Should I buy a...?

[Roger Hicks]

Roger,

I do not think there is anything wrong with folks asking which should they buy, they are looking for guidance and experience.

Dear Bill,

I totally agree. The thing is, you have to know a fair amount about cameras (or in the case you quote, guns) before you can judge whether an individual camera (gun) meets 'normal' requirements.

Although I have used both Ruger Mk. I and II extensively, the guns I have used have not been abused and they have not received amateur repairs -- unlike our Hi-Standard, inherently a gun I'd much rather have but which is, in the case of ours, too well worn and (especially) in need of a new firing pin. It's VERY picky about ammunition.

Someone else with a good one would no doubt rave about it.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[tripod]

Personally, I've had bad luck with Minox 35s and Oly XAs (several examples of each) while others rave about them.

 

[back alley]

i think it only makes good sense for many of us to ask and share our experiences with gear.
why?
because i can't find most of this stuff locally to experience it in person and i bet many others are in that same position.

why not then try to ascertain what you can from the experience of others?
joe

 

[myoptic3]

I agree w/ Mr. Alien (Sir). Shiny new objects are GOOD. We must have been crows in another life.

 

[BillP]

I agree w/ Mr. Alien (Sir). Shiny new objects are GOOD. We must have been crows in another life.

Or Cats...

Cat: You can't have my shiny thing. I found it, it's my shiny thing.
Rimmer: What are you driveling about?
Cat (producing yoyo): THIS is my shiny thing. And if you try and take it off me I may have to eat you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZqjLa2X3L8&feature=related

Regards,

Bill

 

[rxmd]

Good analogy, rxmd, but there is an intermediate possibility: a carpenter with both a hand drill for delicate work, and a power drill for when it's appropriate. I'd prefer to hire that one.

And then there's the other possibility: a carpenter with fourteen hand drills for delicate work, twelve power drills for when it's appropriate, two drills for underwater work, one that works in zero gravity, and one oil drilling rig. And if you google his name you find out that he has 14,258 posts at drillforum.org, where he as on average posted 25 postings per day discussing drills with other drill aficionados. I'd ask this one if I wanted to know something about drills, but I'd prefer NOT to hire that one for carpentry.

But I'm sure as of now we've all understood each other 😀

Philipp

 

[BillBingham2]

Did you see his "Show us your Black and Decker" thread?

Drill porn.


So what If the guy likes drills?

Is he hurting anyone?

Don't diss the guy, he's having FUN.

But is the wood? Enquiring minds want to know!

B2 (;->

 

[BillP]

*sigh*

Brace yourself chuck...

Am I the only one to find all this drill-talk a tiny bit boring....? 😀

Regards,

Bill

 

[back alley]

groooooooooooooan

 

[sebastel]

In the early to late '80s I did a lot with and eventually work at WANG Labs. I was in the NY Financial District, some of my friends were in one of the other districts that support the company that he worked at. He had a WANG OIS (Office Information System) word processor in his bedroom because he used to get ideas at all hours and wanted to capture them.

ah, i see.
though, i'd use a pencil and a paper notepad for that purpose. call me old fashioned, if you want to.

I was luckier at meeting cool people when I worked at CBS than at WANG. I worked with some geniuses both at customers and up in Lowell, but at CBS I got to meet Cindy Lauper, Charles Osgood and some others.
B2 (;->

certainly cooler. 🙂

cheers
sebastian

ps: weekend is soon!

 

[Ben Z]

But what are the chances of finding a good one today, if the camera or lens ceased production decades ago?

So much gets written (maybe copied would be a better word) about various cameras and lenses, especially Leica's, describing the optical "superiority" and also implying that there is much more precision and therefore much less sample variation than with other brands. I can't argue whether that was ever true, but when you pick up a camera or lens that's been around 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 or more years, even if if looks "mint" there's no guarantee of who's been inside it doing what. Not every drop leaves a telltale dent or scratch, and not every non-expert repair guy leaves telltale gouges on the screw heads and spanner slots. The used camera market has always put a rating system on cosmetics, with the assumption that unless noted, it's mechanically/optically working. But working doesn't necessarily mean it's working up to factory specs.

Bottom line, I wouldn't ever buy anything without a 2 week inspection period where I could return it without questions asked if I felt it didn't live up to my expectations, plus at least a 2-month warranty. That's why I've always bought from reputable brick-and-mortar sellers even if I paid a little more. I have gotten some winners and some losers, but never lost more than a few bucks of shipping on the losers.

 

[Roger Hicks]

That's why I've always bought from reputable brick-and-mortar sellers even if I paid a little more. I have gotten some winners and some losers, but never lost more than a few bucks of shipping on the losers.

Dear Ben,

I've always thought it was worth the modest premium, too, unless I can (a) inspect it on the spot and (b) get it silly cheap. That's why I've never used eBay.

My own suspicion is that hand assembly means more sample variation, but ideally around a higher mean quality standard -- and unlike a machine, the hand assembler won't turn out 50,000 cameras with the same fault...

Cheers,

Roger