Okay, my first uploaded Leica shots

[jhodges]

This is the only roll of color film I have taken with my new M2 and

50mm 'cron. Don't have my B&W shots back yet. Any comments would be

appreciated. I know they aren't great, but I'm just making my start

from Nikon SLRs and I'm pretty happy that I at least got the

exposures okay and didn't have the lens cap on. I used a hand held

Gossen N100 incident light meter for my readings. And felt really

comforttable with what I was doing.

 

The folder is here:

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder.tcl?folder_id=253726<div></div>

[jhodges]

By the way, I forgot to mention that these were taken in the Ft. Worth Stock Yards. And I'm disappointed with the quality of the photo CD I got.

 

John

[mark a hrefhttpwww]

Hi John, I did the same as you, swapped from Nikon F3 for Leica M2. For me the biggest advantage of the M2 is the fact that I can carry it around my neck easily, and because I like the softer/very bright tones of the 35mm summicron better (to my opinion the Nikon lenses are sometimes to contrasty). I also like the fact that 'nothing can go wrong' (no filmspeed dial, no compensation, no light-meter, etc.).

Happy photographing, Mark.

[tonyk]

Good way to test out the camera/lens, John. I liked the portrait of a "Fellow Leica User in town". He looks a little defiant in his left arm gesture and his brow is furrowed, even though his hat shades his face.

 

Anyways, is this color print film (you mentioned Kodak Photo CD)?

 

TonyK

[jhodges]

That is also one of my favorite photos. I felt it showed more character than my other photos. I was able to pick out things I could have done differently in my other photos. However, this one is difficult for me. Is there anything you would have done differently in the composition? DOF?

 

The film I used was Fuji Press 400. I am actually quite happy with the prints. Several of them show what I have heard described as the Leica glow. There is a definite difference from my previous photos with my Nikon. The photo "Stopped" actually shows the Leica glow very well in the print. It really lost the most on the CD. And yes it is the Kodak Photo CD.

 

I can't wait to get my B&W shots back. I will have to scan those myself though.

 

John

[jhodges]

By the way the camera is great Tony. I'm carrying it daily in my Domke F-802 satchel. I haven't removed the lens in a week.

 

John

[tonyk]

John, the DOF is fine. I like it the way it is, but the bicycle...

 

Looking at the thumbnail (small picture, like looking from afar), it's not a distraction at all, but when I look at the largest version of this picture and I could only see part of the shot at a time (which is like getting closer to the photograph and studying just one part of it, like your subject's face), then the bicycle distracts my attention sightly from the subject's face, just because it is directly behind him on the same 2D level as his face.

 

You wouldn't happen to have bolt cutters with you that day (to cut the chain locking the bike)?

 

TonyK

[jhodges]

I see your point about the bike. No, I left the bolt cutters at home. I was trying to go light. :) Should I have changed the angle of the lens (up/down) to put the bike in a different part of the frame or should I have moved over a bit to the right? Not sure how to fix some of these things yet. Thanks for the comments.

 

John

[tonyk]

John,

 

The angle and pose of your subject is perfect. I wouldn't change anything. If you moved around a bit, you might not have gotten the same impact as you did in this portrait. What you can try to do is ask the subject to sit still and bracket your shots using different angles (while moving around to avoid the bike?), but, it's hit and miss. Also when doing that, you might miss "the moment". I'm glad you are enjoying the M2. I just finished a roll this weekend (with a Hexar RF), but due to really old liquid B/W developer (which I thought was still good), I lost the whole roll! Ahhhhh! Good thing I didn't finish the roll in the backup camera (M6).

 

TonyK