Erwin, Thanks for the review. The check is in the mail :-) Jerry David Young wrote: > Today's post brought my new DM-R. > > There is an old saying in the business world, that you can tell what a > manufacturer truly thinks of his own products, by looking at how he > packs them. > > The DM-R is beautifully packed in a large grey-paperboard box, which > protects the silvered Leica box, inside. The box is as full 12"x12"x6" > and filled with custom moulded, anti static, high density foam. > Everything is protected within an inch of it's life. The back itself is > packed in a fitted canvas carry bag, again with custom moulded hd foam > inside and with a separate zippered compartment for spare goodies. > Not sure why, though.... it'll likely never come off my camera! > > The first impression you get (or, at least, that I got) when you pick up > the DM-R is how light it is. It weighs almost nothing! Certainly, > without going to a scale, it seems to weigh no more than the Winder-R > that I use with the R8 for film. > > The second impression is how well it's made. After using Canon's 20D > for the last 7 and a half months (and nearly 5000 photos), Leica's DM-R > is a delight. The push buttons have a nice, solid feel, as do the > rotary controls. The unit is marked Imacon, but the power unit says > "made in Germany". However, I understand that the digi-back itself is > made by Denmark's Imacon, for Leica. No matter where it's made, the DM-R > is certainly up to top Leica standards. (I have heard that Imacon has > had some trouble meeting Leica's standards and a considerable number > have been returned to Imacon for re-working. However, the delivered > products are absolutely first rate.) > > The display on the back is about the same size as that of the 20D, but > much brighter, and much, much clearer. > > Installation was a snap and the controls are intuitive. Ted will be > happy... no need, really, to read the book! Things are a little > different than those of the Canon and I admit to a quick glance at the > book to see how it's done, bit without much reading all became clear, in > a flash. > > Of course, the finder is so much brighter, that it's not even funny. > The specialized screen has marks showing the field of view for the > DM-R's 1.37 mag. factor. I suspect they'll be very easy to get used to. > > One concern of mine was the viewfinder... the back sticks out a fair > bit and I feared that seeing might be somewhat compromised... especially > for eyeglass wearers. Not so! The finder is fully visible, even to an > eyeglass wearer such as myself. Although the back looks like it might be > awkward, it's not. You don't notice any of it. You just make photos. > > Another concern was the battery charger. The charger supplied with the > Motor Drive-R has received some bad press (I've never seen one) because > it was made in China, and apparently, though adequate, was not up to > Leica standards. It also only came with one cord which had a plug to > suit the country in which you purchased the unit. If you wanted to > travel, you needed to buy more cords at exorbitant prices. The charger > which comes with the DM-R is nicely finished, made in Germany and has an > ingenious system to interchange the plugs for the UK, Europe or the US > (all included). You still need one more adapter for Australia, but most > places you travel, the unit will work as is. It automatically switches > from 100V to 240V, 50 or 60 cycles and comes with a 12Volt car adapter > cord, as well. Very nice. > > Another nicety is the leather hand-grip that comes standard. I had one > on my winder for my old R3, and it was very handy.. This one's even > nicer. And the unit balances well in the had. The new shutter release > is perfectly placed and smooth as silk. > > How does it take photos? Well, just like an R8! > > Today, however, is a poor day for photography and many things remain to > be done before we depart on a short, 2 week holiday on Friday. So, a > full report on picture taking will have to wait until my return. By > then, I'll have had lots of experience with it, by then! > > If there is a problem, it is that when the LCD is being used to view > previously taken shots, it does not turn off when the shutter button is > tapped. You must turn it off, on the back before you can take photos. > It seems the only place that I prefer Canon's programming. > > Still, in the short haul, I'd say the DM-R is everything one could hope > for, and more! If the photos live up to the promise of the unit, I'll > be in seventh heaven! > > For now, colour me happy... very, very happy! :-) > > -- > David Young, > Logan Lake, BC > CANADA. > > Personal Web-site at: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt > Leica Reflex Forum web-page: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm > > ------ > Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at: > http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm > Archives are at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/ > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.14.25/247 - Release Date: 01/31/2006 ------ Unsubscribe or change to/from Digest Mode at: http://www3.telus.net/~telyt/lrflex.htm Archives are at: //www.freelists.org/archives/leicareflex/