-----Original Message----- From: rollei_list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rollei_list- bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of mak@xxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2005 10:28 AM To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [rollei_list] FM2 meets my needs was Not My Definition of a Thoroughbred (Re: Nikon vs. Leica) I have perhaps 8-10 of the FM FM2 FM2n FM2T breed and a couple F and F2 bodies as well. For a number of years in the mid 1990's I shot with Leica R cameras (which I relaced with my Nikon FMs)...I also own M gear. The M is silky smooth, truly a jewel to use. The FM FM2 et al is not quite as silky smooth but for the price of a $1200 or so used M6 I can pick up a HALF DOZEN FMs or 2-3 FM2s and some awesome glass... Probably opening a whole new discussion here but from REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE I have found my Nikon FM/FM2/FM2T/F/F2 gear as reliable in the field as my M gear and more reliable than my R gear AND in my experience in real world shooting the Nikon glass is as god as the Leica glass and there is a heck of a lot more of it and it is a fraction of the cost... I have nothing but praise for Nikon and agree wholeheartedly in regards to the quality of their cameras and lenses. I also willingly abandoned the "R" cameras and concentrated on Nikon instead. In fact, I have even put a lot of time behind a couple of FG's, just for the size/weight convenience and never had a failure with either, and these are considered lower-tier cameras. I did suffer one accident with an FE2 that may or may not have occurred had I been using an F2 instead; with a 300/2.8 attached I got bumped in a crowd and that resulted in the lens mount flange becoming damaged on the camera. From that incident I always felt that the smaller bodies were a little light duty for the mass of the larger lenses. I refuse to argue lens quality on any list, this one included (but really get a guilty sort of enjoyment when others do), because it is so completely subjective and the so-called "data" can be manipulated to suit many arguments. I remain firmly convinced that Nikon has produced many first-rate lenses; far too many to even list. That's my story and I'm sticking to it:) Cheers, Doug