On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 11:12 AM, Bob W <p...@web-options.com> wrote: > I had a M4-2 for a few years alongside the M3 which I still have. Simplicity > is exactly the quality that makes Leica stand out for me, and where they've > fortunately managed to continue with the M8s & M9s. I hope they remember > that, and I hope they return to the size and weight of the M3s etc. at the > earliest opportunity - they are so much easier to handle than the M8. > > That lens suits it nicely.
I agree on both counts: the M8 and M9 are a touch too bulky, they're closer to the size and feel of the Panasonic L1 and feel thick compared to the M234. I chose the M4-2 for the rapid load feature and for the M4 type viewfinder ... 35, 50, 90, 135 frames only. Mine is an early model with the same viewfinder optics as the classic M4, later ones they changed the optics a little bit to make the frame lines brighter but it also made the finder a bit fussier to center your eye behind ... like this one a lot, very simple and easy. My strategy regards lenses was to eschew the high-priced exotica to start with and go for high quality, modest speed, compact, reasonably priced lenses. One ultra-fast wide normal, a wide and a tele. For this camera, I obtained the Skopar 35/2.5, Nokton 40/1.4 and M-Rokkor 90/4. I also outfitted for the Ricoh GXR with its A12 Camera Mount ... Skopar 21/4, Ultron 28/2, Skopar 50/2.5. Since all the lenses interchange, I can mix and match as much as I want between the two cameras and formats. Speaking of the Ricoh GXR and the A12 Camera Mount, I had the opportunity to shoot with one on evaluation loan to a friend of mine this week. This may be the Leica CL reborn into digital capture that I've been hoping for. While it does have all the bells and whistles of the GXR embedded in it, you can configure it to be an simple, clean camera in use and from that point forward ignore all the bells and whistles. The manual focusing tools are excellent, the feel is great, and the image quality even with short focal length lenses seems to be terrific. It's not a rangefinder camera, but it's smaller than the CL and handles beautifully. Mine should arrive the week after next and I'll have a fuller report on it. -- Godfrey godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
