richard_bud

For my M3 I have 35mm summicron with goggles and 135mm 2.8 with goggles. They are great lenses and I have no problem with thier use.

Only thing is I don't use them anymore because I have M6 and M7 with new lenses.

If looking for other lenses, pick up the goggled versions.-Dick

If you are putting decent effort into your photography, don't waste it with a P&S. Purchase an M of some sort and lens that you like the focul lenght of. You will/may spend a few more $$'s but your effort will be rewarded.-Dick

Saturday I did a second wedding in the same church. The 35mm Summilux ASPH and 75mm AA for head shots and 90mm AA for long back of the Church shots did it all. I used to set up a Nikon with 135mm 2.8 on a tripod from the choir loft but with the 90mm and M handheld, I don't need to. I don't even use my 135 2.8 RF anymore for that long shot.

So I have gone from Nikon to M totally for weddings.-Dick

"Is it the end of the film era also for Leica?"

Yes! Obviously the Professional market is defunct and only the technofiles were purchasing Leica M. Now with the M8, Leica is targeting the high end consumer after the technofiles have purchased thier M8's but after spending $5K on an M8, Leica trying to give the consumer a price break. Most of these digital photographs are only circulated over the net and viewed by monitor, something any decent digital can do.

Frankly, I grew up with Leica and Nikon and wide apertures. I own 35 Summilux ASPH and 75 mm AA and 90mm AA. These are stunning lenses, eclipsing the previous M versions and Nikkor lenses I own.

I have no use for these Summarits.-Dick

I usually have two M's with me when shooting.

But if only one, M7 and 35 Summilux Asph.

I find I use this body about 75% of the time in lieu of my M6 and M3 and this lens about 60% of the time.

I use a 75mm AA for portraits and 90mm AA for telephoto shots.

My M3 RF lenses 35mm Summicron RF and 135mm 2.8 RF just don't get used anymore.

Oh yes my 2.8 Elmar M collapsable and Summicron DR never get used anymore.

Must have Motor M in addition though!-Dick

I have both the 75mm AA and 90mm AA. I almost always use the 75mm AA along with my 35mm Summilux Asph on my M7 or M6. I shoot K64 and K200. The 90mm AA is good for longer shots. The 75mm AA is better if you do a lot of portrature work as the depth of field is better than 90mm for a given aperture. I do not find the 90mm AA heavy and I use Motor M's on both my M6 & M7. -Dick

No problem, works great and you can't see it when using the camera!-Dick

There is a ball detent on the top of the lens that the optical device depresses to allow for the close focusing to work with the focusing ring re positioned. I think that is the resistance you are feeling.-Dick

I purchased the 35mm 1.4 Asph rather than the 50 Summicron or 50 Summilux Asph to go with my M7. Lens is as sharp as either 50mm and better for me wide angle. I have 50 Summicron and 50 Elmar M and never use either. -Dick

A black chrome Leica M7 with 50mm Summicron is the best that you can do. It's as quiet as it gets, the camera is as good as it gets and the lens is superlative. All you have to do is focus and compose. I shoot with an M7, 35mm Summilux ASPH for the f1.4 capability and its a little wider than the 50mm. I also use Motor M's which in the I Mode are not that much noisier than manual winding. The II Mode is just a faster wind time and even that is relatively quiet. My M6 with Motor M usually has a 75mm Summicron on it and the M3 stays home now. All the rest is purely subjective and you will have to make up your own mind.-Dick

I've been using M's for over 30 years to photograph children and have M3, M6 and M7.

One thing they are not is suitable for pictures of young children without a lot of experience. Children most fast and often and unless you can control the environment and movement in a studio setting you need constant manipulation of the focus. At the best, the M7 allows one to only have to focus and the M7 is all I use now for children.

The advantage of the Leica M is the current generation of Aspherical lenses and I use the 75mm Summicron and 35mm Summilux Asph's. I do not use the 90mm Summicron Asph for portrait work because the depth of field is too narrow using the slow K64 is use. The 90 is only used for sports and then again only with the M7.

You must, as others have suggested use the M7 before purchasing because it is a big investment for a body and even one lens. -Dick

I never keep my M3 and RF lenses of the period in thier leather cases. Store seperately and if you must use a case when taking pictures, do so, but when done, remove camera and store seperately.-Dick

Yes you can with no problems. I have the 35mm Summicron RF and the 135mm f2.8 RF and they work an any M body. They even work with the motor M contrary to Leica supplied information with the caveat that they cannot be removed without removing the Motor.-Dick

The world of digital design and CAD/CAM has led to ever increasingly shorter product life time and falling costs. There is no reason to believe that the M8 will hold value as its meachanical brothers/sisters have.

I for one firmly believe the saying "Those that ride the leading edge of techknowlodgy are sacrificed upon it". For may years I rode the edge but no longer. For me the M8 proved not to be a camera I wanted to purchase.

In terms of product life cycles, I believe Leica is caught between a rock and a hard place. Traditional Leica customers want thier equipment to sustain its value/use. Modern digital economics says, improve the product to keep selling and cash rolling in. What is Leica going to do? I don't know! I don't think we will see an M9 until M8 sales warrent the M9 to keep the cash flow Leica needs to survive.-Dick

Just checked my 35 Suummilux Asph on my 0.85 M7 and its just about the same as the 0.7 illustrated with the cut out hood. It's really no problem, at least to me.-Dick

Thank you very much for the translations, an obvious 'labor of love'!

I used two Nkon F's during the 1960's and 1970's while working as a photojournalist. I still consider those F's as the best SLR's ever produced. I keep an Fm2 and recently purchased one of the last Fm3a's.-Dick

Leica's were considered fast cameras for their day. Alongside the Auto-Everything cameras of today, they might be considered slow but they can still be very fast. I have Motor M's(not the M Winder) on my M6 and M7. They are never off the camera. In the I Mode they are almost as quiet as the camera with the Motor OFF. In the II Mode they fairly zing along matching just about anything. With the M7 and a 35mm or less lens and zone focusing, the camera is the equal of anything our there in the speed department and coupled with the Ashperical lenses, the M can't be beat. The 'bounce' doesn't bother me a bit. Weight is no problem. Leica M's are not slow cameras, with the addition of the M Motor, they can be fast discrete picture takers.-Dick

I have had the chrome attached hood model since 1985 to go along with my 1963 M3, DR, 35 Summicron RF and 135 RF. It is a beautiful lens aesthetically/cosmetically and does very well as a portrait lens. I paid a small fortune back then for this lens in Mint condition. They are reasonable now. The size never bothered me compared to my 90 AA.-Dick

This forum has no PM that i can find. email sent to account listed on this forum but it is to general rangefinder.com. you will have to search for it unless you have another email. All i Have is this Yahoo account listed on this forum. Thanks for you help. In my email i offer a short resume.-Dick

Jorge, remember me? I asked you about 6 months ago to consider allowing me to Post on Rangefinder.com with a Yahoo address. You promised to look into it and get back to me. You never did? -Dick

I Put down the wrong code, it is an OTZNO!

I have seen some that are marked Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany. I assume that these are just older pre war models?

So coupled with the APDOO, how exactly does the combination go together and work? Thanks-Dick

I found it! APDOO, soft release.

My first M3 was purchased from the estate of the original owner in the early 1990's. I took it to a Leica 'Clean & Check Day'. The tech checked all the functions including shutter timing as within specifications. He showed me the original seal still intact. He said that the lubrication was gone and to send the camera in within the next year or so to have it CLA'd. I gave him the camera to take back with him. Camera has continued to work flawlessly but with my M6 and M7, it does not get much use.

If selling as a Mint in box collectable, I would let the purchaser decide what to. If you are going to use the camera, get it CLA'd.-Dick

Despite what is written, this lens will also work with the Motor M. You have to mount the lens and then attach the motor. Once mounted it cannot be unmounted without removing the motor. A great lens! I use one on my 0.85 M6 and M7 as well as M3!-Dick

I just acquired an extended shutter release that raises the release point

about 1/2". It is threaded for the M3 and fits very nicely on my M3. It is

chrome, marked "Leitz Germany' and is a little work of art in machining.

I have looked in all my original Leitz catalogs and find no mention of this

release. Does anyone know the Leitz code, when these were manufactured and the

intended purpose. I don't think that its a soft release but I have read about

a release for cold weather glove use. Any information will be appreciated.

thanks-Dick