roger_michel

i use both the nikkors and sonnars on a regular basis. i on't use the "b" word, but the plasticity of the sonnar is noticeably better on most examples in my opinion. much better for standoff portrait work. having said that, the contrast performance of the nikkor is better and seems to have (probably as a result of the increased contrast) better resolution of fine detail. i use it for landscape, especially off a tripod where you see the small differences most easily. hope that helps!

<p>i love the grey paint! it is just right IMO. lovely deep color and nice non-reflective matte finish. i do agree about the chrome fittings, however. a custom job sometime...?</p>

<p>some of my favorite lenses are screw mount. i love the my old nikkor 50mms. i also have a rodenstock 50mm in LTM somewhere. and i love putting my 50cron asph from lemon & co on my iiiG body. there is something very civilized about the screw mount. the bayonet seems less elegant somehow. happy snaps!</p>

<p>I can still recall the day, quite vividly, when W/NW came into being here. i am so glad the tradition lives on. i hate to think how long it's been....<br>

<img src="http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s233/hurleyMWR/1896045-sm.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="141" /></p>

<p>I am also a huge fan of the Rollei GX. The TLR is a great compact format and the act of composing while looking down on the ground glass has always worked really well for me. it gives you an opportunity to consider the scene carefully in a way that eye level viewing just can't duplicate. The fact that the GX has all the mod cons is just icing on the cake! Good luck in your search.</p>

I love the M5. Just had mine recovered in exotic leather (grey goatskin). The meter is superb and I love the vertical

carry. Don't hesitate for a second!

I am so glad the w/nw thread format has endured. I remember the very first one.... Also glad that Alex is still here and still taking fine

pictures!

<p>i like the old contaxes very much, although my own strong personal preference is for the II series which lack the largely useless meter. cameraquest imports a number of modern lenses in the shared nikon RF/contax R mount. the wides are interchangeable, while the longer lenses need to be ordered in either C or N form to assure accurate focus. any bumps in the leather on the back?</p>

<p>you only realize how necessary a good hood is once you start using one and make comparisons with your negs. for outdoor daylight shooting, you will be amazed at the difference in contrast performance.</p>

<p>fred -- that was actually my impression, as well. reviews have been mixed, and my guess is that the voigt lens is a better purchase regardless of what system you intend to use it with (the voigts go 4/3, too via twin adapters). the noktors real merit seems to be that it is admirably small. quality seems roughly equivalent to the old canon SM "noct."</p>

<p>well that's embarrassing! i was thinking of the new noktor (http://noktor.com) for the 4/3 system. i was thinking leica because i use my leica m and screw lenses on my olympus ep-2. sorry!</p>

<p>nope. it is a weirdo aftermarket lens that i saw discussed on some forum. they are in the pre-order phase. it is a .95 i think.</p>

<p>as stephen g says on his site, "<big>LHSA Black Paint M6 TTL </big>This is the Special Edition Black Paint M6 made for the Leica Historical Society of America. It is the 2nd black paint M6 TTL, though planning on this one actually started before the Millennium. I find it a better shooter than the Millennium because the LHSA has the M6 type rewind. Orders were stopped June 30, 2000. It is now heading for collector status. Personally I think it is the prettiest of ALL the various black paint M6. It is the only M6 TTL with a factory BLACK "red" dot."<br>

<strong>of course the dots can be changed aftermarket . . . . </strong></p>

<p>i am so sorry! i have forgotten the name of the new fast 50mm for leica made by some new firm. can someone please refresh my memory. any user reports?</p>

<p>thanks & as a great man used to say around here many years ago, happy snaps!</p>

<p>hi alex -- i have enjoyed your work since the "old days" here at p-net. congrats!<br>

roger</p>

<p>hi -- there are a number of cases available for the M that allow you the option of a vertical carry. i have a couple produced by kameraleder and one from a chinese maker that i got on ebay (his cases appear frequently on ebay). i am sure luigi could make up something along these lines, as well.</p>

<p>good luck!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>not too poor to buy the lens!</p>

<p>cannot recommend the summilux highly enough. it is one of the great all-time 35mm optics. if money is not a decisive issue, it is the one to get. you will *never* regret the choice.<br>

as sal used to say, happy snaps!<br>

roger</p>

<p>i love the CL. use it all the time. the zeiss 20mm biogon f4.5 is a great match fro the camera! </p>

i had one -- maybe yours! loved the results

discounts are absolutely available in the USA -- if you have a relationship with a dealer. dealers get a good price when they

take them 10-12 at a time. if a dealer can sell half at full price and the other half at his cost, it's a good deal for him. the

economy will make this more and more common i think . . . an i imagine leica will continue to turn a blind eye to the

practice.

sorry, yes the 4.5!

peter -- i think epson may give you exactly what you are looking for in about 18 months . . . .

what a great combo! the 30mm effective focal length seems right for so many situations. and the lens is so sharp,

with great rectilinear performance. the f4, which might be a limitation on a film camera, is no problem in view of the

epson's stellar (much better than the M8) high ISO performance. the voigt mini-metal 28/35 finder & the great artisan

and artist case completes the package. a really fine set-up that i highly rcommend. in fact, the 20mm now only

comes off on the now rrare occasions when i pop on the 12mm or 35 'lux. quite happy with this!

 

take care, roger

hi -- my guess is that any M9 is far in the future. however, i have heard from a very reliable source that epson, against all the odds, WILL produce a RD2. it should appear in early 2010. even so, there will continue to be strong demand for M8s as the only leica branded, true leica-quality M lens platform. as such, it is likely to defy the typical rules regarding used prices for digicams. i would buy one noe with relative confidence that it will hold its value for at least a few years.

 

and, at the end of the day, as long as you are using it to take lots of pics, and you re happy with the quality, does it really matter how much of your investment you recover?

 

and yes, the banding has been cured & there is a filter solution for the IR issue.

 

take care, roger