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A new photography pageon the net, dealing largely with Leica M use, and a Question


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Hi Leica fans,

 

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I've just put together a new photography page, with what I hope are interesting tidbits. A 2 second shutter speed for early Ms, dealing with film, how to shoot the moon, improvising a tripod on short notice, etc. Hope that you like it, and sorry all those jpegs take so long to load. You did want to see the new 15mm Heilar in action, along with an f/1 shot with the Noctilux, didn't you?

 

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http://www.wizard.net/~tbryant/photo35.html

 

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Question:

 

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I've just acquired an old M4 (for the price of a New M6! Well, I like the less flare prone viewfinder and self timer) and I find it's TOO good. The thing's in teriffic shape, just a hair less than what some would call mint. Now I'm squirrly about using it. When a single small scrach is worth about $300, one has pause! This is not the correct attitude for the camera! It begs to be used, with it's excellent fast loading and rewind crank, it should be giving my M3 a run for the money.

 

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Now. How does one best protect an M body? Electrician's tape is an old standby, but it turns to a gooey mess if you happen to leave the camera in the sun on a hot summer's day. Gaffer's tape is also recommended, but it leaves a white residue that might damage the chrome, for all I know. A "never" ready case is just that.

 

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Any ideas that you might have would be welcome.

 

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TIA

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I have empathy for you. I have owned 6 leica rangefinder cameras and

am frustrated by the implied value preventing the hard use that they

are capable of. When I dreamed of owning a Leica, the dreams of

being the next HCB were dashed when I realized the amount of money I

was holding in my hand. It wasn't until I got my second, third and

fourth M bodies that that origional M3 double stroke was religated to

my "beeter" status and I got some great shot with it after I stopped

worrying about hurting it. I have an almost mint M2R that never goes

out side because of the same concerns that you have. I recomend that

you seek out an ugly scratched up M body and use it. Keep your M4

operable by cycleing the shutter at all speeds periodically. But if

you act like your camera is a fine piece of fragile crystal, it is no

longer a camera.

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Don't totally be put off the never-ready case. For years I used just

the bottom half of the case without the flip over bit. It certainly

really helps to protect the camera - and I found the leather nicer to

hold. The drawback is that I put my camera on a table top tripod for

many shots for steadying it during slower shutter speeds and it

becomes a pain removing the case. What really did it in though was if

you go over to a quick release system which I now have done. Still in

my opinion nothing really protects like an ER case. I wish I could

still use them.

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I am fond of the lenses for my Leica M system. The optics'

ability for making images far exceeds my ability as an optics critic.

But what makes my M camera such a great tool for me is simply the M

ergonomics - is it "usable" and it cries out to be used. Like some

folks (or many), I cringe when these things are placed on shelves or

in drawers or behind glass cases. There seems to be a wide margin

between people who collect and people who use, with very few in

between. Your M4 was manufactured to be used, i.e. it is not one of

those "collectable" models. A scratch or a rub mark and plenty of

photographs are more important and more valuable than a pristine

camera with no pictures. So use it to the max, soak in the feel of an

original, let it become a natural extension of your eye/hand, and

PLEASE don't use any sort of tape on it!

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Somehow, the older (shiny brown leather) Everready cases of the 50s

and 60s seemed a little less unweildy than the modern monster case,

which adds 3/4 inch to the height of the camera-its unnecessarily

padded at the base.

 

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Luigi Crescenzi of Leicatime,http://www.leicatime.com, who is a major

and reputable used Leica dealer from Italy lists shiny leather half-

cases for the M6, which fit the bottom half of the camera. A sensible

idea, depending on the price.

 

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I'm not sure I agree that the cases get in the way entirely. I've

seen pictures of either Larry Burroughs or Robert Capa walking around

in the jungle with E.R. cases on cameras. Wonder how they kept the

fungus off though...

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You either collect cameras or use them. If you bought the M4 to use

it, then that is what you should do with it. If you bought it for

its collector's value, then put it on a shelf or sell it and by an

already beaten up M4, pocket the difference or buy another lens for

it. About gaffer's tape. If you are using real gaffers tape (the

stuff that's about $20 a roll), it shouldn't leave white residue on

the camera. I've left gaffers tape on surfaces for as long as a

year, and it's peeled off cleanly.

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Many thanks to all who answered. I'm delighted that the photography

page pleased so many of you!

 

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The M4 has gone to it's first shoot, an occasion that cried for a 35mm

lens, quiet operation and a hair trigger fast shutter release. It

acquited itself very nicely, with nary a scratch.

 

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The cases some of you mentioned just won't slip into my pocket, so I'm

going to try gaffer's tape. I'll post the results of this experiment

on my web page when I've got something worth reporting.

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I owned Leicas during the 80s, but in a moment of weakness

(stupidity?) sold my last Leica M3 (good user) with 35 f2.8RF,50 f2,

and 135 f3.5 (Canon) in 1991 for a total of (can you believe it?)

about $950. Since then I've owned a nice Canon P and a Leica IIIC, but

I've always longed (lusted, really) for another M3. Well, a few weeks

ago I lucked up on another M3 user with a dinged top plate and a

brassed 50mm Summicron for $675! The viewfinder is bright and clear,

the lens has great glass, and I don't think I'm going to let this one

go. I have to say that if I owned a near-mint or mint Leica, I would

be afraid to use it. But with this one, I have no worries.

 

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Some of my previous Leicas were nicer looking than this one, though,

and I covered them with black masking tape. It looked good, protected

them against everything except really hard blows, and left no residue

when I peeled it off. I had to replace the tape every year or so

because of normal wear and tear -- better the tape than the camera!

I've never tried electrician's tape. I have a feeling it would make

the camera more slippery than I would like.

 

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My two cents worth -- and I just had to tell somebody about my

acquisition!

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  • 1 month later...

My M3,Ziggy has been with me these past 33 years.Sure he has dings and scratches.The chrome is worn thru and the brass glows golden.The collapsible Summicron the main angle of vision.I carry it almost everyday.I use it on assignments with SLR or alone on my photo walks.I`ve stopped worrying about the look.The box is not for sale.

Ziggy feel proud as me about a Poster print collected yesterday.Agfa HDC and its very fine grain.Its really sharp,hand held.So enjoy your camera.It was made to really work hard.Mine has done more than 2,500 folms in sub zero to desert.All in all the M3/Ziggy is as good a shape as me.

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Try self-vulcanizing rubber tape. You can find it at electrician

stores. A bit thick, it sticks to itself, and not to the surface you

apply it to. So it's handy for wrapping things- like things you want

to protect and/or make look less interesting, and yet not damage with

adhesive.

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