For all you newbie's and all us oldies.

[mfunnell]

No! Give me a book I can hold in my hands, read in the bathtub, put on my shelf for reference.

While I appreciate bound books (and have the overflowing bookshelves to prove it) e-books have their place, especially if the book might not happen otherwise.

...Mike

 

[kshapero]

No! Give me a book I can hold in my hands, read in the bathtub, put on my shelf for reference.

I am also old school and prefer this. but if it must be an e-book, I am not knowledgeable to pipe in. maybe both, I hope. What to include and exclude is a tough call. I say all recent Leica, Zeiss and Voigtlander offerings, also the Rd-1(s), but the whole mirrorless thing (Fuji, Oly NEX, etc) hard to say. I lean towards a no, but I would not be bothered if you did. The problem with the digital slippery slope is that the minute you publish, they will superseded by something else. Best of luck and please to everyone reading this: once the book (ebook) is out buy it and don't make copies for your friends. Tell them to buy it.😉
Best,

 

[Roger Hicks]

No! Give me a book I can hold in my hands, read in the bathtub, put on my shelf for reference.

I completely agree, but as Mike put it, e-books have their place, especially if the book might not happen otherwise.

I don't think it would happen otherwise.

Cheers,

R.

 

[MartinP]

For the sort of 'new' camera that is included, I would exclude anything auto-focus. The 'point' of this sort of camera is to be in control of viewing and focussing, independently of automation (though an electronic ranging system would be ok) and the lens fitted - that would include manual scale-focus cameras with a viewfinder perhaps, oops. If not, then every autofocus point-and-shoot should be included as they are small, don't (always) have TTL viewing and often have a viewfinder of some sort. The likes of the X100 are not rangefinder cameras, unless a submarine is a fish.

Regarding distribution, for practicalities a PDF would continue to be optimal I suppose. Are there online print-on-demand publishers who can take a PDF file as input, assuming the page-size etcetera are carefully chosen? That might provide a paper option for those who want it, though the price per copy would be higher of course.

 

[faris]

+1 e-book; pdf.

 

[GaryLH]

Roger,

I use iPad and will eventually get the new kindle (4-6 week wait). I would prefer PDF format. Sometimes the best way to illustrate appoint is w/ a picture or diagram.

Gary

 

[Roger Hicks]

For the sort of 'new' camera that is included, I would exclude anything auto-focus. The 'point' of this sort of camera is to be in control of viewing and focussing, independently of automation (though an electronic ranging system would be ok) and the lens fitted - that would include manual scale-focus cameras with a viewfinder perhaps, oops. If not, then every autofocus point-and-shoot should be included as they are small, don't (always) have TTL viewing and often have a viewfinder of some sort. The likes of the X100 are not rangefinder cameras, unless a submarine is a fish.

Regarding distribution, for practicalities a PDF would continue to be optimal I suppose. Are there online print-on-demand publishers who can take a PDF file as input, assuming the page-size etcetera are carefully chosen? That might provide a paper option for those who want it, though the price per copy would be higher of course.

Thanks, Martin: a trenchant analysis, especially in the highlight.Being rigorous would mean dropping the Contax G-series and Fuji X100, though, and I think I'd at least mention them in passing.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Godfrey]

For the sort of 'new' camera that is included, I would exclude anything auto-focus. The 'point' of this sort of camera is to be in control of viewing and focussing, independently of automation (though an electronic ranging system would be ok) and the lens fitted - that would include manual scale-focus cameras with a viewfinder perhaps, oops. If not, then every autofocus point-and-shoot should be included as they are small, don't (always) have TTL viewing and often have a viewfinder of some sort. The likes of the X100 are not rangefinder cameras, unless a submarine is a fish.

I don't want to get into a debate about what ought or ought not to be included. I'd say that's a point up to the judgment of the author. Some AF cameras are well within the "rangefinder aesthetic" whereas many are not, e.g.: the Contax G system, the Konica Hexar AF, the X100 and Leica X1/X2. Whether a camera has a built in viewfinder or not (like Leica I series cameras ...!) is also a judgement call I leave to the author.

Regarding distribution, for practicalities a PDF would continue to be optimal I suppose. Are there online print-on-demand publishers who can take a PDF file as input, assuming the page-size etcetera are carefully chosen? That might provide a paper option for those who want it, though the price per copy would be higher of course.

Various print-on-demand publishers/printers (MagCloud.com, Blurb.com to name two I'm familiar with) can take PDF masters to print with ... all that's required is to use the templates they provide for layout so that the book fits their publishing process and output formats. These are quite specific — you need the book source material to fit the templates properly. Been there, done that ... ;-)

- PDF is better for page layout oriented work, which is usually what you've got with lots of illustrations and photos.

- epubs are better for mostly textual works as the reader software can resize and 'flow' the text to fit as appropriate to the settings a user makes.

- Neither PDF nor epub replaces a printed book ... although many books these days are electronically published only, due to production costs and expected audience. (I can't sit in the bathtub with my iPad or Kindle reader, but almost anywhere else is fine. Note that nearly all of my reference material is on my iPad, which is almost always with me, so for reference purposes having a paper book on the shelf is nowhere near as useful as having an ebook in my iPad that I can reach for at any time.)

onwards!
G

 

[rbiemer]

I would love to have an updated/expanded version of this book, Roger!
My preference would be a print edition but if an e-book is the reality, then that would be OK.
I don't know enough about electronic publishing to offer anything other than a self centered opinion about format; if I can read the new edition on any of my current hardware--Nook, laptop, and phone--I don't have any preference.

Would we still be able to get a signed book plate for it? 😀
Rob

 

[Roger Hicks]

I would love to have an updated/expanded version of this book, Roger!
My preference would be a print edition but if an e-book is the reality, then that would be OK.
I don't know enough about electronic publishing to offer anything other than a self centered opinion about format; if I can read the new edition on any of my current hardware--Nook, laptop, and phone--I don't have any preference.

Would we still be able to get a signed book plate for it? 😀
Rob

Dear Rob,

Sure. Just Stick it over the screen...

Cheers,

R.

 

[mynikonf2]

You can count on another sale to me. I'm always interested in your photographic advice.

I once worked for a coppersmith who often said, "...if you see someone struggling to get a job done, they either do not have the right tools for the job, or they just do not understand what they are doing." Listening to the wisdom of others (be it craftsman, artist, doctor or even, most clergy) has transformed most of my struggles to live, into one of a more reflective journey but, I digress. 😀

Yes, count me in for the e-book.

 

[Ming Rider]

+1 for an ebook please.

P.S. It should just concentrate on the M5.

Now there's an idea. "Roger Hicks - My hatred of the Leica M5." "Read exclusive extracts of my new book tomorrow, only in the Mail on Sunday." 😀

 

[David Hughes]

What's an e-book, please?

If it's like a pdf of, say, a camera manual, how will you get the dog ears and dirty marks on it as a rewrite? ;-) And won't people be able to copy and pirate it?

Anyway, go for it as I like your books. Especially "Pictures That Sell" with Ray Daffurn.

Regards, David

 

[rjx]

I'd like to read a new edition 🙂

 

[kshapero]

Any updates on this, Roger?

 

[Paul Jenkin]

+1 for an e-book (downloadable for Android kit, please). I have no idea what I'm talking about other than my Google Nexus 7 is, apparently, "Android" and no use whatsoever for Apple compatible only software.

 

[willie_901]

EPub and PDF are not platform specific. Botha re easy to read and scale to any device.

 

[danielsterno]

To me the bible of our craft still remains to me to be the classic book by Roger Hicks and his better half Frances Schultz, "Rangefinders, Equipment, history, techniques". this is it par excellence. I frequently go back to the technique section to review their excellent advise on metering, etc. Strictly film but the information is timeless. bravo or as Roger says, Cheers!

Thanks for the post, as a newbie-M6 2 days old to me, I will look for Rogers book, I still like real books as well- is it available through Amazon or directly through a web site of Rogers?- Thanks again for the post

 

[Tijmendal]

I'd be interested in an e-version for sure! (PDF maybe?)

 

[RBruceCR]

I'm in! I wanted to buy the printed version for my birthday but will suspend the purchase until further notice!