Are they necessary? For the Abrahamsson rapidwinder, to wind the rapidwinder, don't you have to take your hand off the lens focus ring?

Thanks,

James L.

-- James L. (sigpe57@yahoo.com), April 20, 2001

Answers

James:

Theoretically, you can advance the rapidwinder with your ring and pinky fingers while focussing and adjusting the aperture with your thumb/index/middle digits; thus making Tom's device a blessing for left-handed photographers. I say theoretically, because I could never get it to work efficiently for me, and I'm left-handed. For everybody in this forum that swears by the rapidwinder, you'll probably find another who swears at it. IMO, and others will surely disagree, the new winder M looks pretty slick as an alternative, and gives you a built-in hand grip -- for the hand that isn't doing much -- as a bonus.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), April 20, 2001.

Personally I like the Rapidwinder. It only adds about 3/8" to the bottom of the camera, and makes no noise. I've tried the Leica motor and though the quietest motor I've heard (by SLR standards), it still adds more noise than the shutter. As well, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the motor definitely causes a jerk upon release (after the shutter fires according to Leica), that I find quite disconcerting.

-- Bob Todrick (bobtodrick@yahoo.com), April 20, 2001.

buy film instead

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), April 20, 2001.

I tried out someone else's Rapidwinder for an afternoon. I am a leftie but my right thumb still gets enough nerve impulses from my shriveled left brain to work the wind lever faster and with less jarring than my left hand could work the rapidwinder. The thing that really made me dislike the rapidwinder was that sharp trigger jutting from the bottom. Although it seems like it might make a nifty support by jabbing it into the ground, my concern was what else it could get jabbed into in the course of the camera swinging around. Of course I could have folded it up each time I took a shot but what would the sense of that be? Two things I really think work just fine with the M Leica are the OEM wind lever and the OEM shutter release button and I don't care for the aftermarket add-ons to either of them.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), April 20, 2001.

If you need the rapid winding feature I would opt for the non Leica version without batteries and jerk at the shutter release. If you want the grip too it is available with the Rapidwinder.

I have one and do not keep it on the camera because most of the time I do not need it.

-- Steven Alexander (alexpix@worldnet.att.net), April 20, 2001.

The rapidwinder is especially useful for left eye shooters who otherwise have move the camera from their face to wind on.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), April 20, 2001.

So is the motor, John.

I've used both, and I'm one who prefers the motor. I could never find enough value in the Rapidwinder. I love the motor, especially for shooting with long lenses for some reason. I really like not having to think about anything but the image development between shots.

-- Paul Chefurka (chefurka@home.com), April 20, 2001.