Leica O-Series Usage

[kent_demas1]

I have owned a Leica O-Series for about 8 months now and I have

enjoyed it immensely. It is a far different experience from the M6-7s

that I own, but it really helps me refine my shotmaking process by

making me constantly focus on the basics.

 

<p>When using the O I am far more careful with the shot setup and

exposure, certainly by neccessity given the cameras limited feature

set. It is terrific for landscapes where no distance estimate is

required and where there is no need for a "spontaneous" shot. The

quality of the lens is terrific, on par with the best of my more

traditional M lenses such as the 50 'cron.

 

<p>I'd like to see if some others in the Leica community have the

same reaction to this very unique camera.

[Rob F.]

The LHSA Viewfinder ran an article on the O. The pictures looked high in quality, but from their description, it must be an awkward camera to use. You have to hold it out at arm's length to use the viewfinder. For someone who would think twice before returning to the tiny finder of an LTM, a gunsight finder doesn't sound too enticing. Also, I think I could manage to think in slit widths if I had to, but is there a need?

 

Kent, is it more terrific for landscapes than my M6 with 28mm and 35mm aspheric lenses?

[george_l._doolittle]

Kent, It is an exercise to use and I don't use it often enough to be

very far up the learning curve. Nonetheless, it is a little jewel and

I enjoy the challange. I wouldn't use it for serious photography. I

hope we can hear from people who have actually used one.

[fotografz]

When the camera came out, my Leica pusher..er...dealer

presented it to me as Leica's answer to digital. ; -)

[jay_.]

<<Leica O-Series Usage>>

 

You mean, someone actually uses one?

[stephen_w.]

I'm willing to bet that the frameline/gunsight of the "O" are more accurate than the framline in the M6/7.

 

8)

[brett_davis1]

I was using mine all the time, but after a while I got irritated that it seemed to have a problem advancing the film. On nearly every roll, I would get overlapped frames, some quite severely overlapped. I figured a thousand-dollar Leica should be able to advance film as well as a ten-dollar disposable. Also, on some shots the shutter seemed to be off, leaving an overexposed strip along the edge. Finally, in April I sent it to Leica NJ, who then shipped it to Germany.

 

I just got it back a week or so ago, with no note in the box; I called Leica NJ to ask what had been done. A woman there very nicely called me back a bit later to say they had replaced the shutter, the shutter seals, adjusted the timing and CLA'd everything. This is basically like having a new camera; there ain't much else inside it but the shutter! However, it's a bit disturbing that a camera that originally sold for $2,500 should need such an extensive reworking so early in its life.

 

Anyway, got some film in it now. I agree that its lens is very, very good, and I've used it for photo-J style shots as well as landscapes. I did hedge my bets by getting a cheap Russian BLIK rangefinder off *bay, but I haven't actually used it in conjunction with the camera yet. I actually like the gunsight finder and have found it to be accurate when used properly; I hate having to squint through a viewfinder.

 

I'm glad I bought it. It's my only Leica and likely to remain so, and will probably end up being my last film camera.