I asked this question inside another thread and am now really curious about the answer, so I thought I'd ask you all directly...

Part A: Is there an *AF* SLR that has its lens release button on the same side as my Leica M?

Part B: If so, do the lenses also screw on or off in the same direction as Leica?

Part C: If there is anything that meet both of the above criteria, it would be nice to know what direction the lenses turned to focus (manually) and what direction the aperture ring turned relative to Leica...

I realize that the R series meets these criteria, but alas, no AF... The purpose for the query is that since becoming proficient with my M, I have become disabled when it comes time to changing lenses quickly on my Nikon. I end up pushing on the DOF button to release the lens and then twist furiously in the wrong direction...

Thanks to all in advance for your answers!

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 15, 2001

Answers

Jack, have you tried holding the Nikon upside-down when changing lenses? ;>) I do commiserate though: even though Nikon's had AI since 1977 I still compulsively rack the aperture ring back and forth whenever I mount a lens, a holdover from years of using the FTn Photomic. After using Leica (R or M) for a while the Nikon 2-handed lens changing and lack of the little red indexing nubbin feels like a flawed design.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), November 15, 2001.

Pentax. It does focus the other way, though.

-- Wilhelm (bmitch@home.com), November 15, 2001.

Jack, I don't know the answer to your question but definitely empathize with you. Like Jay, I still rack Nikon lenses back and forth when installing them. Years ago this action was required to identify the max lens aperture for built-in meter. Actually, I even rack the lenses back and forth on my Leica R camera. Old habits die hard! Do I have to forfeit one lens or pay a penalty for such forgetfulness? Good luck in your search. Although the odds are probably against your success, you might just get lucky. Is AF really that necessary? I left Nikon for Leica because I didn't want to be forced into AF.

LB

-- Luther Berry (lberrytx@aol.com), November 15, 2001.

Jay, I was sipping on a soda when your response came through... Hard to look the cool professional when you're laughing uncontrolably and blowing soda out your nose :-) Anyway, kudos on the clever solution to my problem! But, I still look for that release button with the middle finger of my right hand... And yes, like you and Luther, I routinely "indexed" my AI and even my AF Nikon lenses up until my F5/F100's when I made the swithch from the aperture ring to the front command wheel. (He** no I don't like it, but I get 1/3 stops by using it, and the new lenses really seem to demand it...)

Wilhelm: How are the Pentax optics?

I guess maybe my best answer is to either put up with the Nikon/Leica dyslexia or give up on AF altogether and get an R...

Thanks for your inputs,

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), November 15, 2001.

Not Minolta AF, despite what I stated in yr question in other thread. Not Canon and not Nikon.

As stated above, you might effectively end with one of these (3 nice small and expensive 'retro-M' metal barrel AF "limited edition" lenses available + small, user friendly but plasticky body - new flagship MZ-S is more solidly built)..... ;-)

However both aperture and focus rings turn the "wrong" way.

Seems you are damned. The Contax N1 AF lenses have rings turning the "right" way. But, of course, the lens release button is on the "wrong" side....

-- Jacques (jacquesbalthazar@hotmail.com), November 15, 2001.