I'm Spoiled

I'M SPOILED!

I've been shooting lately with a brand-new (to me) Leica Standard (1938) with 50mm Elmar. What a wonderful little package -- for most practical purposes just as compact and usable as my SONY RX100/V.

I don't really miss auto-focus, as I mostly shoot medium distance subjects, which are easily estimated, and covered by DOF anyhow.

I also don't miss auto-exposure since my Kodak Pocket Guide works quite nicely with Tri-X (and EFKE 25) in virtually all light and weather conditions when the f:16 rule doesn't apply.

I am amazed, however, how much the absence of a zoom lens/and finder bothers me, ruining the spontaneity. (Separate 28, 35, and 90mm lenses with their myriad set of finders just ain't the same.)

Like I say: I've been spoiled!

I have wanted one of those for a while now. There is something very seductive about them. I am not too bothered by the lack of a zoom - after all, many photos I take are on my phone, which has a prime lens. Not only that, but it's inadequate for some subjects, being a wide-angle. Apple has the right idea with the dual lens models.

 

Back in 2005 or so, I had a D1 and a couple of Barnack Leicas. One thing that stood out was that you could stack four Leicas together and they'd be more compact than a D1. The image quality was also in the Leica's favour. The Nikon did have one thing which the Leicas could never dream of, and that was speed.

The only (real) Leica I have used extensively was a Model III. I did not find the experience transfiguring, although I do admit it was a lot better than the Kodak Sigma 35.o_O

 

I have shot with Zorkiis and FEDs, but I remain a Contax and Kiev fan boy.

Unlike JD, I only got to "play" with Brad Clovens "new M-3" a few minutes when he recognized lust in my eyes! That's what started the Fed & Zorki craze. You might look into a KMZ Turret finder. I find it a gem with the 3 current lenses in the FSU kits (35, 50 & 135mm Jupiter's). Aloha, Bill Edited February 10, 2018 by Bill Bowes

I had a Russian turret finder, which was grossly inaccurate.

I also have a Zeiss turret finder, which is moderately inaccurate, and a Leica Imarect finder which seems to be exactly 100% accurate.

My three are spot on. . . luck of the draw for sure. Aloha, Bill