jean_.

It will be fine, unless somebody completely screws it up what is unlikely given the (digital) companies involved. What will matter are the cameras, ergonomics etc. Nitpicking about quality differences of the sensors will be (or is even today already) a complete waste of time from a photographers perspective, even if it might me an appealing hobby in itself.

 

Unless some chips show up that have wider latitude than b/w film or even our own eyes, but there seems little demand for that.

Good move. Seems like someone at leica knows what he's doing, and this indeed is quite a relief.

By the time the DigiM hits the market, full frame sensors will be commodity. Probably you could make your own digiM by using a full frame sensor out of your (or your cildren's) webcam.

 

DAH is a color photographer, I don't know if b/w forms a relevant part of his work. I guess if he doesn't make is pics look like out of home&garden magazine, he has strong reasons to do so.

This is normal, the market is consolidating. Just like there are few car manufacturers left today. Remember how many computer manufacturers existed in the 90's? But after a period of total frenzy, the market consolidates, competition becomes tough and tougher, and companies go down one after another.

 

In (digital) cameras, it will probably boil down to today's top brands, even pentax may or may not make it. Presumably the same will happen to the cell phone market - in the end, you'll have nokia and some 2-3 others.

dunno, M shutter is quieter than a hasselblad for sure, but nevertheless I hear it like a rifle shot in a quiet environment. And when you advance the film, all illusions of stealth photography vanish.

Actually a very good way to learn about creating images is to study paintings. See how the lighting is, how the composition works, how the ilusion of depth is created. Even better, how the techniques evolve during the centuries!

And just to wrap it up - I couln't let this rest, so I grabbed it and gently forced the lever, until my thumg went white aand slooooowly it reacted. Jammed a few times, then went smoother, some 200 shutter releases seems to be Ok again. Probably some debris worked it's way into the gears. I guess the problem will occur again anytime, since the debris is stll somewhere inside.

 

OK, but big relief anyway, to know that nothing is broken and cleaning is all that's needed.

.<div></div>

There is plenty of market for leica, not just the M. Markets are extremely competitive, margins are ridiculous, and the manufacturers kill themselves getting some kind of USP for their brand. And customers have plenty of $$$ if they feel they get something special. Or how do you explain that everyone lusts after a BMW or Mercedes, given the fact that the oldest and cheapest yugo would serve them as well in the traffic jam? Why pay a fortune for a sony when you can get an equivalent for half the price? Why buy Brioni and Zegna suits?

 

Now leica has a very strong brand, and could easily stress the "made in germany" cult. Make lenses for everyone who cares, just like zeiss does. Camcorders, 4/3 digicams, movie cameras.. launch some innovative digicams like olympus or sony did with waterproof cameras, just to name something. Just design and slap the lens on it, and box it in solms to make it made in germany. Ask a reasonable (not ridiculous) premium for nice design and a luxury brand, and i'll be damned if the folks with the excess $$ won't go for it.

For the lights, I see filmcrews taping a filter (some sort of thin polyester film) over the lamp. Of course not direectly against the glass, they use barn doors and the filter is some 10cm away from the heat.

 

Occasionally the filter gets to close to the heat and melts, but they are cheap and in general, the lighting guy told me, there is no problem unless it's turned on for a very long time or gets to glose to the hot glass. They don't use gels because it's to much hassle.

 

I guess with a blue filter you could get the lights quite close to the daylight, so that the difference will be easier to fix afterwards, if you don't like the mixed look. Converting the raw twice is an excellent idea!

 

Tri-x and the leica, now that is so unfair ;-) Have fun!

 

Have fun!

I was holding a digital rebel from a friend and tested it a little, the duded stared at me in total awe because I was focussing manually. Obviously to him this made as much sense as starting a car's engine with with a crank or something. And I turned off the flash. And then i set it to a aperture priority, and thought the camera was quite useful.

 

Formfactor is to big for me, unfortunately, and I still don't like SLRs - but who knows. Instead of the next repair of my M, I think I'll get me one of these low-end dslrs.

Vick, and all others, thnanks for contributing! I will send it back to leica.. Since the lightmeter is also broken, I'll expect a not so cheap quote and maybe getting myself a M2 or M3 is more economic, and the M6 could - even defective - fetch some euros to fund the new one..

Vick, Michael, thanks for your suggestions!

 

here's some more details:

 

Film was loaded corrctly, afaik. I could pull the lever half way and then it jammed. Shutter is also jammed, the button is stuck and can't be pressed down.

 

I could take the film out without any trouble, just rewind and that's it.

 

The curtains can both easily be moved to the right (looking from the behind the camera).

 

The curtains move a bit to the right if I pull the lever, and then fall back to previous position. The takeup spool moves freely, the sprocket is jammed and moves just a tiny bit when gently forced, then comes back tu it's current position. At "rewind" the sprocket move free in both directions.

 

I can't see anything obvious blocking anything.. I was hoping for some magic lever to press that "unlocks" everything or something like that..

 

i'm in germany, as much as DAG and Sherry have excellent reputations, the customs alone would be prohibitive to send it overseas, let alone shipping costs.

 

Douglas, a canon or nikon would be fine, if it was a RF and - best case - could take the M lenses I have. I'm afraid the Nikon RF wouldn't make much sense pricewise, and besides are quite aged by now, and lenses hard to get. Canonets as a replacement for my M, I don't know and doubt very much that such old cameras were a big step forward in terms of reliability ;-)

Sheldon, I just wanted to avoid the usual flood of CLA comments when anyone asks something like this. I have some projects coming up soon, and Leicas turnaround will be to slow for the camera to be back in time.

 

Read: I'm screwed.

 

I'm hoping that it's somethinmg trivial like the hasselblad jamming, that can be fixed with a screwdrivers turn or something..

 

It went belly up 3 times in 2 years, with moderate use, I'm no pj.. The defects are not related to each other. Can't blame leica for the sun burning a hole in the cloth, just to name one..

 

Perhaps I'll list it as defective at ebay, M6 are not very expensive these days - I doubt a repair will not be reasonable to sell it afterwards.

That company is misdirected since 25 years or so. But this sounds really bad now..

OK, perhaps not better but more convenient sometimes, e.g. when you

drop the camera and it hits your bare foot.

 

Today I walk out with my M (the one that's jammed now, but that's

another story). Winter has come back. I have gloves on, after some

20mins walking see something, rise the camera to my eye, and - whoa,

that metal is icy cold now and almost hurts on the skin. Now how do

they handle this in cold regions, I wonder.. skin frozen to the camera

a regular accident?

 

Never again a M in the winter! plastic disposable digicams from now on!

 

 

Just kidding ;-)

They cla the camera at the repairs, probably after reassembling this has to be done anyway, and billed accordingly, so I guess this has been taken care of. I will see if there is a recommendable local guy in munich, the ones I see on my walks seem rather shady.

 

Heck, I walked out to take a picture I had seen while driving home. I grab the camera, walk out, take some snaps for fun, and just before I reach the location - crack! Jammed. Quite frustrating.

---disclaimer - read before answering ---------------

DOn't patronize about CLA, this camera is a regular inmate at the

Solms factory, since it keeps breaking down regularly. It has probably

been CLAed more often than any other M on this planet. Period.

-----------------------------------------------------

 

my haunted M6 again is making trouble. After a few frames, the film

advance was a little stiff, but went through. One more shot, and now

it's jammed halfway. I'm unaware of any hit or fall that might have

caused the damage.

 

I could rewind the film without problem, and can't see anything

onbious like something bent. A quick search didn't reveal anything,

but I ask anyway - is this a common thing, and with an easy fix like

the jamming hasselblad?

no big art, just funny/weird stuff in a frame..<div></div>

Cool. I see even today in the MTV-era art still has power! I was afraid that people would become totally indifferent.

 

Christos most important work was the reichstag imho. Unfortunately I could not go there to see it, but it was one of the most powerful installations. Absolutely thrilling.

maybe your screwmounts need a cla? I'll be damned if I hear a difference.

 

Or my M needs an overhaul..

Thanks on all your input regarding my question about b/w printing. The scanning somehow starts to become annoying to me, and I'll see what i can get with a wet darkroom print, since I don't have to deliver digital files. I'll also try those lyson inks and see how the b/w inkjet improves, but as much as photoshop is convenient to me, I really hate the digital "workflow" as opposed to the analog way.

 

Probably however my darkroom prints will completely suck, and I'll return to my scanner tail between legs!

no, leica enetered late in the game. At first it was high-priced hightech toys, like the latest top-cellphones, hd camcorders and such. The scammers then did some market research in order to expand their business and after a while now are catering to all high-priced items with high turnararound rates.

 

I believe that for months ebay was flooded with scam kodak dsc auctions when the 14mp camera was announced - imagine, some 20 cameras listed and NOT ONE was a real auction. Probably because the camera was not yet available the scammers downgraded to the 760 and older models, simply by copying real auctions. I remember that good souls then started fake auctions with huge headlines alerting people not to fall for the scams. Interestingly, these auctions were removd quickly, the others remained.

 

There must be something in it for ebay, otherwise they would take at least symbolic actions against it.

 

About private auctions - they are scam, scam and nothing else but perhaps money laundry. Stay away from it. Always.

Thanks for sharing! I believe that the current crop of scanners indeed is "good enough" for all kind of purposes. I have an aged epson 2450, well.. good enough to make digital contact prints, give me an idea what's on the neg..

 

But this brings me to the following question:

 

Does it make sense - in b/w - to scan AND PRINT as opposed to a wet darkroom? I mean, looking at the monitor and having a print are two different things. Up to now, while color is fine, b/w inkjet prints are not really that good, and I am considering a wet darkroom since I have an old enlarger somewhere in my home.

 

Any opinions, anyone has tried both and made a conclusion?

Gentlemen, I can't believe that none of the posts mentions gorgeous ladies as at least one of the reasons! I'm worried to a certain extent, but hope that perhaps not everyone has been completeley honest ;-)

 

About painting and photography - I have to disagree, although I get the point, the very basic similarity is of course the creation of an image. And this is why I photograph, to keep images of people, things, days, moods that I care about. Now i also try to do this with painting, however it is a completely different road - and I am quite far from the point where I can transfer on canvas what I have in my mind. With photography it is not necessarily easier, you have to wait until the image produces itself and then be prepared for it.