M7 vs M6 on my trip to London and Malta

[john_a.]

I brought my M7 .72 and M6 ttl .58. I figured I would shoot with both

bodies and 2 different lenses. Forget it! After one day of lugging

around both bodies and using both cameras side by side, for me the

clear winner was the M7. It performed flawlessly, but once I was

fooled into thinking the camera was properly loaded, when in fact it

wasn't. I never realized how much faster and easier the M7 would be.

I used the wider lenses since most of my shots where scenics. I used

a 35mm and a 24mm asph. I hardly used the nocti. It spent most of its

time in the hotel. I found it easier to carry the SF20 with me. I

also rarely used my 90 tele-elmarit but didn't mind carring it

because it is so light. Unfortunatly I didn't have a shade with me

for the 24mm asph elmarit. Was this a fatal mistake? I always try to

shoot with, not against the sun. I can't wait to share the fruits of

my labor with you folks. Malta is where my parents are from. It was

the first time I have been there. What a wonderful place is was,

especially for me since I have finally seen my heritage. Its like a

combo of Catholic, Italian, Arabic and British influences. It has the

most ancient temples and beautiful cathedrals with the meditarranean

usually in the backround.

[michael_kastner]

I liked Gozo the most. M6TTL is great there, although Nikonos III did the trick too.

[albert knapp md]

Welcome back !! I supect that the next time you head off you will

leave the M6ttl behind BUT... this could be a costly mistake. I

would suggest you give the nocti a furlough and keep the M6ttl

as a spare body. You can even leave this hidden in your hand

luggage or in the custody of your wife/significant other in order to

ease the load even more. Finally, get the 24mm lens hood as

the color saturation/contrast may suffer (not to mention coma

etc...) Hope you have a scanner and look forward to seeing your

compositions.

[john_sutera]

I think you may just need to justify the money you spent on the M7. If you like the "automaticity" and "ease" of features of the M7, you should go for broke next time and bring an electronic SLR... C'mon seriously, no disrespect, but the differences between the M6 TTL and the M7 are more than negligible. If you've shot w/ the M6 for a while, then you know what it's like to be a "Leica" photographer. The reason I'm saying this is b/c if people start to read your posting, it will just foment more postings of (and not to mention clogging the databases) "SHOULD I BUY AN M6 OR AN M7???"

[jay_.]

Why not sell the M6TTL and Noctilux and get a second M7?

[derek_stanton2]

If one is only a "Leica Photographer" based on the particular

model of camera used and NOT the actual images captured....

well, that doesn't do much to negate the negative stereotypes of

you folks, does it?

 

Kind of like the Ferrari owner who doesn't know what an Apex is

or how to negotiate it....

 

Perhaps someone can explain to me how it's a more noble

achievement to accomplish accurate exposure by "making the

arrows go away" versus choosing an aperture toward a specific

DOF goal.... By extension, i guess one is only a 'real

photographer' if one grounds his own glass, constructs his own

box, coats his own emulsion.

 

Seems the Leica 'snob' label is well deserved in too many

cases. And, now it's even applicable within your own ranks. Kind

of disgusting, if you ask me, to think that some of you believe you

belong to some kind of worthwhile club because of the brand of

metal and glass you use. What about the PICTURES?

[john_a.]

Derek,

Your the one who sounds like a snob to me. If I have digusted you, I am glad. I have used the M6TTL succesfully and also my M3 with the help of many decent forum members, unlike you:

1.http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=002pjz

2.http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003X7q

3.http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=003hkS

Perhaps since you are a Godlike Leica photographer, you can show me how its done. I welcome any CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISM, not condesending nonsence.

[albert knapp md]

Relax fellows ! We all agree that the camera is a tool and the key

is the final product. John, i look forward to some great photos, be

it an M6, an M7 or an M10.....

[Rob F.]

John: If you had said you were carrying a 28mm, I'd have said to take the M6, to take advantage of the .58 finder. But, you are using a 24mm, so the M6's finder won't help with that. The .72 finder on your M7 shouldn't be too hard to use with your 35mm. So all this argues in favor of the M7.

 

But you know what? One of the most useless things in photography is a camera you didn't bring. You could use the 24mm on the M7, and the 35mm on the M6, and not have to change lenses so much. Or you could keep faster film in the M6, and fine-grain film in the M7, and not have to change film so much.

 

Besides: Do you fully trust that the new-fangled M7 won't conk out during your trip? You know, when they make movies on location, they carry one fancy camera, like a Golden Panaflex (the "A" camera), and one stripped down model as a backup (the "B" camera). Why not do the same? You don't want to come back from Malta with no pictures!

[red dawn]

John Abela,

 

perhaps you need to read a bit more carefully what Derek has said. It's quite obvious he's referring to the other John who implied a true Leica photographer does things the fully manual way, and eschewed the M7 for being an automated tool.

 

Derek clearly pointed out the snobbishness of that idea and indirectly supporting your M7 cause.

[derek_stanton2]

To clarify:

1. My post was strictly relative to what i perceived to be YOUR

condescension. Correct me if i'm wrong, but were you not

implying that a Real Leica Photographer doesn't use an M7?

 

2. I sincerely asked for an explanation of why a great deal of

Leica "enthusiasts" sneer at the concept of Aperture Priority

shooting modes, versus using two arrows in a viewfinder to

direct the photographer toward 'appropriate' exposure. I would

sincerely like to understand how using the latter makes one a

better photographer.

 

3. I said, "what about the pictures." Pardon me if i wasn't clear. I

was not questioning your abilities as a photographer, since i

have never seen any of your work. I have no criticism of your

images, constructive or otherwise. There was none in my earlier

message. This particular comment was intended to represent

my feeling that characterizing a photographer should be based

on the images that result, and not because of the brand of

instrument that is used.

 

4. Am i the snob? Can't see how that conclusion is logical. The

last sentence of #3 should illustrate that i don't hold any

allegiances to brands, nor do i feel there's any (added) nobility in

the use of the so-called Premier brands. My questions were, in

fact, in defense of those you SEEMED to impune in your post.

 

5. No, i am no Godlike Leica photographer. I do not (yet?) use

Leica cameras. I'm here to research reasons for possibly buying

into the system. But, each time i come to a Leica board, i find a

lot of pompous, arrogant proselytizing, and each time i have to

re-examine my potential desire to join such a group. Am i the

snob? Still don't see how. I don't want a Leica because of the red

badge, or to represent myself in any particular way. I just want a

compact camera which is capable of aesthetic results that

match my particular standards.

 

6. Yah, it has a few (more) automatic features. But, can't the

camera be still used in manual mode? So, now, to be more

comprehensively accurate, wouldn't one have to not only

determine which M was being used, but also in which mode - in

order to determine the status of the photographer? It's this kind

of judgementalism that leaves me flummoxed. But, if you're not

part of that, you shouldn't be offended. I didn't use any names,

and i didn't "call anyone out." I did, though, ask for clarification, as

i just don't understand the pontificating.

 

If i went to far in saying that i felt disgusted by comments i have

read recently, and in the past, i apologize. But, i was reacting to

your comments, which i first found offensive. So, in defense of

the Other Guy who uses an M7 and feels he, too, is indeed a

Real Leica Photographer....

 

Peace.

[derek_stanton2]

Thanks, Boon. You're correct, but, i furthered the

miscommunication by not realizing that the John who took

offense was not the one to which i was responding.

 

So, to Mr. Abela, nothing in my posts was directed to you. I was

responding to (my interpretation of) a subsequent post.

[MTC Photography]

24mm probably is not wide enough to get a whole interior dome of

Rotunda church at Mosta, Malta

[john_a.]

Martin,

funny you mention that church. My Mom and Grandmother were in that church when the Germans dropped a bomb into the dome which never detonated.

[john_a.]

Derek,

My apologies. I clearly was not giving your post the proper attention it deserved. Many thanks for your useful comments.

[MTC Photography]

John, I saw that bomb in the Rotunda, but that is only a replica,

not the real thing.

[will_perlis]

"...each time i have to re-examine my potential desire to join such a group."

 

Or, you could make the decision based on how the thing would work for *you* and ignore the non-applicable factors others might or might not consider.

 

It's not as if assholeism is necessarily contagious, nor does Leica force you to buy into it along with the camera.

[ray_moth]

Derek,

 

William's right: you can be a Leica user and still be a regular guy. Anyway, I haven't seen all that much pomposity or snobbery on this site. It's certainly not elitist based on the cost of Leica gear, since many people here buy used or off-brand gear to stretch their budget and nobody sneers at them for it.

 

Admittedly, there is a strong tendency here to believe that Leica equipment is the best, but I would think that's only natural in the Leica Photography Forum, wouldn't you? You'll find similar partisan attitudes in any other equipment-oriented photo forum. Why don't you attack one of them instead, for a change? ;-)

[derek_stanton2]

Ray,

"Attack?" I thought i was being defensive. Defending the idea that

anyone can be a Real Photographer, with Any piece of

equipment. It just so happens that Leica is the only brand for

which 'elitists' include the brand name when defining the person.

A "Real LEICA Photographer."

 

I also don't believe i mentioned "cost" as a factor.

 

My comments were not exclusive to THIS board. My comment

with regards to that was: "each time i come to A Leica board." I

really was discussing the sum of experiences in this forum, the

one on Leica's website, photographyreview.com, some other(s),

and conversations with dealers, users, etc. I certainly have no

issues with anyone believing strongly in their choices of

equipment. I may or may not like the way in which certain people

advance./present those sentiments, though. But, i guess that will

continue to be MY problem.

[chris c]

At the end of the day who really cares. If you capture the moment I don't think the satisfaction you feel is tainted by the knowledge you used a M7 vs a M6.... Great photos are great photos...