocket. The Nikons are used for long teles and situations where highest shutter speed is a concern. I love the MP but hesitate to carry it into areas where the risk of loss or damage is high due to natural or human threats. My Hexar gets a lot of use as it is very quick and easy to shoot with, load and unload. I am not enamored of the Hexar's rangefinder. My Zeiss is the newest light of my life. It is a pleasure to carry and use. It is considerably lighter than the MP, so it isn't unpleasant to hang around ones' neck for a full day. The Zeiss viewfinder is the best and brightest of any camera I own. My Zeiss T* 28mm f2.8 is a nicely finished piece which is smooth handling and sharp. I like the 1/3 f stop increments. Best regards, Bill
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I have used plastic squeeze bottles to store small amounts of developer by squeezing excess air out before sealing the bottle. Mylar lined wine boxes are popular here, my favorite comes in five liter containers which is a bit large for my use with developer. I have also filled my developer bottles with marbles which effectively excludes air. If you have no dark storage area available, put your developer bottles in a box! BTW, the five liter wine boxes make excellent drinking water containers for camping trips. When frozen, they will keep your food and beverage coolers nicely chilled without making things soggy. Besy regards, Bill
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If Stanley wasn't wearing rubber gloves, he had very wrinkled hands!
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Rather than using glue or drilling the cap. I use small discs of Velcro with adhesive backing to attach caps to the camera body with fishing line. The Velcro dots are available at many locations. If you can't find them, try a sewing supply shop. Best regards, Bill
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Speaking of "intellectual property rights", let me reiterate my position on images of myself, stolen by "street photographers" without my permission: "Stolen images of myself are not the intellectual or artistic property of the thief (photographer), and I will prosecute the thief (photographer)to recover damages. Physical restraint, in the degree deemed neccessary, toward the criminal, is possible in the defense of my privacy" ;<)) Best regards, bill
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Yes, Michael, I was mostly kidding (and all serious) in my previous post, though it really expresses my gut feeling, re: intrusive photography. Let me embellish my remarks a bit by asking those of the "street" genre, "how would you/do you feel when you gaze out of your bedroom/ hotel/ motel window and see a neighbor with binoculars looking back at you?" To me it's all the same piece of tail and it's profoundly offensive. So, cling to your legal rights, fellows, but be prepared to do battle! ;<)) Happy hunting, Billy
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Paul and Andrew, I assume that the owner of numerous M6 cameras knows how to switch it off, therefore I guessed that the switch function is faulty. That is why I suggested removing the battery when the camera is not in use until the problem gets sorted out! Not rocket science, but it should help. Best regards, Bill
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Tom, you asked if the M7 was a good learning tool. I suggested the MP because a manual camera will force you to comprehend the rudimentary mechanics of camera operation. You expressed an admiration for Leica and a strong inclination to buy one, so I did not suggest another brand or style of camera. Money is really not an object and I can say that without knowing what your resources are. Since 1958, when I first became seriously enamoured of photography, I have purchased nearly every brand and type of camera in the store. I never bought a Leica, (my first love), because I deemed it "too expensive". Now, a lifetime later, I finally own an MP and I couldn't be happier. Thank God I lived to see the day. If it feels good, do it! Best regards, Billy
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I don't do street photography and avoid shooting strangers without permission because I can readily see both sides of this dilemma. I would resent being followed around and photographed by a stranger. I would deeply resent having my likeness published by a stranger without my written permission. If anybody was selling my likeness, I would expect just compensation. So let's say that a photographer has a right to capture my likeness as his right of artistic expression. I will reserve my right to bust him in the chops if he did not get my permission and my right to sue him if he sells my likeness to the public. Best regards, Bill
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JD, many of the crew here would suggest that, instead, you buy a Leica M body and hang Voightlander glass on it! I'd suggest you stay with M, used, if need be and Leica glass. Take your time if you must and build your kit gradually, but don't just jump in and buy any old turd that's offered to you for the sake of owning a Leica. All things are not equal! Best wishes Bill
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John, I was tittillated by your tale of finding the cast off skin of an aquatic insect inside your Leica M2. Could you say whether it might have been an Isonichias or Chironamid? It would seem that your dealer hadn't done a CLA! What a tribute to the reliability of the old M cameras. Best regards, Bill
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The photo on the right of Bills' wall is my favorite as well. I echo Tonys' comment that it depicts my love for food and wine, but also it appeals to my love of fishing while consuming food and wine. It also recalls, for me, my Gypsy ancestors. Its' priceless! Best regards, Bill
Taking Leica to the beach
in Leica and Rangefinders
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