Base10 was thinking about his brief stop on the East Side Monday as well as his occasionally spotty performance with his "Photo of the Day" feature. Base10 is thinking of a "Photo of the Week" instead. The PAW would represent the best thing I shoot all week long. So, basically, I force myself to go out and use the camera from Sunday through Thursday. I drop the film off Friday morning and pick it up Friday night. I pick and choose photos and edit them on Saturday selecting one for the PAW. (Base10 will of course publish dopey snapshots whenever the mood strikes him). This would serve to make a photo special rather than just taking one for the sake of having something to post. The PAW would be the best work I'd done in the prior week.

Base10 does like his Mamiya 7ii. However, there is no cool leather case for it. It is just a bit too big to carry it around on your neck. Wonderful lenses though. I can't wait to see what Monday's excursion wrought.

Base10 did finally get a 35mm rangefinder. Not the multi-thousand dollar Leica. More like the reasonably priced Bessa R3a. Base10 also got some Voigtlander lenses: the 50mm f1.5, the 40mm f1.4, and the 15mm f4.5. The tests I've read on these lenses make them out to be great--especially for the price--likening them to last-generation Leica glass. I took the camera with me this morning to try to get some candids on the subway. So far, so good. I'll try to break out the ultrawide this afternoon.

I am not going to buy a Leica (at least not yet). It is just dopey to spend that kind of money unless you know you're going to use the camera. This way, if I find that 35mm RF photography is not for me, I haven't spent too much.

On the other hand, if I do like it I have several obvious upgrade paths. There always is, of course, a new or refurbished Leica M (current version is the MP). But of course there are also used M6's and M3's as well. Then there's digital. The Epson RD-1 is basically a Bessa with a digital sensor. It is similarly priced to the Leica and I have read very positive reviews.

- posted by Base10 @ 12:12 PM