ismail_mustapha1

<p>I can vouch with the Summarits. Just as good as the Summicron, and Summilux. I use them when I don't want to risk my more expensive lenses, e.g. in high humidity situations and damp and hot days. And of course, when I like to travel light. I agree though that f2 would be the optimal compromise, and good enough for low light shots. I got both the 35 and 50mm and their f2 & 1.4 cousins.</p>

Actually with Cornerfix, you don't need to code your lens. Perhaps even more effective than on-camera correction by M8.

 

Download at

http://sourceforge.net/projects/cornerfix/

Is it necessary to trim the film? I use the M3, but never had to trim the film leader, although my photo-dealer recommended me to do so. I also have the current model MP and I have read suggestions that we should fold or crimp the take-up end of the film.

 

For me, the real trick is to ensure that the sprocket teeth engage in the track-holes of the film, wind a little bit until both the upper and lower teeths have gripped inside the holes on both sides of the film. (I use my finger nails to press the film into place). I also usually remove the slack in the film cartridge before I insert it in the camera, winding of the film will also simultaneously rotate the rewind spindle.

I have been tempted to get one of those tiny cameras. Two questions:

(i) There's not door at the back of the camera, so how does the body keeps the film flat without a pressure plate?

(ii) Are there sprockets to grip the film, or is the take up borne completely by the takeup spool? If no sprockets, how accurately aligned will the film be behind the lens?

 

I have taken on the M3. Looks like the III(f) or II(f) would be even more challenging.

I leave it on all the time. I tend to forget to change the setting when I swap lenses with coding.

I shouldn't be duly concerned about noise and image quality. If you do any post-processing using photoshop and shoot in raw, the differences would be irrelevant. When I was deciding which one at the camera shop, one test shooting two RAW pictures in sequence, the delay writing files on the GRD-1 just put me off. Secondly, RAW files on the Ricoh are not as efficient as others like the Leica M8. Each file is more than 13,100kB compared to 10,000kB on the M8. Believe me, you'll want a 4-Gig SDHC memory card, and the GRD-1 won't allow SDHC.

 

On image quality, I still have the Canon S60, a 5Megapixel compact camera which shoots raw, and with post-processing, still makes me happy with final quality. If you think I don't care about quality, I am using the Leica M8 as my primary camera.

I had the 5D, then got the R-D1s and finally M-8. I still have all of them, but mostly used the Epson and the M-8 because of the RFs' size and lightness. The Epson most of the time to avoid attention, and to lessen risk.

 

Unfortunately the Leica needed focusing re-alignment (back-focussing, plus a power switch problem). Only two days ago, the Epson' shutter refused to release from its cocked position. So the Leica is in Germany, the Epson on its way to Japan (the latter bought through internet).

 

Now I am back to using the 5D, and realized what a pain to lug around the camera. In the first place, it needed a bigger bag. And I really felt how huge it is, and that's just with a small 28mm f/1.8 lens or 500mm f/1.4 attached.

 

However, I concluded that the DSLR is extremely reliable. I had it for longer, and before I had either had either of the RFs. Both the RFs are based on the mechanical shutter plunger or button, and I think it is their Achilles hill, their weakess link and prone to failure.

 

Picture-wise, maybe just my finding--it is easier to expose images from the Epson or Leica under low lighting. Somehow, metering in the 5D required very high ISO and low shutter speeds, when the M8 and RD1s could take the shot with reasonable ISO and shutter setting. You can push under-exposed pictures with photoshop or equivalent and still get good final images.

 

Wide-open, the M-mount lenses gives much nicer OOF renditions, whether CV or Leica originals.

 

I miss my two tiny manual-focus cameras.

Time to get extra batteries