Your favorite Leica and lens to fondle

[Farkle-Mpls]

<p>THAT is a beautiful camera setup, Ray. The camera looks spotless, the case looks comfortable to hold and really complements the camera. The Leica lens cap is a nice touch and the viewfinder tops it off so well.</p>

<p>I have screw-mount Canon bodies -- my first camera given to me by Dad -- so I always swore my LTM bodies would be Canon and my M-mounts would be Leica (as they are) but your set up gives me pause ...</p>

<p>... and it's so close to Christmas and I still need to buy a present for myself. Hmmm.</p>

[Tony Rowlett]

Nice thread. Always enjoy looking at photography of cameras.

[aplumpton]

<p>My IIIc to IIIf conversion, black painted by Shintaro, is the one that gets more fondling than use, neither being excessive, but maybe I will use it more now rather than the second fondest fondling, an M4-P that is almost as attractive as my regretted (sold) M4-2. Of the lenses I most like to handle, the 50mm f2.8 black collapsible Elmar-M (why did they discontinue this beautiful lens?) is superb, from the standpoint of its exceptionally smooth focussing and retracting and its virile, positive aperture click stops. Functional beauty in such a small package, and well coupled to the compact and smooth M4-P (missing only the early M's impressive shutter button feel).</p>

<p>I do make photos with them as well.</p>

<div></div>

[Troll]

<p>Arthur -- that's GorJesus!<br>

(I'll bet that the paint job cost more than the camera.)<br>

You're the first person I've read who's mentioned the early M's shutter button feel. You're right -- my (#1M+) M3 is extraordinary to shoot. </p>

[aplumpton]

<p>Touché, Bill. It cost me 500$ US and months of wait, while the camera was purchased for 400$ CAN (about 350$ US at the time) at a trade show. A folly, perhaps, but for $850 I have a useable Leica and I have put my first very small and hardly perceptible dent in the top plate so now I am not at all concerned about using it more often (with add on V-C VF) and the day it shows picturesque brassing I will be able to reflect happily on the number of photos made with it and hopefully continue to do make more</p>

<p>Like yours, my former M3 had a shutter that was as smooth as butter. That of the IIIC/IIIf is at the very least as smooth as margarine! The modern exposure detent and other camera function coupling to the shutter button have changed that.</p>

[rahul_glad]

<p>M2 with 50mm Jupiter 3 f/1.5</p>

[MTC Photography]

I   am  a  Leica  fan  for  75   years

 

My   fist  Leica  was  Leica   IIIc  with  ELMAR  50mm  /3.5,   my  dad  gave  me  this  leica  as  birthday  gift   in   1948  in  Singapore

LEICA  M5  WITH   M  MOUNT   CARL  ZEISS    DISTAGON   28mm  F2.8

Leica   M6  TTL  WITH   SUMMICRON  50/2

LEICA   DLUX  09  WITH    VARIO  SUMMILUX  1.17-2.8/10.9-3.4

 

my   favourite   Leica  M6  TTL  WITH   SUMMICRON  50/2

 

[robert_ante]

I have accumulated Leica IIIa, IIIc, IIIf, M3, M4, and M5.

Except for M3 and M4, all were gifts

which one is my favorite? The one that I am using at the time!

[Bill Blackwell Images]

An over 9-year old zombie thread worthy of resurrection. ...

[Niels - NHSN]

I have to admit that I like to fondle this one more than I like to shoot with it. It does see some action from time to time, though.

 

[za33photo]

I don't have any Leica Camera's or Lenses , but I sure would like one 😄😄😄.

 

[Niels - NHSN]

1 hour ago, za33photo said:

I don't have any Leica Camera's or Lenses , but I sure would like one 😄😄😄.

An entry into the M system seems almost hopeless now, unless you have very deep pockets.

I was lucky to buy my primary M items in the vacuum where everbody was going digital and Leica hadn't jet released the M8 in the early '00s.

It is still possible to buy fine things from the Barnack line without going bankrupt. An IIIC or IIF/IIIF and a Elmar 50/3.5 or 50/2.8 can be had for reasonable amounts - as long as you don't go for the exotic collector stuff, but they are quirky cameras and don't really substitute the quite amazing usability experience of the M cameras.

I do own a R3 with a Summicron 50/2 - which is also a more price-wise reasonable dip in the pool.

But, the R3 bodies are cheap for a reason, many show their age and are unrepairable - also; 85% of it's dna is Minolta, and a Minota XE with one of their excellent 50mm lenses will cost a fraction of an R3 when you add the Summicron.

 

[SCL]

The Barnacks, although sort of quirky (I ignored them for 40 years) can be excellent cameras. The magnified focusing, although squinty, I've found is more accurate then the film M bodies. Digital with live view beats all previous systems though...but it lacks the fun of the film bodies.

[za33photo]

Yes , this is as close as I will probably ever get to owning a classic film Leica , the Zorki still works well however and I rather like it 😁.

 

[glen_h]

When I was young, my dad had two cameras and three lenses.  A Canon VI and Leica If camera, Canon 50/2.8 lens, Canon 135/4.0 lens, and Xenogon 35/2.8 lens.

When I was 10, he bought a Canon Pellix SLR, and so sometimes I got to use the Canon or Leica.

 

So for the question, the Leica If with the Xenogon 35/2.8 lens.   The If doesn't have a built in viewfinder, but has a 35mm viewfinder in one accessory shoe.

[allancobb]

My inherited IIIg that my Mom bought new in 1957... a joy to shoot with.

[Niels - NHSN]

1 hour ago, allancobb said:

My inherited IIIg that my Mom bought new in 1957... a joy to shoot with.

I am curious. What part of the shooting experience do you find joyful?

[allancobb]

2 hours ago, Niels - NHSN said:

I am curious. What part of the shooting experience do you find joyful?

My mechanical Leicas are a II, the IIIg, and an M6 (classic). The IIIg is the smoothest and quietest of the bunch, in terms of shutter operation and film advance. I like the viewfinder's framelines, a kind of "hybrid" between the Barnacks and the M series. The (subjective, of course) feel of solidity and precision, for me, outranks the others that either I have or have used.

[Niels - NHSN]

17 hours ago, allancobb said:

My mechanical Leicas are a II, the IIIg, and an M6 (classic). The IIIg is the smoothest and quietest of the bunch, in terms of shutter operation and film advance. I like the viewfinder's framelines, a kind of "hybrid" between the Barnacks and the M series. The (subjective, of course) feel of solidity and precision, for me, outranks the others that either I have or have used.

Ahh.. A surprising answer, I was more expecting something in the lines of nostalgia of the slow process, so good I asked 😄

I imagine you must have a uniquely adjusted IIIG (or an M6 in need of service) if the IIIG is quieter than the M6.
For all the Barnacks I own (IID, 2x IIIF and one IIIG), all recently serviced,  the abrupt turn/return movement of the rotating shutter dial post shutter release gives a distinctive louder sound than the shutter release of any M I own (MDa, M2 and M6).

I personally find the Barnacks allows me to revert to an early photography experience which is charming, at times when I am feeling patient😉.

As others have stated elsewhere: Everything on a Barnack takes twice the effort of a modern film camera:

• Film has to be cut specifically for the camera.
• Film loading is slow and ..well... anxiety inducing if you don't do it often.
• Focus is locked when reaching infinity and must be unlocked.
• Most lenses rotates and must be refocused if you change aperture.
• You have to move your eye between the rangefinder and viewfinder to focus and compose.
• The rangefinder must be focused manually.
• You can only set the shutter speed after you have wound the film.
• You have to lift the shutter dial to turn and change shutter speed.
• Slow and fast speeds are separated between two dials - with some interdependence.
• You have to manually reset the film counter.
• Winding the film takes several twists of the wind knob.

And I probably forgot something.
 

 

[christopher_a._junker1]

My 21st birthday early Leica IIIg with its John Van Stelten restored f2 8 Elmar 50 and 50 SBOOI finder. For all barnacks prior to the IIIG, I also add close up manual parallax correction and separate light metering. As a lefty, both eye and small hands, the IIIG just seems the right fit and size for my use. However I'm giving more time to a Gus Lazzari restored M4-2 with the anti-flair viewfinder kit and f2.8 Summaron 35, thereby eliminating many of the Barnack issues. . Many complain about the rough feel to the M4-2 and the flare out finder. Both, as proved by Gus are correctable.

2 hours ago, Niels - NHSN said:

Ahh.. A surprising answer, I was more expecting something in the lines of nostalgia of the slow process, so good I asked 😄

I imagine you must have a uniquely adjusted IIIG (or an M6 in need of service) if the IIIG is quieter than the M6.
For all the Barnacks I own (IID, 2x IIIF and one IIIG), all recently serviced,  the abrupt turn/return movement of the rotating shutter dial post shutter release gives a distinctive louder sound than the shutter release of any M I own (MDa, M2 and M6).

I personally find the Barnacks allows me to revert to an early photography experience which is charming, at times when I am feeling patient😉.

As others have stated elsewhere: Everything on a Barnack takes twice the effort of a modern film camera:

• Film has to be cut specifically for the camera.
• Film loading is slow and ..well... anxiety inducing if you don't do it often.
• Focus is locked when reaching infinity and must be unlocked.
• Most lenses rotates and must be refocused if you change aperture.
• You have to move your eye between the rangefinder and viewfinder to focus and compose.
• The rangefinder must be focused manually.
• You can only set the shutter speed after you have wound the film.
• You have to lift the shutter dial to turn and change shutter speed.
• Slow and fast speeds are separated between two dials - with some interdependence.
• You have to manually reset the film counter.
• Winding the film takes several twists of the wind knob.

And I probably forgot something.
 

 

 

[cary_chin1]

Leicaflex SL:

 

[christopher_a._junker1]

I like the above Leicaflex SL. But I'd give serious thought to replacing that red locking tab with the metal one if you have more than one lens.

[ofey_kalakar]

On 6/3/2023 at 9:52 PM, Bill Blackwell Images said:

An over 9-year old zombie thread worthy of resurrection. ...

 

M2's -Yes