[LRFlex] Re: Further speculation on the R-10D
- From: "Neil Gould" <neil@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <leicareflex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 07:22:05 -0600
Andy,
Recently, you wrote:
> From: "andy Wagner" <yxandy@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> David etal
>
>>
>> Agreed. At this moment, the Canon 20D w/Leica to EOS adapter is the
>> best bet, but it has no automation. For me, with the 400/f6.8 which
>> has no automation anyway, it's perfect!
>
> While this is a viable alternative I would really like to see a
> didicated leica digital. The wife has the Rebel and while it is a good
camera
> I find using it in manual mode to be very annoying. Manual focusing is
> rather difficult to say the least-- very dim view finder -- it's
> pretty much
> useless in low light for focusing. Unfortunately IMHO this camera is
> designed to be used in the fully auto mode only. Of course I'm an old
> fashioned guy who is still comfortable matching the paddle to the
> needle.
>
That is my complaint about many digital cameras, my Nikon included. I've
given up on trying to use it in manual mode because its ergonomics make
that a painful process. OTOH, the Lumix (Panasonic / Leica) is a lot
better in this regard.
>>> If Panasonic comes out with a digital body that accepts R lenses,
>>> there would be no chance that I'd buy the Leica digi-back + R8/9. I
>>> think they missed the mark on this one.
>
> I don't know about that. Panasonic has never built an SLR. Even in the
> digital SLRs there is a lot of mechanical stuff in there and I
> haven't found a Japanese camera with the Leica feel yet, nor the build
> quality or the biggest item, repair capability for older models. I dare
say that our
> Sl's and R's will probably out live film. And while the Japanese are
> buying the Leicas -- how many are using them and how many are just
> collecting them?
>
While the Lumix is not a "traditional" SLR due to its electronic
viewfinder (EVF), it is a Panasonic. The benefits and/or issues of an EVF
are debatable, but to me, the basic concept is valid; mirror slap is not
an issue, and the operation of the camera is completely silent. I like the
way that the Lumix has dealt with manual focussing, for example. Having
used EVFs on video cameras for decades, I may be more comfortable with
them than others coming from a strictly film background.
I wouldn't generalize about the build quality of Japanese cameras... the
Olympus OM-1 cameras that I bought in the early '70s are still quite solid
and reliable. If you look at their construction, you'll see that they're
very well designed and built.
Ergonomics are a personal matter, so while some may prefer the "Leica
feel", that doesn't mean that there aren't some equally valid "feels" in
the marketplace. I find the SLs and R8/9 to be too bulky (and I have
rather large hands). I also don't consider the control placement on my R5
to be very clever, which makes the camera slower to use than the OM-4,
which is the most conceptually similar camera that I have. The R5's
battery life is amazing, comparing it to how my OM-4 eats them for lunch
and wants a double serving for dinner. ;-) All of this doesn't diminish
my enjoyment of the R5, and as I become more familiar with the excellent
lenses, I have no complaints! ;-)
Regards,
Neil
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