Roger W. Hicks

Outdoor/TravelPro Techniques
Motorbikes, Trains, And Automobiles
Advice For (Photo) Road Warriors
Roger W. Hicks  |  May 01, 2005  |  0 comments

Photos © 2004, Roger W. Hicks, All Rights Reserved

We fly less than we used to. Terrorists don't worry us: realistically, flying is still far safer than driving. But we don't like the hassle, three-hour check-ins, restricted carryons, frequent x-rays, and endless security checks. In that sense, the terrorists have made us (and many other people) change...

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Classic Camera Reviews
Baldessa 1
Fun, Despite Its Performance
Roger W. Hicks  |  May 01, 2005  |  0 comments

The Baldessa 1 from Balda in the Schwarzwald is one of those cameras that quickens the heart of a collector simply by its looks: beautiful styling and a superb late-1950s West German finish. Unfortunately upon closer examination it turns out to be a bit of a bimbo (for the ladies, think of it as a himbo or dumb hunk--I don't want to be unduly sexist).

...

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The Leitz Thambar 90mm f/2.2
Why Is It Considered A Legendary Portrait Lens?
Roger W. Hicks  |  Apr 01, 2005  |  0 comments

Photos © 2004, Roger W. Hicks, All Rights Reserved

The 90mm f/2.2 Leitz Thambar is one of those few lenses that is always prefixed "legendary." Designed primarily for portraiture, it was introduced in 1935 in Leica screw fitting, 39mmx26 tpi. It seems to have been discontinued during World War II, although there are scattered reports of...

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Three (Unexpected) Uses For A Digital Camera
A New Tool For Some Old Tricks
Roger W. Hicks  |  Mar 01, 2005  |  0 comments

Photos © 2004, Roger W. Hicks, All Rights Reserved

Nikon (www.nikonusa.com) deserves near-unbounded praise for the D70. Not only is it an excellent camera, it also integrates extremely well into an existing Nikon system. This means you can put all kinds of wonderful things on the front. I have absolutely no...

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Classic Camera Reviews
Bilora Bella 44
Quite Simply, It's Cute
Roger W. Hicks  |  Feb 01, 2005  |  0 comments

What determines whether a camera is collectible? Quality? Technical ingenuity? Commercial success (or failure)? All of these things--but some deserve to be saved from the scrap heap just because they are pretty. The Bilora Bella 44 has little else to commend it. The lens is indifferent; the shutter limited; the 127 film needed to feed it is hard to find; film counting is by...

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Show Reports
Special Report: photokina
Trends On Diversity, Power, And Pride Of Workmanship
Roger W. Hicks  |  Jan 01, 2005  |  0 comments

Education, it is said, is what is left after you have forgotten everything you learned at school. Spotting trends is somewhat the same. You have to study something closely; then try to ignore all the details; then make sense of what you remember.

On this basis, I saw three trends at photokina. The first is that the center of gravity of the whole...

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Show Reports
Special Report: photokina: Studio Update--Lighting And Assorted "Weird" Gear
Roger W. Hicks  |  Jan 01, 2005  |  0 comments

We were profoundly grateful to George Schaub--our Beloved Helmsman, Chairman, and Leader--for telling us that he didn't want a laundry list of new products. Listing every improvement in electronic flash would take up half the magazine, and it would come down to one generalization for all anyway. Everyone's flashes are becoming more powerful and more...

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Show Reports
Special Report: photokina
Cameras: Medium And Large Format Update & A New (And Old) Rangefinder 35
Roger W. Hicks  |  Jan 01, 2005  |  0 comments

The most vibrant growth sector in high-end film cameras was undoubtedly rangefinder, with a completely new model from Zeiss and two substantially revised models from Voigtländer: I have already covered Leica a la carte elsewhere.

The lenses for the new Zeiss Ikon are really exciting: Distagon 15mm f/2.8, Biogons for 21mm f/2.8, 25mm f/2.8, 28mm f/2.8, and 35mm...

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Classic Camera Reviews
The Leica MP
And Now, "Leica A La Carte"
Roger W. Hicks  |  Dec 01, 2004  |  0 comments

All Photos © 2004, Roger W. Hicks, All Rights Reserved

 

The Leica MP is the greatest Leica for years--maybe decades. If you want a classic all-mechanical Leica, and you can afford a new one, this is the one to buy. That's all there is to it.

So much for the short review: how about a longer one? Well, it is best summed up in three words:...

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Classic Camera Reviews
Classic Cameras
Polaroid 600 SE
A Multi-Format Monster
Roger W. Hicks  |  Sep 01, 2004  |  0 comments

It's a brute: there's no doubt about that. With a 6x9cm back, 75mm lens, and finder, it's over 8" (200mm) tall and weighs well over 6 lbs or around 3 kg. That's one of the biggest, heaviest combinations, but the others...

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