Leica choice and photonet

[over exposure]

Hi guys..

 

Maybe this will look like a stupid post, but I want to thank you all

for this forum, because is even for all the things that I??ve placed

my eyes on in this forum that I decided to buy a Leica.

 

Convinced from the philosophy that lies in the back of the

rangefinder photography, and from the words of many Leica users, I

felled in love immediately with this camera, is incredible how much

addictive it is?K.

 

I??ve used many kind of cameras, landing even to a DSLR in the end,

but I can??t find another perfect tool like a Leica for personal

photography..: small, silent, handles even a not so gentle treatment

like nothing.. and so far from the PC headache?K??

 

Sold all the rest, kept a Bessa R, bought a Leica?Kthinking now at

many cameras used to emulate an M, I would even have saved money if

I would have chosen it at first?Kthis is about the Leica cost, that I

Agree is high,(I??m sure not rich) but you will not change her at the

next model, and you don??t need 10000 optionals, just a body and a

lens.

 

I would recommend it for all the guy who are in their indecisions

now, but are looking for a camera to make their photography?K.you

will not come back.

 

And I want to thank Andrea Taurisano for giving me the last push to

do it!!

 

Thank you for sharing your memories, anyway.

 

Friendly,

[beau 1664876222]

Gabriele, have fun with the camera. As one who has enjoyed your photos, I'm sure you'll use it very well. You're right that the M has an addictive quality -- getting mine caused me to take more pictures, and that's always a good thing.

[andreatau]

Addictive and contagious indeed. I also have got the "virus" from reading this forum, then I had the chance of handling a M7 and understood most of what those folks were talking about. Finally I bought a M6 and started using it, thus understanding what still remained to be understood. Never again without a Leica..

[mozart 2]

Gabriele:

 

Although I wasn't in on the beginning of this discussion, my congratulations on finally purchasing a Leica rangefinder. Now you have a "real" camera and can really concentrate on your photography.

 

When I was a kid - decades ago - one of our neighbors had an old screw mount Leica and nearly every holiday season - for a number of years - my family got to enjoy he and his wife's, Helen, travel photography. Even though "Eddy's" slides were projected with an old Argus or Airquipt (spelling ?) projection, they were incredibly sharp, exhibited a wonderful color range and differentation, etc.

 

As a young married man, I started off with an old Pentax (H3V) and found myself taking shots of people under all sorts of lighting conditions. I also found myself not being able to rapidly and accurately focusing under poor lighting conditions. So I traded everything in - which was much - and purchased my Leica M-4 with the then basic DR (dual range) Summicron, a MR-4 meter, a lens shade, and a "never ready" case. Fortunately, the camera shop from which I purchased my initial Leica equipment was still allowing people to purchase photographic items on a time pay basis. So at the cost of an additional 10%, I was able to make monthly payments of around $50.00 for about a year.

 

One of the very nice things about the Leica M system is that hardly any piece of equipment goes out of date. I ended up working at that camera shop for about 8-9 years and was able to purchase a number of additional lenses and accessories.

 

Many of our clientele were professionals, i.e. lawyers and doctors and every once in a while a physician would have to have the "latest" piece of Leica equipment. One doctor came in with a now old, 135mm 4.5 Hektor lens, which I promptly purchased and still have and used.

 

At the widest opening, this lens exhibits a little "curvature of field", i.e. the edges are a little soft, which makes it wonderful for some portrait photography. Stopped down by 1.5 to 2 stops, this old lens is still far sharper than many currently made lenses of the same focal length. Another minor aspect of the Hektor is that it's minimum aperature is F/32, which makes it nice for macro photography - I use it with the Visoflex III and a Bellows II. Of course, there is a final bit of (which may probably be true) somewhat useless information, whoever designed this lens named it after his dog. One of these days, I'll probably pick up a 135mm (black) Elmar F/4, but I'll still keep my old Hektor - for the reasons above. By the way, the focusing on this nearly 50 plus year old lens is still incredibly tight and smooth.

 

Obviously, you realize that you have a wide choice of (used Leica)lenses available at your budgetary disposal. At this point, my advice would be to make use of your current equipment as much as possible. One of the wisest things ever mentioned at one of the two Leica seminars that I had the opportunity to attend was the advice given by Walter Heun of E. Leitz, Inc., who conducted these two seminars, was something along the lines of 'bend your knees, move closer or farther away, change your perspective,' etc. In short, fully explore photography with what you have before going out and purchasing an array of equipment.

 

Of course, my other piece of advice is to search through the old Leica literature, books, etc. and listen (carefully) to the comments of well experienced Leica users before making your choices for future purchases. For example, among my small collection of lenses are the 35mm, 50mm and 90mm Summicrons with I am (mostly) pleased. At the time, I purchased my 90mm Summicron - from our Leitz representative (as a demo), - I had given careful consideration to the possible purchase of the 90mm Elarmit F 2.8 - mostly because I could (eventually) use it for portrait and close up photography with the Visoflex III and Bellows II which I eventually purchased years later. While the 90mm Summicron will work on this combination, its focusing range is somewhat limited. The 90mm Elmarit will, with this combination, focus from infinity to nearly 1:1.

 

Obviously, there is no 'right' choice - particularly when it comes to purchasing expensives lenses, but still one has to choose wisely as possible. So, again, take your time in the purchase of additional lenses. Even then, you may find yourself eventually purchasing two lenses of the same focal length and use them for different purposes.

 

I only wish I were a wealthy man so that I could "play" with different lenses sooner. Oh well.

 

Finally, I believe that this is enough "advice" and congratulations for now. Best wishes in your photography.

 

Bill

 

 

[over exposure]

Thank you all for your words.....I appreciated the advices ,too...I'll make treasure of every of them..

 

Ciao!