jim_jeblee

Hi,

I would look through your finder & switch frames, look at everything around you. Even take the camera on walks, dinner etc.. most people will never know that there is no lense. This should give you a better idea on which lense you want first. Then buy one lense and LOTS and LOTS of film, then buy more film!! Find some people to review your work honestly and then buy MORE film take MORE pictures. When your lens does not fit your vision more than 2-3 times a week then look for another lense.

Good luck & welcome.

Jim

Thanks for comment, I'm going to try a Ang 180, if I can get a hold of one (I have a lead but I have not heard back yet). I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Thanks

Jim

I have heard that some third party lenses do not work as well on a R8

as some of the earlier models. Does anyone here have know if the

Angenieux 180 2.3APO works properly on an R8?

Thanks

Jim

Welcome back, happy to see your still with us.

I lived many years in South Fl, wear darker glasses so you can not see the young luvlies in thier skimpy attire so well - it will put less stress on your heart.

Jim

Thanks for the info, I'm leaning toward the 1D. Does anyone know if Cannon has issued a firmware upgrade that helps with the high ISO banding problem since the orig DP-Review ?

Thanks, Jim.

Hi, I am considering a DSLR mostly for stage photography. I was

looking at a new 20D but dealer also had a used 1D for close to the

same price. I will be using an 85 1.8 & 135 2.0 mostly, as this gets

me in the range I want to be considering the crop factor. Pics are

mostly printed @ 5x7 with a few 8x10 & a rare 11x14. I like the spot

meter in the 1D but is the newer 20D a better camera? I expect to

need to manual focus some as light levels are low, so manual forcus

ability is a plus. I have an Elan that does not work well for this

purpose, I currently use a R8 w/ 90 & 180 lenses. I have used Fuji

1600 1/60 @ f2.0 in the past. Thanks a lot for your help in which

camera is better for this purpose.

Jim

Yes, Leica M 90%, R8 5% when I need the 180 and Blad 503 when I need big pics. The 50lux & 90cron on my R8 have rarely been used & I just picked up an M 135 2.8 & going to see if I can do w/out the 180 at all.

Jim

I have a M2 (& M6 .85) and the early 135/2.8. Works great on M2, pics are nice, I have a little trouble getting good focus up close, at 2.8, in low light shots w/ M2, M6 a bit better. But this could just be me. I love the lense & thou I don't use it as much as a 90 I would not want to be without it.

Good luck.

Jim

WOW, Very nice. I esp like the girl looking out the window.

Jim

I put a MP wind lever on my M6 .85 classic because I found the plastic 'flippy' tip to be annoying. All you do is unscrew the shutter button collar, take off the old, drop on the new & put the collar back on. BUT you will need a special cyl grip wrench if you don't want to mar your shutter button collar. I bought the wrench because I did not want to send my camera out & be without it. It is cheaper to have it prof done. But I can't always stop my urge to tinker, so I bought the full wrench set.

Good Luck.

Jim

I used to shoot Cannon and Nikon MF & AF systems, Leica M & Blad. I had problems when I tried to manual focus the auto focus cameras in low light so I picked up an R8 & 180 3.4 (great lens), best manual focus 35mm slr I ever owned! My M6 beats even the R8 for lenses below 90mm for speed, focus & ease of use when the light levels are low, which is often for me. The only time I miss autofocus is for sporting events. I have 50, 90 & 180 for the R, but use mostly the 180 & some the 90. Images are equal or better to any Nikon or Cannon L that I've had but the difference is not allway great. For big pics or portrates I use the Blad, only about 8% of the time. My main camera is my M as I use a 50 & 90 the most. You should carefully consider what you lens range needs and photography style is. Good luck.

Jim

I tried several vests & found that none did such a great job in warm weather, even tried a tactical vest w/ a changeable pocket system from Eagel Systems - too heavy duty for comfortable wear & a bad 'look' in these post 911 days. Now I use a Mountainsmith convertable shoulder/lumbar waist pack (4 sizes avail) for above 65deg days if I need more that one camera, lense & 2-4 rolls film. And I use a Reminton upland bird jacket on cooler than 65deg days, lots of big pockets & carrys 25lbs plus of gear if I want to. This even worked when I carried an F4 & 2 lenses, I hardly notice the M6 & 1-2 lenses.

If you find something great, please post a pic.

Thanks

Jim

I want to add a 21 3.4 to my lens kit soon & a local guy said I could change my shutter speed dial to a M3 or M4 style & use a MR-4 or similar meter on my M6 .85 classic. I'm not sure if it's true but I'm going to try it.

(Too bad I sold mine about 2years ago.. oh well)

Just an idea.

Jim

I have a later model R8, newer film guild & suppose to be past the serial # w/ electronics problems w/ winders, motor etc.. Have not used a motor yet as I don't need one most of the time. I think I have maybe 80-90 rolls through it w/ no problems. I dumped all my Nikon gear because I was using an M6 for most of my 35mm work. I have a 50lux, 90cron & the 180 3.4apo. I hardly ever use the 50 or the 90 as they are covered by the M setup. BUT the 180 is reason alone to buy an R camera!! it is fantastic & was not too much money (used). I had an F3 & a F4, the R8 is like a much perfected F3 & I love it! Some day I may even try the S & P automation features as I currently shoot in M 60% & A 40% of the time. I have used the F flash meter setting for some difficult indoor metered manual flash situations & it worked very well!

Jim

M6 .85 50 2.8 Elmarit 60%, Velvia 100 day, npz/tmz night. Because it's the easiest to carry. I take a 50 Sumilux for planned night outings. 90 2.8 10%. R8 180 3.4apo 10%. Hassey w/ 80/150 for when I want BIG prints. Misc other 3% to play.

Jim

Nice Idea, thanks.

Slightly OT but..

Which grip is on the camera in the picture & does it have a center tripod mount?

Thanks a lot!

Jim

I found a good condition R8 w/ 50 1.4lux & 90 2.0 cron for well less than $2000usd. The R8 is great! great Viewfinder & very well damped mirror. Go for a R camera & don't waste money on an EOS unless you plan to us cannon lenses also. I had an A2e & prefer the R8, but I don't like autofocus so the R8 works much better for me. I also got a 180 3.4 apo & it was so much better than my Nikon 80-200 that all my nikon gear is gone & I am working on filling out my lense kit.

Best of luck.

Jim

I use my 90 2.8 Elmarit-M curr about 30% on a M6 .85vf. This is second behind 50(s). I could not be without one. Pics are great! but I could use more speed, soon maybe. Some say this lense is too big but I'm comming from a Nikon F4 & 105 1.8!! I think the Nik lense is as big (almost) as the whole lense/camera package. After the 50 & 90 I use 180, 35, 20/21. I might would use 35 more but it's a f3.5 Summaron & a bit slow.

I find I have to live w/ a lense for quite a while before I can tell if it fits my style or not. Good luck.

Jim

When I travel I sometimes take a long a Jobo daylight loading tank, needs no bags, darkroom etc. I sit on the bed in the hotel room & watch TV while loading the tank. I carry all quart bottles of chemicals etc in a catalog case from Staples office supply. Only good for one roll per night cause the tank/reels GOTTA dry before you use them again. But if I'm gone for 2 weeks I have most of my film developed before I get back.

Jim

I got one of these in trade, I think it has a exata mount but I'm not

sure. It has a removable adapter on the back and I was thinking about

having someone modify it to fit Leica R but I'm not sure if it would

be worth it. Anyone know how good/bad these are or what they are

worth?

Thanks a lot!

Jim

Thanks a lot for the info, I'm thinking of useing one of these converted to an Leica R mount. Both converts are avail & Leica does not make a 2.0 135 & I can not afford the 180 2.0.

Thanks

Jim

Shame on me! I have a monopod for use w/ my R stuff & did not bring it, I thought I could brace against the next row of seats but that did not get me high enough! Bad planning, I was not expecting to be able to shoot.

I don't like the corner placement of the tripod socket, can anyone suggest a plate/ adapter to move it to the center, better still one w/ a hand grip? I like the Tom A. one but it does not seem to have a center tripod mount.

I'm working on an upgrade to a 90 2.0..

Thanks a lot for hints!

Jim

I am considering adding a fast 135 lense for low light & stage

photography and I have seen good reviews of the EOS 135 2.0L lense

but would like to know how good is it @ 2.0, which is where I'll use

it most of the time. Also how does a FD 135 2.0 compare? They are

much cheaper now & AF is not an issue as I manual focus anyways.

I was going to try this because I can not afford a 180/200 f1.8 or

f2.0 right now. Any other ideas?

Thanks for your help!

Jim

Working on stage photo skills, pics for a friend. This time from the

seats, they did not want photos taken but said ok if no flash was

used and I did not move around. A few pics were blurry from me & many

more due to actor movement, I'm going to try a faster lense & a lot

more practice. Fuji 1600 (I pref NPH), M6 90 2.8Elmarit-M @ 2.8 1/60,

some other pics @ 1/30 were much worse. This looks ok @ 5x7 but falls

apart larger than that. (scan from neg Epson3200)

Any hints?

Thanks

Jim<div></div>

I have a Cannonet 1.7QL (quick load) well I did untill my daughter borrowed it & refused to give it back! It is very quiet w/ a very good lense. The rangefinder is not as nice as an M, but the camera is very small. My daughter gets better pictures out of it than I do because my hands are a little large. Some one else recommended sticking w/ Leica or what ever rangefinder for a while because it's a bit different & takes some time to get use to. I use my M6 w/ 50lux & 90Elmarit-M for stage & church photos and it works great for this task. I have 35 slrs, med & large format & 85% of my pics are with the M6 because it works well & it's easy to have with me most of the time.

Good luck.

Jim