jason

<p>I used it for many years, 25+.<br> I did not have the 90mm or 100mm.<br> It needs tubes to get into Macro.<br> Stunningly sharp, beautiful rendition.<br> 6X7 format requires stopping down, not as a 35mm format Macro.<br> The huge camera needs steady holding or correct tripod.<br> Mirror lock up a great idea. <br> Mine lacked that feature..<br> Great for portraits but I always used soft filters..<br> Nobody who sell images of clients want ultra sh samples.arp Bruce Gilden</p>

<p>Leica has supported the M8 as best as possible.<br> Lack of replacement parts made by a now "deceased" part of Kodak.<br> I own a Nikon which has battery door problems.<br> Any issue to do with battery, is NOT part of warrantee.<br> I noted that camera has "Wi-Fi".<br> Looked on Internet.<br> One year left of warrantee, BUT as camera is now obsolete,<br> info is no longer available.</p>

<p>The M8 is special.<br> Leica quickly abandoned the concept.<br> Parts as mentioned by Gus, the coming battery problem.<br> Way better cameras for less money, with support.<br> Stop seeing Leica as "Leitz".<br> It's not about lifetime service but to next model.</p>

<p>Leica has discontinued manufacture of M8 and M9 Battery, according to a person involved at Leica.<br> Out side parties may have battery but seldom work as well as original.<br> Same person has an older digital Leica for which no batteries are available.<br> I offered to fit leads and drill small holes, but same person not interested.<br> If my information wrong, sorry.<br> If it is true, start getting spares..</p>

<p>I was very fortunate to be allowed use of Prototype Noctilux f1.2.<br> I found it too contrasty(compared to Collapsible Summicron) for my needs.<br> The tiny depth of field made it almost useless.<br> I owned a 50mm Canon f1.2 which had less contrast.<br> I sold it when it was damaged.<br> I no longer bother with heavy, large, block viewfinder optics.</p>

<p>The M6 TTL 50mm frame is simply lousy.<br> It is a wild guess., making skew pix too boot.<br> My M3 is accurate, as many good SLR finders.<br> I bought the M6 as my M3 was getting really worn..<br> I still use M3 in preference.</p>

<p>The Kodak sensor is the magic!<br> I have a Kodak camera with Kodak sensor.<br> Incredible color and BW if light is good.<br> Cloudy, makes magenta shadows.<br> Kodachrome used to do same.<br> Shot a fashion model with emerald green coat and recv'd Brown coat.<br> Kodak tested a piece of cloth on spectrometer and stated , "Coat is brown" to Kodachrome.<br> I used Ektachrome and made green.<br> 10 years is not really a long time.<br> The M8 and M9 will be in big trouble, if no battery available.</p>

<p>The best SLR ever made.<br> It's beautiful, rough and hard.<br> It will work no matter what!<br> Lenses are great, don't read which are better, they are all good.<br> My 35mm f2.8 is considered not good. One can get cut with sharpness on a print. 105mm is a portrait lens, as are most Sonnars, so soft wide open. My meters died about 30 years ago. Lasted longer than the meter on my M3, the CDS one. A pro camera and one of very few, showing 100% in finder. Enjoy.</p>

<p>I use old lenses, as I use film.<br> The 50nn Collapsible Summicron, 35mm Summaron Goggle.<br> Arthur Plumpton wrote of using Medium and large format for "better" results.<br> When there was no digital, no internet, one did make large quality prints from 35mm.<br> Slower films, steady cameras and good developers.<br> In South Africa the late Sam Haskins used a Pentax Spotmatic and 50mm lens,<br> to make huge prints!<br> 6' x 4' of a girl, the 35mm contact in a corner.<br> I too made large display prints and even by today's sizes were large and very good.<br> Yes! Medium format (Mamiya C- series, Hassie) were "creamier".<br> Less rough grain.<br> 4x5 was amazing but depth of field or lack there of was my blocking point!<br> Aspheric are sharper but I find the bokeh esp. of Leica lenses looks like shattered glass.<br> Make photos, make big prints, within reason!<br> My standard size was 6" x 9" inches and 11x 14 inches.<br> Where the heck does one store monster size prints..?<br> Largest print from 35mm color neg., about 18 ft. x 12 feet approx.</p>

<p>I was plagued with spots, more so, using a scanner.<br> I filter everything before use, using coffee filters and after, as I pour back into solutions.<br> I use new plastic bottles whenever I prepare new solutions of fixer and stop bath.<br> I keep the Canon scanner covered all the time, except while in use.</p>

<p>Congratulations!<br> Enjoy. Next year my m3 is 60 years in use..<br> Yours looks great.<br> To remove meter, set to "B".<br> You can then lift the dial that moves shutter.<br> See there are two milled wheels sections.<br> The dial is then moved, lifting a coupling pin.<br> It should easily lift up.<br> The meter ill slide off, often enough, scars the top of camera.<br> Look up on "YouTube/Vimeo" remove Leicameter.</p>

<p>A friend of mine's nephew born 2000, is set to graduate school.<br> The school wanted pix of the kids as babies and now..<br> There are almost no baby pix!<br> Digital images lost on older technology, corrupted CD, cards no longer viewable..<br> I am 72 and have negs of myself!<br> Film is archival.<br> NASA cannot access it's early data..</p>

<p>I disagree that the 35mm is a normal view.<br> It already allows distortion..<br> A hand towards one say at even 6', becomes threatening.<br> Normal is 50mm.<br> The preference for 35mm on Leica M4,6,240 etc., viewfinders is the large frame!<br> The M3 was for 50mm.<br> One lens is plenty sufficient.</p>

<p>I agree with First, checking, why your photos are fuzzy.<br> Some folks cannot see correct focus.<br> If you can focus then fault in camera.<br> These are old cameras.<br> They need servicing..<br> Servicing may be easiest answer.<br> I have Minolta X set and Canon A-series.<br> I prefer the Canons.<br> Better built, well designed and fairly easy to service.<br> Lenses are very good.</p>

<p>The Vivitar flash is old.<br> It may, probably has a high voltage trigger<br> That is bad for the M6 TTL.<br> Like electronic damage..<br> Check with a serviceman, Gus? or Leica itself..<br> I don't use my Vivitar on any Electronic camera, Canon Ae-1, Ae-1 Program.etc.</p>

<p>A good friend of mine copied Gilden.<br> Even did a workshop with the man!<br> Friend was most abused student, but he persevered and they are friends.<br> Even invited to some shoots with Bruce.<br> Now the gritty!<br> Carrying a flash in one hand, camera in another..<br> I am a klutz. One or the other will fall.<br> Friend wiped out his flash..:-)<br> Now uses a ring flash contraption.<br> You set a distance say 5ft.<br> Move into that distance.<br> I personally hate flash and esp. walk by shooting.<br> B.G latest portraits with flash are awesomely horrible!<br> Not all of Bruce Gilden's pix are this way.<br> Thank goodness.</p>

<p>No camera can, in my opinion, be same as the M3.<br> I purchased a M6TTL in 2000, as I believed my M3 on last legs..<br> Well it nearly outlived me, due to a cardiac moment!<br> Yes, it is still my main camera.<br> I HATE the smaller viewfinder and frames of the M6TTL.<br> I always had a M2, but seldom used.<br> A DSLR has really lousy screens(made for wrong focus AUTO) ,<br> compared to a used Pentax ME-super, Canon-Ae-1P or a venerable Nikon F.<br> I found the Fuji and Olympus nice but still not my camera.<br> No not better nor worse.<br> They are different.<br> Keep the M3, shoot more film..<br> It takes a heck of a lot of film, to equal cost of digital Leica, or any Digital system.<br> No digital camera feels and gives results like a film camera.</p>

<p>I bought the 1st one in the late 60's as I needed a longer lens.<br> Sold it quite soon.<br> Next one came with other pieces worth keeping.<br> The last one, because it came with lens cap and back mount cap!<br> The cap and back cap worth the price!</p>

<p>I used one Hektor on a Visoflex 11 and 111.<br> It still was lousy.<br> Taking a inexpensive 135mm Enlarger lens Vivitar?,<br> I saw really great performance, esp. of flowers and general views.</p> <p> </p>

<p>All my 135mm f4.5 Hektor , tripod screw parallel to camera base.<br> It may have been (in) correctly serviced and re-assembled.<br> I bought my last one for less than $60, including cap and bayonet cap.<br> Lens is not marked or scratched.<br> It is a miserable lens..<br> Occasionally I get a good sharp image..<br> That has been my experience with other Hektors.<br> Are your photos acceptable?<br> If they are, leave alone.<br> My 135mm f4 Tele Elmar is in another dimension.</p>

<p>The actual photos are great. I like both of me! I like many!<br> The shutter needs exercise. Practice without film, many actuations of shutter.<br> I wouldn't worry about those edges unless they get worse.<br> Watch TV winding gently and release.<br> Service if you are bothered.<br> The lens is amazing (with sun at side or behind) on Landscapes, at f2.0!<br> It is sharp in center, but lower contrast, which I needed in South Africa and Toronto sunny winter days.<br> I think roll is great, scans adequate.</p>

I am sure you have some shots from your film/camera/lens test! What do you think? Did you get prints? If yes or no, lets see the negs.. You can contact me via Mauro. or a reply here at Leica Forum, photo net.

<p>I may have missed it written elsewhere, but the 45mm Nikkor focuses different from all Nikkors!<br> It focuses like a Leica or Canon lens..Caused me plenty wrong focusing..<br> I never needed the GN feature using the Vivitar 285 Auto flash.<br> It is a typical "Tessar" type lens.<br> Never used the 50mm f1.2 but it may be an interesting one, wide open.<br> The 45mm makes a very compact kit.</p>

<p>I think the Nikon-F is the best SLR ever made.<br> Practically indestructible. <br> Suggest you obtain a<strong> Users Manual for the Nikon-F.</strong><br> The shutter lifts up, to allow different synch. with various flash(bulbs).<br> The "FX" is for electronic flash.<br> Maximum speed is 1/60th. Can use slower speeds..<br> 100% viewfinder, bright image, so many Nikkor lenses.<br> Not for nothing this camera destroyed the German Photographic industry.<br> Sure Leica is around..but it's tiny compared to Canon and Nikon..<br> My Photomic heads are all dead, so one uses experience, no meter.<br> Enjoy.</p>

<p>I wish Leica all the success.<br> It seems a great camera.<br> Maybe still no competition to i-Phone.<br> Price and portability factors.<br> Strangely I have noticed 3 things about the Leica Q.<br> The f-stop is f1.7.Leica has never used such an aperture.<br> Very Japanese!<br> 2. No built in flash. <br> 3.All the images seen so far in color look flat!<br> Sadly at a price few can afford, esp. for a point and shoot.</p>