rangefinderforum user leicashot recently visitied the sulfur mines at Kawah Ijen, a volcano in east Java, featuring the world’s largest lake of sulfuric acid. Around the lake, between clouds of sulfur dioxide gas, some 400 workers collect rocks of pure sulfur, which they then carry over four kilometers down to the processing plant at the foot of the mountain – for a handfull of dollars a day.
leicashot’s report features some stunning pictures of the mountain, the workers, the processing plant and its surroundings, as well as a report on his first-hand experience being caught in a cloud of sulfur dioxide gas for ten minutes – from the impact of which he claims he is still suffering. The pictures were taken using a Leica M9, a pre-aspheric Elmarit-M 28/2.8 and a Voigtländer Nokton 35/1.2. You can find his post here @ rangefinderforum.
Today, Steve Huff from stevehuffphoto.com did me the honour of publishing a little essay I wrote, entitled “How I became a rangefinder aficionado”. It’s about, well, how I became a rangefinder aficionado 
Those of you who frequently visit my site might already know how I came to use rangefinder cameras, as I’ve been writing on that topic in earlier posts. But if you’re interested in reading a more extensive essay about what I think and how I feel about rangefinder cameras, feel free to visit my article at stevehuffphoto.com.
Thanks again to Steve for publishing my article on his website!
Here’s another review of interest to all Leicaphiles – Kirk Tuck‘s take on the new Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH., the one that allegedly doesn’t suffer from any focusing issues anymore. (Just a reminder: the first ASPH as well as the older pre-ASPHs all suffer from focus shift when stopping down. This problem has now been taken care of by introducing a floating element into the lens’ design. This floating element changes its position relative to the rest of the lens elements depending on the focusing distance, ensuring in this way a close-to-ideal focal plane at any distance and aperture setting.)
It is a rather subjective review written by a professional photographer who – despite mainly using DSLRs for his pro work – has always had an affection towards Leica gear, and used about any Leica M camera of the last few decades. He’s also used many a glass during his career, not few of which were Leica optics. So it’s safe to assume he’s got something valuable to say about this lens.
As always, I won’t spoil you with Kirk’s findings here, but let me just point out his bottom line: It’s probably the best 35mm lens around, but you can do without it.
Or can you? 
Read his full review of the new Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH here.
CNET Asia have just posted their take on the Leica V-Lux 20, Leica’s latest compact camera, feauturing a 12x 25-300mm zoom lens, 12 megapixels and a GPS module. The camera is technically a re-branded Panasonic TZ10/ZS7, which has the same features, but comes with extended warranty, a copy of the latest Photoshop Elements and slightly tweaked firmware.
In their review, CNET Asia compare the V-Lux 20 to its cheaper Panasonic sibling, and the results are quite interesting (but no spoilers here, as you might want to read the review yourself! )
Their bottom line: “The V-Lux 20 is a good compact for shutterbugs who want to try out a Leica camera. It is also one of the most affordable offerings from the acclaimed German camera maker.”
Read the full CNET Asia review of the Leica V-Lux 20 here.
Don’t believe that? Look here!
Picture © by Steve Huff
This is one of the samples from Steve Huff’s latest lens review, featuring the legendary Leica Summilix-M 50mm f/1.4 – of which some say it is the best lens ever made for 35mm photography! (Of course we all know that lens is the new Noctilux f/0.95 … )
For more pictures fromt the 50 ‘lux on the M9, and for Steve’s verdict on this camera/lens combo, read his review.
Buy the Leica Summilux-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH lens from B&H Photo Video Audio!
September 2nd, 2010, 1:39 pm | 
