Friends,

Just need to let you know that I am now testing a pre-production Abrahamsson Rapidwinder for the Leica screw mount c, f, and g series. It is now sitting on my trusty IIf. I'll give you a report after a shoot a few rolls. But right now my little IIf is a very happy camper. What a transformation.

I have no idea when regular production will begin.

All the best,

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@suma.kobe-wu.ac.jp), May 30, 2002

Answers

Please post a picture of it attached to the camera (if it is OK with Tom of course).

-- ray tai (razerx@netvigator.com), May 30, 2002.

Yes, yes, we'd all like to see the beast. :-))

-- Skip Williams (skipwilliams@pobox.com), May 30, 2002.

Dear Friends,

Well first (gulp) a confession. I'm still somewhat in the Dark Ages when it comes to scanning and posting photos. I also am not sure if posting a photo of this prototype is really a good idea ethics-wise. I'd rather let Tom and Tuulikki post the first photo when this Rapidwinder is ready for the public.

But it is easily described. Imagine a shrunk silver Rapidwinder on a Barnack Leica. The trigger is the same as on the M Rapidwinder. There is no hole for a grip. As far as I know, there is not yet a Rapidgrip for this Rapidwinder in the works. (I would very much like to design it!)

This new Rapidwinder's looks are not exotic. What it does is quite exotic and would perhaps explain why it was so long in development. It must not only advance the film and reset the shutter but also turn the advance knob and the shutter speed dial.

I've set another rule for myself here. Since this Rapidwinder is a prototype--work-in-progress--I won't post the detailed technical critique that I'll be sending to Tom and Tuulikki. It would be like writing a book review of an unpublished and unfinished novel. What I will do is give some general impressions of what it is like using this winder on a Barnack Leica.

In fact I can give you some quick and rough impressions after shooting a few rolls over the day.

The first overall feeling is that of WOW--now the Barnack Leica can be wound rapidly. This really is something. If you have ever played with a Leicavit you know the feeling.

It takes some getting used to because your index finger is pressing the shutter release button between to revolving wheels--the advance knob and the shutter speed dial. This is of little consequence when advancing the film with the knob, but can be awkward with the Rapidwinder because you tend to leave your finger over the button. Care must be taken not let your finger interfer with the rotating shutter speed dial and the advance knob when rewinding. It takes only a little practice to do this. Nevertheless, a raised softrelease would help keep the finger out the way of those two rotation wheels.

I am using a IIf with the Rapidwinder. I put a VC 28/1.9 and Leica external finder on it. Today I used it with a long footed VC double shoe bracket and the VC meter. This was handy but too shaky to use in the field. I also found moving my eye from focusing window to external finder hard with the bracket. Also the meter kept falling off in the bag.

Needless to say, continuous framing, rewinding and shooting was easy with the Rapidwinder.

I purposely used a heavy and bulky lens (the VC 28/1.9) to test the balance of Rapidwinder. It was actually quite good. A future Rapidgrip might help matters more.

I found winding and shooting vertically more difficult than shooting horizontally. This is because of the rotating advance knob. (A raised softrelease would help matters IMO.) Still with a little practice one can shoot vertically without interfering with the advance knob.

I found the camera more comfortably balanced when hanging from my neck with the Rapidwinder. Without it and with the 28/1.9 the camera would tend to dip down. The Rapidwinder keeps it steady.

Today (or yesterday as this is past midnight!) I had the good luck of an old colleague visiting the university. We had a little tea party for her in my office and I could get some good and fast candids with the IIf / Rapidwinder. Today, I'm going to try some street photography with this combo.

The perfect combo I would think would be with the new VC 50/2.5 and the little VC meter. Very light and compact.

Yet, I must say that even with the big VC Ultron 28/1.9 I am surprised how compacted the whole combo is.

More later. Must sleep.

All the best,

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), May 30, 2002.

How does it compare to the leicavit?

-- adam g. lang (aglang@hotmail.com), May 30, 2002.

Hi Everyone,

Here is today's update. First, how does it compare to the Leicavit? Having played with a Leicavit but once in my life for only a few minutes I'm not really qualified to say. The Leicavit is certainly an elegant piece of work. It is also rare, expensive--it was 165,000 yen in the shop in Osaka where I played with it--and is virtually impossible to repair if broken. In other words, unless you have wads and wads of money to throw away, there is no reasonable choice between the Leicavit and the Abrahamsson Rapidwinder. Leave the Leicavit to the collectors. I speak as a consumer / artist, not simply as a friend of the Abrahamssons.

Now to the events of the day. Street shot with my IIf + winder + Ultron 28/1.9. With this winder the IIf turns into a formidable street camera. In some ways its feel and handling is better than that of the Ms'. The ability to shoot rapidly with a Barnack Leica is overwhelming! At first I shot with only an external 28mm finder and a hand held meter. Then I put on a VC double shoe bracket (long foot) and stuck the VC meter on it along with the 28mm finder. The feel was 200% better. That's how I'll work.

Got back three rolls of film. The sync is fine. In the first roll there was a stretch of about 4 or 5 frames that looked like curtain cut off when you mis-sync a flash. But this, I realised, was my fault. I had accidentally kept my finger on the shutter release button when rewinding. It took the camera about 4 or 5 frames to get back to normal. I did this again accidently with my last roll which I'll get tomorrow. The other rolls of film were perfect.

Though I said I wouldn't talk about technical problems I must break the rule in this case because I am puzzled and need advice.

The winder locked into my IIf with no problem. But it would not lock properly into my IIIf, though the rewind, if anything, was a touch smoother than with the IIf. Just to see if there was something radically different between the IIf and the IIIf I put the IIf's bottom plate on to the IIIf. No problem. The Rapidwinder is back on the IIf and working beautifully! So, experts out there: What do you think is the problem? The IIf's serial number is No 444244 and the IIf's is Nr. 547152. I should mention that Tom did express some concern about the locking mechanism before he and Tuulikki sent the prototype to me. He might already have a solution. But Imput please!!!

I don't think I have fully expressed the joy of shooting with this prototype Barnack Rapidwinder. The combo is so compact and so fast. I'll be out tomorrow with the IIf and the protype. I might try Summaron 50/2 + VC meter this time. Tried briefly today and the overall balance was very good!!

Ah, the joys and responsibilities of a test pilot!!

Until later.

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), May 31, 2002.

Friends,

Quick mini-update. Notice the locking in groove is longer on the IIIf than on the IIf. Both seem to have same width and and depth. If any of you want to say something about this now is your chance. Thanks!!

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4-u.or.jp), May 31, 2002.

Does the prototype rapid winder have the mechanism for opening and closing Leica cassettes? I'd really like one for my IIIf (I think--although I have a SCNOO for my IIIa I never use) but Not if it means going back to regular cassettes.

-- Robert Marvin (marvbej@earthlink.net), May 31, 2002.

Hi Everyone!

Today's update.

First Robert's question. No, I don't think it has a way of opening and closing Leica cassettes--but this is something I really know nothing about. To tell the truth, this Barnack Rapidwinder is opeing up the world of screw mount Leica cameras. But thank you Robert. This is a good question which I'll pass along.

My last film came out blanks. My fault. I had not cut the leader properly and the film didn't catch. A thought occurred to me. Could a leader cutter based on the fingernail cutter be devised? It could be made small and light enough to take into the field.

Back on my IIf the prototype is humming along. It is getting progressively smoother. Did a little street photography today with the Ultron 28/1.9 and the VC meter on the double shoe bracket. Am finding that the lock is adapting to the IIf nicely. Becoming easier to close and open. Still it needs a little tweeking to work perfectly. By the time this Rapidwinder sees production this should be no problem.

Best,

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), June 01, 2002.