Hello:

I was just loading up the M6 and had a senior moment: I forgot what film I loaded into it.

It would be great to have that little window on the back to allow me to see what film I had not a minute before, loaded. I know that would entail a complete redsign of teh body, so it is even less likely to ne than a 20 MPixel back for the M6.

Also DX speed indexing is neat.

I guess thats part of the reason I bought the Hexar RF.

Oh well- can't have everything.

sniff sniff.

-- RICHARD ILOMAKI (richardjx@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002

Answers

If it aint broke, dun fix it.

The Ms are meant to be used the way they were.

-- Travis koh (teckyy@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

Hey Richard- I have those moments all the time. So I have a solution. I carry a roll of white artist's tape and a sharpie in my camera bag. When I have a moment, I tear off a piece of tape a couple of inches long and write film type, ISO used and any other info I want- like date, subject info., etc. on it. I leave this bit of tape on my bottom plate while I shoot, and peel it off and stick it on the roll when it's shot. It helps to identify the film after I'm done shooting and have ten rolls in my pocket, too. No more trying to remember what effective ISO went into which pocket. No more asking myself what film I have in camera, and what speed I'm shooting it at- I just look at the bottom of the camera.

I don't need an M7. DX coding isn't useful to me, since I usually push or pull film based on the conditions I'm shooting in anyway, and so I have trained myself to always check ISO when I load a roll. When I do SLR work, I use Nikon FM2's and FE2's, so I use these same methods- manual setting and tape on the camera to remind me of film and ISO and identify film later. If I really want apeture priority, I'll use my FE2- which I shoot in this mode for about 4% of my shooting.

A good chunk of what I love about my Leicas is that they ARE all mechanical. Yeah, I love the solid feel and workmanship, esp. of my M3, and I love the different way of workign with a rangefinder from SLR, and of course I love that amazing glass. But I won't buy an electronic shutter M camera. I would buy a new metered but still all mechnical M with faster synch and shutter speeds, but beyond that?

-- drew (swordfisher@hotmail.com), February 11, 2002.

Lutz Konermann sells an accessory for the M's that would fix your problem:

http://www.konermann.net/slide.html

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@NOSPAMcris.com), February 12, 2002.