[rollei_list] Re: Leicas and Nikons and Rolleis
- From: Laurence Cuffe <cuffe@xxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:00:26 +0100
On 30 Sep 2009, at 03:16, Marc James Small wrote:
At 09:31 PM 9/29/2009, Marvin wrote:
>I was in Africa shooting with a M4P. I placed my bag on the ground
and the
>camera was struck slightly rigorously. The M4P has a ridiculous
design using
>an aluminium rewind crank. The crank was deformed and would
neither move
>forwards nor backwards. From that moment on the camera remained
inoperative.
>A Nikon FM2 on the other hand is virtually indestructible. (I
think the same
>could be said for Rollei TLR's in some ways, though the shutter
mechanisms
>are delicate and the whole system relies upon it.)
>This may be why journalists moved over to Nikon, sturdier build,
and a more
>flexible and forgiving system overall. It seems now Leica have
moved away
>from the flimsy designs M6-M4P, back to the tank like
construction, of the
>M2/3.
Wow. Several points.
First, I am not certain what you mean by "struck slightly
rigorously". Was the camera whacked or not?
Second, the only major camera system I have ever had fail, and fail
time and time again, were Nikon F2's. Junk. Soured me on Nikon
forever, especially as Nikon refused to stand behind them until
legal action was threatened. Replaced with a REAL tank, A Canon F1.
Third, the M6 is a tough camera. I always bounce-test my Leicas on
concrete from at least 3 feet, and my M6 bounces quite nicely and
just keeps on working. But, then, I have done the same on my M3 DS
and my IIIc and IIIf RDST and my IIIg. They just keep keeping on.
Fourth, Rollei TLR's are extremely tough save for the body. The
shutter is tough as can be. But the body is aluminium and can be
deformed. This can jam the film advance and the alignment of the
lenses.
Marc
msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!
Your mileage may differ, My F2 is still going strong, and I'm not
kind to cameras. In general my experience with Nikon's has been
favorable. The only other impact casualty was my F5 dropped on its
nose on concrete, which is now repaired. My F100 took an awful lot of
abuse and is probably still running fine, in the new york taxi cab
where I left it.
By contrast in Rollei's I've a dead EVS TLR:- "beyond economic
repair " is what they said in Dusseldorf after I dropped it from
waist level onto tarmac I also have a dead 'cord more impact damage
and my T got bumped very slightly getting out of the car and now will
neither wind on nor cock the shutter. This is the third time its died
on me, and much as I love it I'm hesitating over sending it away to
get fixed.
To continue the survey of my dead cameras, all three of my Kiev 15's
now refuse to countenance the concept of winding on film, despite my
love of the MIR 20mm lens, I think their socialist sensibilities are
insulted by western film, My Yashica TLR died after it swam in the
stop bath, it just stopped. I could go on...
All the best
Larry Cuffe
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