[harrisfoto]

I still am using a Leica M3, a Leica R6 and also a Leica R8, with a DMR back. However, I find that unless I am working in a studio, I shoot film. Then I use a Bowens Illumitran for slide and negative copying. (You can find these on Eay.) With the R8 and DMR, I transform the negatives into a digital copy. This works great for 35mm and medium format film.

I use a 75 mm enlarger lens and bellows on a Leica R8 with a Leica Digital R back, for 35mm film. I can also use the same system to make digital copies of 120 film (from the Hasselblad 500 C)

After copying by shooting raw, I use curves in Bibble Pro (any raw processor will work) to change the negative image to a positive. (just use an inverted curve.) This will also work for color negatives. I can then touch up the dust, in Photoshop, and use my Epson 7600 printer, and QuadTone Rip to print black and white prints.

A copy stand, with Leica R digital also worked great for some 3.5" x 5" negatives from the 1920's which were too big for the Illumitran. For those, I used a 5" x 7" contact printer box, and just set up camera with a Leica 60mm macro lens over the open box, with the light switched on.

This goes much faster than scanning. You still have original negatives, and could make silver prints if they were needed.

I was also thinking about getting an MP or M6 (mostly for the frame lines). But the more I consider it, the more I want to spend the money on lenses.

Regards

Steve Harris