greg_mason

if you can, hit point lobos at low tide and at sunset. you can easily spend all day there with a camera. it is probably my all time favorite place to photograph since yosemite is too crowded. there are also two excellent photo galleries in town. long lenses are usefull for bringing in birds and sea lions, wide angle lenses are good for the landscapes and vistas.

try wally at apex camera repair in lafayette or walnut creek. he is always back logged so you will have a wait. but he does good work. i have used him 6 or 7 times on my various cameras.

i would go with the R6. i have the R6.2 and since it is all mechanical except for the meter, it can always be fixed. i personally do not want to worry about electronic glitches on older cameras. i have never had any problems with my R. unless you shoot significantly more than 250 rolls of film a year through you leica, you will not wear it out, and most of the defects will have already been taken care of. i would grab the cleanest example you could find, which would probably also be the newest.

jeremy: first of all enjoy your trip. i have found the alps and the greek islands especially invitng and worthy of extended stays. even if you can haul around that much gear do you really want to? it took me awhile to learn this but sometimes it is ok to say "that would have really made a good picture I wish I had ____ with me" one additional concern is that outside of the major cities 120 or 220 film will not be readily available so you will have to pack all your own film. for a trip of 2-1/2 months that can run into the hundreds of rolls. the beaches on the greek isle of Ios are especially inviting and i would not want to be forced to spend all my time watching my camera.

 

i have plenty of gear which stays home or is only used on car trips, then i have my travel kits depending on where i am going and how much hiking i am doing i will choose between the following

 

1. a fuji ga645i it is as small as you can get in medium format. it is essentially a point and shoot.

 

2. an olympus stylus epic. it is as small as tyou can get in 35mm. it fits easily in pants pockets and work well for drinking/nightlife dhots when you do not want to haul around anything larger.

 

3. either a small af slr or a leica with appropriate lenses.

 

if i can not fit it in eith a small backpack or a domke 803 satchel, then it is more than i usually want to carry.

your daughter will be very please with either camera. at this price there is very little functional difference between the two cameras. what is more important, especially with women or people with small hands is the ergonomics of a camera. your daughter may choose one over the other simply because one camera fits better in her hands and the controls are more accesible to her fingers. most reliable camera stores carry both lines and have a decent return policy talk with them and tell them your situation. i personally shoot with a minolta because it feels like it made specifically for my hands.

i also highly reccommend KEH. especially with lenses where there is little to go wrong bargain buys are a great deal.

i am currently teaching my 10 year old son photography and i am insisting that he use only a 50mm lens. above and beyond the reasons stated above, i think that the biggest advantage of a 50mm lens for a beginning photographer is that it forces him to use his feet to get closer or farther away and to look at the subject from different angles. only then will he really know what lens he needs next. zoom lenses tend to promote laziness in some people, myself included.

i personally would stay with canon since that is what you already have, however, if you really are into macro photography you whould switch to olympus. they no longer make the OM series any more, however i believe that they make 9 macro lenses, some in speeds and focal lengths that no other manufacturer makes. you can try posting on the olympus form for more information.

diego: check back through the posts and look for any pictures by douglas herr. his primary lens is a 400 f6.8 with a cemented doublet. the contrast between this and your typical canon/nikon is amazing. generally, the fewer the elements the higher the contrast and the higher the aberations. the questions is where is a good trade off.

jeff: I also live in the san francisco bay area and always check out your photos. your recent alcatraz series was especially good. i am rather prolific shooter, but have never posted simply because i shoot mainly for myself and for friends. my day job pays better than photography. i do appreciate your photos and other talented posts as i try to take from them what i can in regards to what works and what does not. some people such as yourself post so that others might learn, others post so that they can get feedback and learn. i suspect that many such as myself fall in some middle category and do not post.

The comment about shooting for a year is just to allow you to get used to your camera. When i switched over to rangefinders I had quite a few pre-conceived notions many of which turned out to be false. for SLR's i consider 90mm normal and 50mm wide and seldom shoot wider. so my first leica was a M3 with a 90mm f2.8. The 90mm is seldom used now because with my rangefinder i consider 35mm normal and 50mm long. after shooting for a while you may decide to go wider,the question then becomes how wide 21, 24, or 28mm. i went with leica's 24mm f2.8 and have never regretted it. i love this lens, if the c/v25mm was rangefinder coupled i might have considered it. if you decide to go longer do you go to a 50mm, or skip to a 75mm. the gap between 35 and 90mm is quite large and using two lenses to bridge the gap will leave you with a 4 lens set up. there is a big difference in price between the c/v 75mm at f2.8 and the leica 75mm f1.4. in the right hands the leica can work magic. just scan past posts for any photographs by mike dixon. on the other hand not many people can shoot this lens like mike. it would be wasted in my hands. the comment of spending time with your lens allows you to decide if you need to start your three lens wider, or whether to go long, or whether you want to get just one really good leica lens like the 50mm f2 and stick with it.

charlie:

 

good luck on your purchase. FWIW i will toss in my two cents worth. this site is filled with people who after using slr's could never get used to using a rangefinder. this is a lot of money to spend unless you are sure.

 

your big decision is not really what camera to get as both are excellent, but what lens to get with it. i would recommend getting one lens and shooting with it exclusively before even contemplating another lens purchase. this site is probably evenly split between 50mm and 35mm. i have found that my slr use was not a reliable guide as i tend to shoot mostly 50mm and longer with my slr, and 50mm and shorter with my rangefinder.

 

one last thought. my mechanical leicas are some thing i use and treasure and based on leica history history i am sure that 50 years from now they will still have plenty of mileage left in them to pass on. any thing mechanical can be fixed, just search ebay to see the number of 50 year old M3's still floating around any thing electronic is only as good as long as the electronic parts are still available. the cle, for example is a nice little camera that no longer has electronic parts support. regardless of what ever happens to leica or to film, yuo will most likely always be able to get a MP repaired.

 

greg

yes, it is definately possible. i would take your time to research leica and find out where prices are at. leica owners are funny and a small scratch can nock hundreds off of a camera or lens. the best values are definately in the beater class. if you want a meter in your camera then you will probably need to up your budget, if you don't you are fine. many of us hand meter or use the sunny 16 rule. with the latitude of todays films this is not a problem. the next decision you need to make is on your lens. the m3 is optimized for the 50mm, the m2, and m4 for the 35mm but can also use the 50mm. if this is it for your leica budget and you will only be using a 50mm then go for the m3. search this formum for dealers or pick up an issue of shuttebug magazine. the dealers who sell primarily leica gear are for the most part honest and will not sell you a lemon. for example i have had good luck with richard tillis at woodmere camera (woodcam.com) you can currently get a m2 and a 40mm f2 rokkor for under $1000 from him.

there is an interesting e-bay auction #2957930880 for a black chrome

wetzler 50th anniversary leica M4. from the buyer profile, money

order only and three day bid, it looks like some one might get

taken. any thoughts on the camera though, and his information?

you asked a nice loaded question and have received some varied responses. a lot comes down to what lenses are most heavily used. while most people will argue about leica vs. nikon for focal lengths of 50mm and above, very few people argue that leica M lenses are are without peer in the 21mm to 35mm focal lengths. this is partly due to the fact that as a rangefinder the lens does not have to account for mirror swing and can be located closer to the film plane. additionaly leica lenses are optimized for shooting wide open and gain very little when stopped down to f8.

 

in addition to the M7 you might want to look for a good clean used M6ttl from a reputable dealer. you give up auto exposure, but will save 40% or so from the m7.

another option is to pick up a fuji gsw690. it shoots a 6x9 negative with a 65mm lens (equivalent to 28mm). you can easily crop this any way you want.

i agree with thang's post. i was in the same situation and eventually purchased the maxxum 9 with the vertical control grip. i tend to be fairly hard on my cameras and tend to keep them and run them into the ground. with the maxxum 9 you pay the premium for an extra level of durability, weatherproofing, and potentially higher life cycle.

i agree with most of the posts above. people who spend a lot of money buying equipment all at once usually end up regretting some of the purchases. FWIW here are some random thoughts.

 

1. scour keh.com for used gear and set a budget

 

2. used the 50mm f1.7 is dirt cheap and it will give you one fast lens in your collection.

 

3. play with your zooms and carefully note the focal lengths used most often.

 

4. the 85 f1.4 is a dream lens. i can get shots with it that i can not get with any other lens in my stable. it is my favortite lens.

 

5. the 100 f2 is tack sharp, sharper than the 85mm and a good value used. every laugh line will show up on portrait work but it is great for children because it allows you to get a little farther away and the clarity is not a problem.

 

6. the 135mm focal length has some what fallen out of favor, however i still use it for subjects that i need to maintain some distance.

 

7. the 80-200 f2.8. i use this for indoor sports. it is a large heavy klens and is not generally suited for portait work as it's size will scare off most subjects.

 

8. you will want one good wide angle for group shots you can choose from 24mm 28mm or 35mm.

 

good luck

every one else put in there two cents worth so i will probably put in mine. i shoot my slrs at 50mm and longer and my M cameras primarily at 50mm and shorter. you will probably find this forum evenly split between the 35mm and the 50mm as your only lens on an M. i started with an M3 then i picked up an m6ttl. both cameras get used. please remember that m2 and m3"s are going to be 50 years old and and cost around $600 plus another $150 or so for a cla. a m6 or m6ttl will prbably be found for $1000 - $1200 and will be much more recent. there are times when there is nothing better than an old m3 in my hands, however being realistic my m6ttl will most likely be the one handed down to my grandchildren 40 or 50 years from now. please take the comments about checking out a rangefinder seriously. this forum contain s quite a few threads about people who have spent a lot of money only to find out they do not like rangefinders. there are other less expensive rangefinders which can be found at a fraction of the price, if all you are looking at is an experiment. i actually started on a contax IIIa.

i agree with the above posts. although the minolta zoom is a dated design, it is not a bad lens and the macro setting allows for close focusing. i use it for full frame face shots, where that extra bit of softness is desirable.

has anyone purchased leica gear from world trade camera

(shopwtc.com)? i usually purchase my leica gear from the same places

which are frequently mentioned here.

 

thank you

i have a strong prefernce toward fast primes so weigh my response accordingly. first of all the 80-200 is a load to carry and for wedding photography is only really going to be used at the short end. i would pick up a fast 85mm zoom. this lens works best for head an shoulder shots. i would buy the f1.4 if you can afford it, the f1.8 if you can not. shooting either wide open allows you to blur the back ground to eliminate distractions for more pleasing shots. the f1.4 shot wide open is slightly soft and will soften the age lines of some of your more elderly guests. the 50mm f1.8 is also a great lens at a great price.a flash bracket and a flash diffuser and a flash bracket should also be considered.

good luck and i hope you enjoy your travels. unless you are willing to pack 25 pounds of camera gear, you are going to have to learn to live with some limitations. only you can determine how much you are willing to compromise. FWIW here are some random thoughts:

 

1. size and wweight are not the same thing. while the leica M is smaller than the F100, it is not noticably lighter.

 

2. dont forget about film. in most of the areas you described, you will have a hard time finding 120 film. this means you will have to pack all your own film.

 

3. range finders are not for every one. try one out before you buy.

 

4. if a majority of you photographs will be landscape consider the leica M. the lack of a mirror allows rangefinder wide angle lenses to be placed very close to the film plane. a leica wide angle lens is noticebly sharper than a similar nikon lens, especially wide open.

 

5. if your subjects range towars people then the longer lenses and the ability to tightly crop will favor your nikon.

 

6. the olympus stylus epeic makes a great back up camera. it is as small as you can get in a 35mm. it has a nice 35mm f2.8 lens. and it does not cost much.

 

7. for me i either carry a ton of stuff or go minimalist. my minimalist kit is either my leica m6ttl with the 35mm f1.4 and possibly the 90mm in my pocket. if i carry a third lens i bring my 50 mm. my other minimalist kit is my af slr with a 24mm and a 85mm f1.4. some times i will throw in a long compact 100-300 zoom. i have a strong preference toward fast primes and would rather walk than zoom to set my picture.

 

8. i have more cameras and lenses than most, but still i would not want to wreck a trip by hauling too much stuff. some times i just go out with a basic slr and a 50mm lens and i am perfectly happy.

 

good luck again

stella:

 

there should be a 6 or 7 digit serial number on the top of your camera. if you could post it we would be able to supply you with more information.

amit:

 

thanks for the additional information. i started the same way you did, although my needs are different. check out the medium fomat forum on photo.net and read every posting including the archived ones, they are a wealth of information. the first question i had to answer about myself was tripod use. i prefered some thing lighter and portable, however from your description of what you do i would guess that you tend toward tripod use. if so then a 6x7 format is a common choice for studio work. the other question i had to answer is lens availability. if you can not forsee your self spending $2500 on a much needed second lens then some camerra lines might not be good choices.

 

while most 35mm af cameras are similar there are tremendous differences between medium format cameras and personal preferences play an important role. right now you can get some good deals used on a mamiya RB67 with plenty of money left over for additional lenses and backs. the fuji 680 although near the top of your price range used, offers limited movement which is appealing to some and necessary to others.

 

good luck.