Leica Newbie - A Tale of Redemption Part Two by way of M6.

[michael_beller]

Well, it was only a question of time. Instinct tells me that perhaps some of you already knew where this

tale was going from my 1st post about aquiring a Minilux to jumpstart a long lost passion. Thanks

again for everyone's eloquent replies in that thread, especially a luminous member who built an

exquisite hand crafted leather case for my Minilux at a nominal charge even though this case was out

of his production line.

 

As advised, I carried it everywhere - the car, my work bag, suitcase for traveling on business, shooting

images of the sides of buildings from POV angles that would make any Bush trained Partriot Act agent

of service nervous...

 

"Hey, hands off, I just liked the lines and composition of that grates on that wall! It will look great in

black and white, don't you understand? Contrast my man, contrast!", I may have posed to that agent if

this was actually a true event.

 

"Yea buddy, come with me and let's make sure you are not transmitting wireless images to the world at

large with that weird looking apparatus in your hand with an alien name."

 

Yes, perhaps a bit of drama building is neccessary here, for how else may one express such an event of

positive consequence? To spare one from excitedly nervous babble, I aquired an early black body M6

yesterday. My first Leica M or rangefinder for that matter. It was from a member on photo.net via his

innocent post on the local craigslist site. I had researched fervently online, consulted various Leica

pillars in the community, and the body I chose not more than a night earlier surfaced on a random

check of the venerable classified message board where most listings shouted the availability of "rare

and collectible" point and shoot Olympus palmed digital cameras that came out yesterday for "$5 under

retail." I am not knocking Olympus :)

 

The seller and I had amiable phone exchanges and decided to meet at a Starbucks (a serene location ;)

at my behest. It was a bit of a travel for him, nevertheless, he punctually arrived. We sat outside and

the unveiling began. Out of his white camera bag came the M6. Original box, case, manual, warranty/

registration card (early serial number as I had wanted), and of course the body in nearly pristine

condition. Oh yes, and a brand new Leica strap in an original vintage case (the original strap had

broken long ago.)

 

As he mentioned on his humble post, there were "one or two" small cosmetic flaws, I could not see any,

even if I held it up at high noon in the desert with a large magnifying glass, and even then would have

probably been hallucinating (from heat mind you :) He humbly blushed and said, "well, to some

collectors this is very important.

 

Of course I know this to be true having once been a sleep deprived collector of rare jazz LP's, vintage

industrial lamps and found objects. You know the drill. However, in this case, the miniscule (if they

were even there) cosmetic wear was not visible to me save for one maybe tiny blemish of complete and

utter compulsive disorder protest - and I checked believe me.

 

There was that anticipation as the case opened that well, hard to be eloquent about. You all know it

better than I...

 

At this juncture, this kind man my elder could have said, "Well, do you want it?"... or let me fiddle with

the shutter and other elements with me playing a false "in-the-know" role when not even knowing how

to check it thoroughly, looking upon me wth a sorry eye waiting to get the cash and blow out of there.

 

No, of course this would not be the case with a genuinely nice man, a Leica passion driven shooter.

Yes, he did use his cameras, which to my understandng is their purpose rather than cold storage for

ressurection in the Bladerunner age (shameless plug for a great film.) The mechanics were perfect, and

he took me through a top down inspection on what to look for and how to use various elements and

tests to ensure a long life for this little beauty.

 

Well, we could have been done there. I was sold. Nope-not over yet. He brought out a portable slide

viewer to show me some shots he had taken with this very body while on a recent trip to Europe to offer

an idea of what the images look like. This was not about a sale anymore, but more a genuine exchange

between an elder in the craft to a fledgling and determined new kid on the block.

 

The shots caught me off-guard - they were stunning. Truly. Almost ethereal. The landscapes were

perfectly composed with slopes of mountain sides falling into valley of vast beds of wildflowers and a

depth of field that caught me off-guard. Every tenet of composition and patience of good photography

as an art form were there...this was not a quick click digital image to post on flickr that could have been

my backyard for all I knew.

 

Slide after side was mesmerizing. I promise you this is true. I can at least humbly grant myself a

degree of aesthetic recognition, and this was the real deal. I sincerely hope if he is reading this post he

understands the talent that is readily and gently apparent. I could not stop dropping one slide after

next in the viewer. My Lord, are those blooms floating? - that must be photoshop - nope - just an

artist using a good hunk of metal to get at that essence of what he saw through his own eye. I'm

gushing; however, it was a humbling moment.

 

I slipped him the cash in a padded bank bag from an armored truck parked outside the coffee house.

Actually it was a wrinkled blank envelope from Wells Fargo dug out of my pocket. If was a very fair

price, and we were both happy to have made the transaction.

 

One last thing that perhaps gives the best insight into this gentle man... my mobile rings about a half

hour later. He says with grave concern - "Mike, Mike! I think we may have left the camera battery on,

and make sure we put it back on B as we discussed so the battery won't drain!" Who does that? Who

makes that extra effort with a call like that after the sale? Yes, he had mentioned this feature of

consequence previously in our meeting and how to prevent it, and of course, I forgot to check. He

added a couple more insights and we bid good tidings.

 

I could on with more serendipitous moments that day such as the father of one of the kids at my son's

birthday party later that afternoon turning out to be a passionate Leica M user of many years, and well,

long and excited conversations ensued even through the mayhem of Dave and Buster's sugar-fueled

kids running amok during the birthday extravaganza.

 

Now I have this metal, but no glass! The seller had brought a lens so we could view the finder and all,

but know I am lens-less! What to do? What is a great lens for this camera? Well the answer seems to

be many. Why would it not be? Leica lenses are the stuff of legend, and anyone reading this knows

that a heck of a lot more about it than myself.

 

I have narrowed it down to the following in order of choice for my first round. I not even know if I got

all the delicate coding correctly.

 

All M:

 

35mm Summilux f/1.4 ASPH - First choice and probably cost prohibitive at this point unless I can find a

friendly nice deal on a used piece.

35mm Summicron f/2 ASPH

35mm f2 Summicron later production

 

50mm Summilux f/1.4 ASPH

50mm Summicron f/2 ASPH

50mm f2 Summicron - gets confusing for me where in the production range is best. Perhaps I am

being too anal already!

 

I want to start off with one lens for both budget purposes and to learn the camera. I do not really know

if ASPH is that necessary for the price (?) I like to shoot street, architecture, and some medium

portrait.

 

If anyone here has good reputable sources to recommend for aquiring one of these, or even a lens from

their own vast collection (fat chance on that one, huh?), please let me know. One thing for sure, I will

not buy it from a source that has not been recommended and/or available to discuss or converse

through email about it. Also, I avoid buying something like this on eBay if I can.

 

Any advice or help would be appreciated. If you got this far, appreciate it and I value your opinion

greatly.

 

Best,

Mike

[michael_a._shapiro]

Congrats on the M6. Where to buy a lens? This site or cvug or rangefinder forum. Also, LUG (Leica Users' Group). Ah, and Popflash photo.

 

If cost is an issue (and it usually is) forget the asphericals and go with late models of other lenses. Using the lever on the front of your camera, decide whether you'd rather have a 35 or 50. Then get a summilux. A 35 should cost you about $1200, while a 50 should run about $750.

 

Check out cameraquest for info on the various lenses. Go to classic camera profiles, then look for Leica M, then the section on lenses. It is extremely informative.

 

Good luck.

 

PS

You want to put it in your pocket? Maybe a folding 50.

[wendell_kelly]

Find the time and the funds to send the camera to Sherry Krauter or Don Goldberg (DAG) for a proper CLA. You have a jewel but a jewel with some years on it nonetheless.

 

Once the CLA is done, your M6 will be a reliable friend for years. Just did this myself with my new gem, 24xxth M6 made. It will travel with me everywhere.

[mark_amos]

Michael, your story is familiar in its essence even though yours is specific to you and your memorable experience. I am simultaneously cynical of your romaticism and also drawn to your tale because of my own experience. The acquisions of your Leica is something in between buying your first fine car and finding relationship with your first fine girl. Clearly, getting a camera can not compare to meeting and cultivating a relationship with a companion, but the fact that you might actually reasonably enjoy this camera tool for a lifetime makes it something behond the car experience. Perhaps neither comparisons are relevant. When I buy anything, I like to know where it came from and where it has been. When I buy a tree trimmer at Home Depot, I read every bit of text on the advertisement/label. I look at where it was made and I look at how it was made as a cross-check to what I read. If I don't like some aspect of either, I go looking somewhere else. Tools are important, and their provenance affects how I use them.

 

Look at KEH.com for prices on lenses. I can't exlore that further now. You want what you want.

[erikhaugsby]

The Zeiss Biogon ZM 35mm f/2 is a phenomenal lens.

And it's less than $900 new.

[Troll]

Get an earlier (pre-ASPH) 35mm Summicron -- it doesn't matter which one, just so long as it's clean, scratch free, all the mechanics work smoothly, and there's no haze when you shine a flashlight through it.<P>Use it this way for a while. Then you'll know if you need something else, and if so what that may be.

[ewanc]

Welcome to the Leica newbie club. I bought my early black M6 more than a month ago and the lens I eventually settled on was a 35mm Summilux (pre-ASPH). You can check my version of the newbie tales in "Leica Adventure" category of the photo.net forum.

[michael_beller]

Thanks all. I am in the hunt for a 35mm Summilux or Summicron later series. Think I will

start there...as that was my intitial instinct. As far as an overhaul, maybe in the future -

seems pretty good and well taken care of for now. Thanks for the advice and contacts on

that end.

 

Mark - As it seems you know, romanticism is the fodder of cynicism. Funny though, having

no romance is about as mundane state one can place oneself. Guess that's why we do this -

pain and all. Thanks for the insight into your thoughts.

[asher]

The 35 summicron asph is a great lens. So is the 50 'cron. Hard to go wrong with just about

any of these lenses. Just pick one and shoot away.

[roland_schmid]

Wow. There are some really great romanciers at photo.net. By the way: 50mm Summicron f/2

ASPH would be best but it doesn't exist yet.

[memphis1]

other lenses :

canon 50/1.2 screwmount with a good leica or voigtlander adapter

 

summarit 50mm f1.5

 

nikkor 85/2 in screw mount (get the 90mm adapter, no you can't use the same adapter for the 50 and the 90)

 

summar 50mm f2 (great b/w lens -- but many out there are in lousy shape)

 

elmarit 90mm (the first version with lots of chrome - set you back only $200-$300 as with all of my picks)

 

elmar 90mm m mount collapsible (only f4, but very elegant andf does produce great images)

 

some of the cv lenses are outstanding as well

 

summitar 50mm, don't be scared of vintage lenses -- you'll find some very affordable leica lenses at next to nothing costs)

 

elmarit 135 f 2.8 is another lens, but beastly heavy

 

 

I could go on, but there's no need --- there's many options

[john_r._fulton_jr.]

I'm with Bill Mitchelll. It just doesn't get any better than a 35mm Summicron when you're

starting out. In fact, they are great life-time lenses. Small, sharp, affordable and made by

Leica/Leitz. I can't remember anybody EVER complaining about their 35mm Summicron. BTW,

it's generally thought to be sharper at f2.0 than the 35 Summilux classic is at f2.0. The

Summilux classic also only focuses to 1-meter while the chron goes down to .7 meter. That

is a big plus for the Summicron.

[bert_keuken2]

Get a nice Summicron 2.0/35mm. Great lens, small form factor, not too expensive. Have fun shooting, enjoy results.

[john_elder1]

What Bert K says.

[mark_amos]

Michael, you gave a great post and thank you for your specific response to my comments. I must say that I have never had a f1.4 summilux Leica of any type, but I do have the current 50 cron and 35 cron aspherical, as well as other Leica M and Voigtlander lenses. I have a Leica 40 cron-C from 1972 or so, and I have read that its overall character is similar to the Leica 35 pre-aspherical crons. Although my 35 cron aspherical is better technically than the great 40 cron, as stated by others, any 35 cron will be a very satisfying and even superb lens. To me, the problem is that sometimes you want smoothness or gentle bokeh, but often you will appreciate the ability of an aspherical lens to seem to capture greater apparent depth of field by its abberation correction, and this is a benefit if this is achieved still with a smooth enough transition to out of focus areas.

 

I have had a lot of Nikon equipment but not all Nikon or Leica, but I would say that the Leica 35 cron aspherical is the best lens I own and use because of how it is so clinically sharp and flat of field, but also has decent focus fall off even as it seems to extend the apparent depth of field. My kit choice for all time would be my M6 classic and that lens. Many seem to think you can get this same benefit with an advantage of one stop with the 35 summilux aspherical, but it will cost you in the bank and in the size of the lens. I chose cheaper (not cheap) and small size. Thanks and enjoy!

[karl_georg_wolf]

>>> Mike

 

 

 

thx for this story and the time you took to tell it here, great post. You will certainly soon run into a lens you get on with.

 

After you decided for the focal length, borrow one - s/h ones should be available somewhere not too far from your place - for some days and try it out.

 

But it?s a dangerous adenture, there will soon be the lust for more, of focal lenghts that is ... There are simply too many frames in that v/f.

 

 

 

Best

[asher]

Roland said <i>"Wow. There are some really great romanciers at photo.net. By the way:

50mm Summicron f/2 ASPH would be best but it doesn't exist yet."</i><p>

 

I can only assume you were referring to my post just above yours- read it again. I said the 35

'cron asph is good, as is the 50 'cron. No mention of a 50 'cron asph. But it's all bullcrap

anyway- just pick any damn Leica lens and shoot!

[roland_schmid]

Asher, I was referring to Michael: "50mm Summilux f/1.4 ASPH 50mm Summicron f/2 ASPH

50mm f2 Summicron - gets confusing for me where in the production range is best. Perhaps

I am being too anal already!" You should read the whole thing, it is really worth it ;-)

[larrybc]

Michael, congratulations on your new Leica. I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed you're story. You're an excellent writer!

 

- larsbc

[anselm_priest]

i was lens less for awhile after buying my m6, then funds being tight i bought my

Summicron-C 40mm, just a beautiful lens. I am really pleased with the results.

 

It is well worth checking out and great value for money

 

Welcome to the club..

Anselm

[michael_beller]

Ok-so I guess my story was a little over the top. My lady would like for me to be a hopeless romantic with her in the same way, however we all know the answer to that one...um...sorry dear...we are talking about Leica here :)

 

Thanks for everyone's advice. I opted for a pre-ASPH late version Summicron 35 f/2 (serial # 39xxxxx or whatever the sequence.) It comes Tuesday from a private vendor who happens to be an advertiser in one of the photo magazines of national stature the company I work for owns. (I work on the car magazine side.)

 

 

I mention to him that if there is something wrong with the lens (such as a blemish on the rear cap at high noon), I will ban him from advertising in the magazine again. Just kidding if he is reading this...though I could do such a blasphemous thing ;)

 

Mark - totally get you on the clarity/depth of field on the ASPH, so maybe some day. For now, I am going to have fun with this baby.

 

Also, as a guilty pleasure I picked up a 50mm f/2 Summitar in nice conditon for a fair price from a photographer on this site. I like the B&W contrast and "vintage" look of images I have seen taken with this lens. Now I need to find a screw mount...darn.

 

Thanks again all. You guys rock. Look for another story of escalating proportions brewing in the midst...

 

Mike

[michael_beller]

Correction - the 35 f/2 serial # is actually 36xxxxx, not 39xxxx - my bad. 39x wuld probably be ASPH or something.