marcus_andrewes Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 I just thought that I would record that, after it sat in a Pelican case for 4 years and shot not one image whilst my Nikon DSLRs worked hard, I have flicked my entire Leica M set (M7, Noctilux, Tri- elmar and 90mm f2). I now have another Nikon D3 body, some new Nikon glass and - just to keep up appearances - a pair of the baby 10x25 Ultravid binoculars! Do I miss it? Sort of. I miss it as 'stuff' and I miss the experience of owning it - but I decided that it was pointless at this stage of my business/personal life to own cameras that are not working for me. Will I buy M stuff again? Yes - and I would probably be using R now if it had autofocus. It will have to wait until I can afford it as a 'toy' though. FWIW I did think about keeping the lenses and getting an M8, but it just is not good enough and a DSLR costing 30% of the cost will take better digital files. If the M8 was modular and could be easily upgraded so that when 30Mp sensors are the norm it won't just be a nice paperweight, I may have thought about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicaglow Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Marcus, Sorry to hear you booted the Leica. I've actually been using my M system a lot more lately for the sheer joy of shooting with it and connecting to my subjects in a way I don't find with my Nikon or Canon DSLRs--no beauty queens in my bag. To each his own. I would love to be able to shoot digital with Leica lenses though. I sold my Noctilux in the early 80's and missed it ever since. Never had the money to buy another one again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emraphoto Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 "a dslr costing 30% of the cost will take better digital files" by that rational there is no point in ever owning another m, film or digital. mind you, if you had used an m in the past you would know that it's value is not measured in mere picture quality alone. if it's size, operating manner etc. is of no interest to you or does not fall into a category of "needs" then you're in business with the nikons (which i hear are great camera's) i'd suggest one day you actually pick up an m8 in it's current form, blow some frames and lay your eye's on some prints. at least then you can make an accurate judgement as per it's ability. is it a nikon d3? no. was the m6 an f5? no. they are distinctly different beasts with one being slightly more of a "beast". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User_503771 Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Well, I always figure that the best camera is the one I'm actually making photos with. The best photos are the ones that actually get taken. If you were leaving it in the bag, I'm sure you had your reasons. You're the best one to figure out which tool to pick up at any given moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_ginman Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 My Leicas have been in their bags for about 3 years, and it is only inertia that has stopped me selling them. I always thought I would use them for the rest of my life, but digital has changed that. They are great objects, but I just can't see myself using film again, so I will sell them at some point. Shame Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kentigern Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Well, since I bought my Leica M kit I've hardly used my Nikon D70 dSLR at all. In the past 12 months I've probably taken over 3500 shots on film and maybe 500 with the D70. In the previous 12 months it was perhaps 1500 shots on the D70 and zero on film. Just goes to show it's a diverse world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_neuthaler Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 When I pick up my SL or SL2; when I tuck one of my 5 screwmounts (1A, II, IIIa, IIIc or IIIf) into my jacket -- I feel something that constantly renews my love of Leica precision and workmanship. I wish I could talk to Barnack about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne_crider4 Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Hard thing to do sometimes, but I did the same with a bunch of other equipment but instead got a Leica. A few more items and I'll be down to my goal of only owning two cameras. That'll be the day I'll celebrate. But I can't justify the DSLR's tho. Every six months it's a new model with better spec's and the plastic devalues quickly, but it doesn't matter if your a working pro; Write it off! Luck with the new stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus_andrewes Posted May 15, 2008 Author Share Posted May 15, 2008 If anyone wants to buy a Noctilux, I got mine in Singapore through an AD there and it was much cheaper than my home country, especially as I claimed the GST back on departure. May have forgotten to declare it on arrival home - not sure....!! As I say, I will probably have another - once you had one, I think you are hooked - but it will probably be an M6 not a 7 if it is film and won't be digital until they get with the program a bit more. An R series maybe...! BTW I was a little disappointed to find that my new Leica Ultravid binos are made in Portugal of all places! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
._._z Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 "I can't justify the DSLR's tho. Every six months it's a new model with better spec's and the plastic devalues quickly" If the plastic devalues, oh my, what is one to do? Yeah, forget about actually using it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB_Gallery Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Well, if I ever decided to not use a camera system anymore, I am not sure I would feel the need to post a bye-bye, but to each his own I guess. I have a fairly large Nikon film and digital system, but I still use my Leica system a lot. Nothing will replace Leica for me, it is outstanding and virtually unmatched for what it is designed to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Digital camera user issues. Thanks God my Leica is still small enough to fit into my coat`s pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
._._z Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 "if I ever decided to not use a camera system anymore, I am not sure I would feel the need to post a bye-bye" It's quite the amusing forum-post over at dpreview, where brand-jumpers get 100+ mreesage replies to their goodbye postings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john carter Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Funny, how we are different. I have one Leica and 2 DSLRs. I never use the DSLRs and always have film in the Leica. I would 'flick' the DSLRs but as you know they are worth nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_f Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I would be perfectly happy in a world without digital cameras. Me and my Leica MP take all the pictures :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_bergman5 Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 I've tried digital and just don't like it. Have autofocus and HATE it. I use all my AF cameras in manual. I think I'm quicker and faster than AF even taking pictures of sports or small children. I use RF and film 80% of the time. I love the M4 for when I want to use my own judgment for exposure, my M7 for street photographer when I don't have time to be screwing around with picking the right exposure - and I love my CLE all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_piper2 Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 " I did think about ...getting an M8, but it just is not good enough and a DSLR costing 30% of the cost will take better digital files." Ahh - that would explain the LUF members who have dumped their 5Ds once they've sat unused for a year while their M8 gets all the pictures. Do you a) have any shooting experience with the M8, and/or b) any evidence to back up that statement? Hey - if an SLR is where you want to be, the D3 is an exceptional SLR. Enjoy! But to borrow from Will Rogers or Mark Twain or whoever really said it first: Ignorance is not measured by what you DON'T know, but by what you DO know that just ain't so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randall_pukalo Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 WHY would you want so many DSLR bodies? Why not simply get one, best, body and use that. And why gloat on dumping your Leica? Neither make much sense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted May 17, 2008 Share Posted May 17, 2008 When I got my used Noctilux it cost the same as a used Ford Pinto. The Noctilux doesnt burn gas; its not the babe magnet like a Pinto or has gas tank issues either. One old girlfriend once traded a nice running Ford Pinto for a Chevy Vega; and paid 800 bucks for the deal; she was a better kisser than rational buyer; she got the Vega because it had a new paint job. My Noct cost me used ONE HALF what my old girlfriend paid to buy a VEGA with a pinto in trade. Not all in life is ratrional.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB_Gallery Posted May 18, 2008 Share Posted May 18, 2008 Kelly, if I were a girl, I would have pissed my self laughing at what you wrote, but guys don't really do that, we just fart a lot. No wonder my girlfriend just left the room... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Smith Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 Surely the D3 will be just as much a paperweight in 5 years time as an M8? I don't get that part of your argument at all. No one denies that Leica are a terrible price, but the D3 is not exactly cheap either. Robin Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_raney1 Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 By night I cruise EBay to drool over Ms, and by day I teach summer school to come up with enough scratch to buy my first film Leica (see my earlier post). So for you bracket-creep types who can afford to click away with your fancy digitals while your exquisite Ms languish on the top shelf of the closet...hell, sell me one of 'em! By mid-summer I'll have enough cash in hand for an M4-P and either a 35mm Summicron, or, even better--gritting my teeth at the pain--an f/1.4 Summilux 35. My own interest in digital lasted a little more than a year. But just how many slide shows and screen savers does one need? In my heart I'm a b&w print photographer. So it's film forever for me. Sell me your camera! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don_e Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 "One old girlfriend once traded a nice running Ford Pinto for a Chevy Vega..." It's not often you hear of someone finding a way to trade down from a Pinto 8-) Thx, Kelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy. Posted July 11, 2008 Share Posted July 11, 2008 Have been away for a few years. Just checking in to say hi to everyone, especially members that remember me.... By the way, I am now a car collector. No more photographer. You guys are great because you are able to keep up and continue.... Viva Photo. Net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now