I just purchased an M6 and I'm wondering if the M hand grip really help in getting a secure grip on the camera or it's just a waste of money? Also, I want to know if I should get a Uv or skylignt filter to help protect my lens from the elements. Thank you......

-- Michael (mm071799@attcanada.ca), January 25, 2001

Answers

You won't get a more secure grip on the camera by using the M hand grip, but it will greatly reduce muscle fatigue if you hand carry the camera a lot, ready to pounce for a picture. If you carry it hanging from your neck, or with a wrist strap it may actually be in the way. You get more protection for the front element of a lens by always attaching the clip-on sunshade than you will get from the UV filter. Hope you enjoy your new baby! Mitch

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), January 25, 2001.

Never tried the grip, but I use B&W multicoated skylight filters on my M series lenses. They are the best available and won't reduce the image quality as long as they are free of big smudge marks. B&H had a promo on them last time I checked. I like to use the filter + hood, as caps on a rangefinder can lead to blank frames.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), January 25, 2001.

I use the handgrip on my M6 and find it very helpful! I find it's much more comfortable when I'm holding the camera in my hand and it doesn't bother me when the camera is hanging from the neckstrap (from either my neck or shoulder). I like it so much that I plan to use one for any additional M bodies I purchase. I used a metal one several years ago, but now have the one made by Leica. I prefer the lighter weight and ergonomics of the Leica handgrip than the metal one I had before.

I use the Leica UV filters, but think the B&W, or Heliopan sky filters are probably better if you shoot color print film. I don't know what's better for slides. BTW, I've heard the glass of the B&W and Heliopan filters are actually better than the Leica filters.

-- KL Prager (www.pragerproperties@worldnet.att.net), January 25, 2001.

Best grip IMO is the abrahamsson rapidgrip. Works best with the rapidwinder. I've been using the grip on the winder for a couple of months now and they really work well together. Rob.

-- Robert Appleby (laintal@tin.it), January 26, 2001.

I like the handgrip but some people do not care for it. Get your dealer to bring one in for you to try. UV filters are not necessary at all but if you feel better having one on, then by all means do so. I used UV filters for twenty years and never scratched or marred one so I took them all off. Are my pictures dramatically better? No, but, I have noticed far fewer problems with flare, a significant point with a rangefinder camera. I use the included lens hood as protection. What makes you comfortable is far more important than any technical issue.

Cheers

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), January 26, 2001.

I keep a UV on all my lenses, but then, I carry them without front caps, usually, with the hoods off, often. Lately I've taken to carrying my 50 under my jacket with the hood reversed, no cap, which is both compact and handy. The UV issue probably depends on how you carry things, and how careful you are. By the time I'm finished with my stuff, the metal is down to about a 2 on a 1-10 scale from all those naked lenses (when they travel first class they ride in a sock:-) grinding against each other at the bottom of my bag (chrome and paint don't take photos), but the glass is always perfect.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), January 26, 2001.

I love the Leica M handgrip - I have one on each of my bodies, and don't ever go without. I think it improves the handling substantially, even with small lenses like the 50 Summicron, and it really comes into its own with tele lenses. I prefer Leica's grip to Tom Abrahamsson's Rapidgrip - Tom's is metal so it doesn't feel as comfortable and it's too big for me (I don't use the Rapidwinder).

Forget UV filters. They are a cash cow for camera stores, and flare generators for their users. When was the last time you ever damaged a front element? I never have in 30+ years of shooting. Leave them off and enjoy all the lens performance you paid Leica for.

-- Paul Chefurka (paul_chefurka@pmc-sierra.com), January 28, 2001.

M-Grip: The reason I use an M is because it is very compact. Once I would add a grip to it, my R6.2 becomes much more tempting. As to UV filters, they are much better than hoods at protecting the front element from sand, grit and spraying liquid, along with environmental pollutants found in rain. They are, however, bad protection against knocks and bumps. If you drop a filtered lens and the filter shatters, the shards of glass can scratch the front element. If Leica lenses were the same price as Nikons or Canons perhaps I would feel differently, but front elements on Leica lenses are a pretty penny ($800 for the 180/2.4 APO Telyt, $400 for the old Minolta-Leica 70-210 zoom)and if Leica coatings were invulnerable you'd never see one advertised as having "wipe marks front element". I use B+W "Multi Resistant Coating" filters, which if you watch the reflections in them you will see are much better than Leica filters. I've shot them straight into light sources with no discernable increase in flare over a naked lens. In my experience the more likely damage to a front element is the kind resulting from wiping the lens and not seeing tiny specks of grit, which permanently scratch the coating. I've never dropped a lens.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 30, 2001.