Hello, good to be here

[Berth]

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Hello

 

My name is Bert, from Oregon, US.

 

I'd like to tell you why I'm here. With a brief history of my photography.

 

The first camera I bought, a long long time ago, was a Voigtländer Bessamatic SLR, in London at the best camera store in town. They tried to sell me a Nikon but I was having none of it, German it had to be. I was 19. It took lovely pictures of my European travels, but college, then the military, then a business career, then, well, life, intervened and it gathered dust, unused for decades. When I moved to California back in 1991 I decided I wanted to get back into photography. I dusted off that old Bessamatic and discovered a complete rebuild could not save it. My head firmly wrapped around an SLR I headed off to the best photo store in town, this time in La Jolla, to buy a Nikon F4. The guy who met me at the door had another idea, and I walked out with a Leica R6 with the 50mm Summicron. Terrific camera, to which I later added a couple of used lenses, a 28mm f/2.8 and the 180mm f/3.4, and a new macro, the 100mm f/4.0.

 

All was well until I decided I need to minimize the lens swapping, and add compositional flexibility, by adding a zoom lens. It's been awhile, but I think the price tag for a new Leica zoom, the Vario-APO-Elmarit-R 70-180 mm f/2.8, was something like $5000 (no used was available anywhere). In 1998 dollars. Gulp.

 

An avid reader, I had just attended a photo seminar presented by George Lepp and Dewitt Jones, columnists for Outdoor Photographer. Both, Dewitt in particular, are terrific photographers whose work I've long admired. They weren't shooting Leica, they were shooting Canon. Canon glass, even their 'L' glass, is cheaper, much much cheaper, than Leica, and it didn't seem to be limiting the quality of the images of either of them. It would be fair to note my Leica in my hands was not making better images than them either. Canon's autofocus was best in the business.

 

Back to the photo store, to look at my 'business' alternatives, one Leica zoom for $5,000, or a Canon 1n, with two zooms ( a 28-70mm f/2.8 L and a 70-200mm f2.8 L ), and their Speedlight 550EX Flash, and a set of Uv and Polarizing filters. For $4,000 and change.

 

It was a no brainer. Time to switch systems. But wait! says the nice man, don't go with the 1n, Canon's got a new one, the EOS-3, with better metering and eye-controlled focusing. And so it was. I put the Leica and lenses up for sale. While the 28mm, 50mm and 180mm went quickly the R6 body which had a dent and showed wear, and the 100mm macro which 'suddenly' stopped working and needed repair, languished on the dealer's shelf until I pick them up and put them in my closet.

 

Loved the new gear (I was one of the fortunate ones, the eye control focus worked for me). My images were comparable to that R6, a happy camper. Until the Digital Wolf started howling. I ignored the 10D, but the 20D was irresistible so I moved to Digital, leaving that EOS-3 to gather dust. Added their 24mm f1.4 L. Finally, the complete outfit.

 

But digital life is shorter than analog. And in truth, the 20D with its 8 mp chip, was taking images that were not as good as that Leica R6. It wasn't the glass, it was the chip & software.

 

So when Canon introduced their 5D Mark II it was time to upgrade. Again. And the 5D does indeed take images to rival anything I produced with any of my film cameras. The 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS is simply marvelous. And all of that earlier Canon gear I've invested in works seamlessly with the new body. This year I completed my outfit, again (notice a pattern?), by adding the 16-35mm f/2.8 L zoom. Canon's 'L' glass is excellent. Big though. Kinda heavy.

 

Damn I've got a lot of gear. Big iron. Bulky iron. Did I say heavy? A bit noisy too.

 

And I haven't been taking 'street photography' images for awhile. My Canon outfit in all its glory is not exactly discrete. And I'm going back to Europe this summer for a river cruise, to visit places like Prague, a paradise for street photography. It's time to return to the basics, something small, quiet. With outstanding glass. No, I'm not going to dump my Canon gear, it really is terrific, and well-suited for many many of my photo applications. Just not for those intimate street shots.

 

So I've pulled the trigger. On perhaps the finest camera ever made for street photography, a Leica Rangefinder. And when I think Leica, I think film. With the excellent scanning available at a low cost, film can become digital effortlessly, just not an issue.

 

So that Rangefinder & lens from B&H in that UPS truck enroute to my house is a black Leica MP with the 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit. Basic photography. It's 1960 all over again.

 

And here I am.

[madNbad]

Could have driven up to Portland and had in your hands by now. Welcome to the forum!

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The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Great story. Welcome to the forum, Berth, and welcome to LEICA-M-photography.

Perhaps you should have rented a LEICA-M before you bought ist. There is quite a learning

curve ahead of you in case you never used one.

 

If there are questions, this is a good place to find the answers.

 

 

 

Best

GEORG

[Berth]

Great story. Welcome to the forum, Berth, and welcome to LEICA-M-photography.

Perhaps you should have rented a LEICA-M before you bought ist. There is quite a learning

curve ahead of you in case you never used one.

 

If there are questions, this is a good place to find the answers.

 

 

 

Best

GEORG

 

Maybe not quite so long, I used my R6 intensively for 7 years and it was wholly manual, like the MP. I think I've got those mechanics reasonably well mastered. The biggest learning curves will be to adapt to the unique rangefinder viewer & focusing process, and to anticipate the depth of field focus needs of street photography. I think too I'll need to strengthen my persuasive people skills when a direct approach is needed to capture the image in my mind. The best street stuff I've seen is close up and personal.

 

I am really looking forward to the challenge.

 

Bert

[k_g_wolf ✝]

It will be one, Bert.

 

It needs at least +/- 30 films to get used to a rangefinder camera. Don´t give up too soon.

Since you come from SLR-cameras your LEICA-v/f will present you the world so, as if

you peek through a slideframe, you will see everything sharp, from fore- to background.

You have to get used to this and focus your lens carefully on the matter of your interest.

 

As you know, the SLR-screen shows your motif as if you view through a pair of binoculars,

with the photog having an outside position. The rangefinder allows you to step visually right

into the scene you want to cover.

 

Enjoy the r/f-way. HAPPY NEW LEICA-YEAR 2014.

 

 

Best

GEORG

Edited January 1, 2014 by k_g_wolf

[DigitalHeMan]

Nice story. I guess the learning curve is different for every one of us. I purchased my first rangefinder earlier this year (M6) after using Nikon SLRs for years, and found I was able to adapt immediately - the first roll of film probably gave me more keepers than the equivalent number of shots using AF, in fact I don't think I've ever really had an out of focus shot with the rangefinder, as I am able to maintain full control over what is or isn't in focus. If you understand how the rangefinder works, and there are plenty of online articles to help with this, it shouldn't present too many difficulties.

[AndyMc]

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Hello

 

My name is Bert, from Oregon, US.

 

I'd like to tell you why I'm here. With a brief history of my photography.

 

The first camera I bought, a long long time ago, was a Voigtländer Bessamatic SLR, in London at the best camera store in town. They tried to sell me a Nikon but I was having none of it, German it had to be. I was 19. It took lovely pictures of my European travels, but college, then the military, then a business career, then, well, life, intervened and it gathered dust, unused for decades. When I moved to California back in 1991 I decided I wanted to get back into photography. I dusted off that old Bessamatic and discovered a complete rebuild could not save it. My head firmly wrapped around an SLR I headed off to the best photo store in town, this time in La Jolla, to buy a Nikon F4. The guy who met me at the door had another idea, and I walked out with a Leica R6 with the 50mm Summicron. Terrific camera, to which I later added a couple of used lenses, a 28mm f/2.8 and the 180mm f/3.4, and a new macro, the 100mm f/4.0.

 

All was well until I decided I need to minimize the lens swapping, and add compositional flexibility, by adding a zoom lens. It's been awhile, but I think the price tag for a new Leica zoom, the Vario-APO-Elmarit-R 70-180 mm f/2.8, was something like $5000 (no used was available anywhere). In 1998 dollars. Gulp.

 

An avid reader, I had just attended a photo seminar presented by George Lepp and Dewitt Jones, columnists for Outdoor Photographer. Both, Dewitt in particular, are terrific photographers whose work I've long admired. They weren't shooting Leica, they were shooting Canon. Canon glass, even their 'L' glass, is cheaper, much much cheaper, than Leica, and it didn't seem to be limiting the quality of the images of either of them. It would be fair to note my Leica in my hands was not making better images than them either. Canon's autofocus was best in the business.

 

Back to the photo store, to look at my 'business' alternatives, one Leica zoom for $5,000, or a Canon 1n, with two zooms ( a 28-70mm f/2.8 L and a 70-200mm f2.8 L ), and their Speedlight 550EX Flash, and a set of Uv and Polarizing filters. For $4,000 and change.

 

It was a no brainer. Time to switch systems. But wait! says the nice man, don't go with the 1n, Canon's got a new one, the EOS-3, with better metering and eye-controlled focusing. And so it was. I put the Leica and lenses up for sale. While the 28mm, 50mm and 180mm went quickly the R6 body which had a dent and showed wear, and the 100mm macro which 'suddenly' stopped working and needed repair, languished on the dealer's shelf until I pick them up and put them in my closet.

 

Loved the new gear (I was one of the fortunate ones, the eye control focus worked for me). My images were comparable to that R6, a happy camper. Until the Digital Wolf started howling. I ignored the 10D, but the 20D was irresistible so I moved to Digital, leaving that EOS-3 to gather dust. Added their 24mm f1.4 L. Finally, the complete outfit.

 

But digital life is shorter than analog. And in truth, the 20D with its 8 mp chip, was taking images that were not as good as that Leica R6. It wasn't the glass, it was the chip & software.

 

So when Canon introduced their 5D Mark II it was time to upgrade. Again. And the 5D does indeed take images to rival anything I produced with any of my film cameras. The 21.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS is simply marvelous. And all of that earlier Canon gear I've invested in works seamlessly with the new body. This year I completed my outfit, again (notice a pattern?), by adding the 16-35mm f/2.8 L zoom. Canon's 'L' glass is excellent. Big though. Kinda heavy.

 

Damn I've got a lot of gear. Big iron. Bulky iron. Did I say heavy? A bit noisy too.

 

And I haven't been taking 'street photography' images for awhile. My Canon outfit in all its glory is not exactly discrete. And I'm going back to Europe this summer for a river cruise, to visit places like Prague, a paradise for street photography. It's time to return to the basics, something small, quiet. With outstanding glass. No, I'm not going to dump my Canon gear, it really is terrific, and well-suited for many many of my photo applications. Just not for those intimate street shots.

 

So I've pulled the trigger. On perhaps the finest camera ever made for street photography, a Leica Rangefinder. And when I think Leica, I think film. With the excellent scanning available at a low cost, film can become digital effortlessly, just not an issue.

 

So that Rangefinder & lens from B&H in that UPS truck enroute to my house is a black Leica MP with the 28mm f/2.8 Elmarit. Basic photography. It's 1960 all over again.

 

And here I am.

 

Wonderful Intro welcome. Im new to the forum. A great place with people only to happy to help.

 

A

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

[earleygallery]

Welcome.

 

I've been using Leica R & LTM/M for many years but bought a Canon 20D a few years ago to try digital with my existing R lenses. Then I added some AF lenses for the Canon, then a 30D and now a 50D with a fast zoom!

 

I find the 20D images to be absolutely fine, at lower ISOs and minimal cropping I've printed to A3 with excellent quality.

 

However, film is a different medium and I still ultimately prefer it over digital. I'm not a huge fan of trying to make digital look like film, it's better to use the real thing if that's the look you're after (OK if someone can faithfully reproduce Kodachrome I'll be interested!).

 

You've chosen quite a wide lens for street so you'll have to be comfortable with getting up close. I'm sure you'll enjoy using film again.

[Berth]

It will be one, Bert.

 

It needs at least +/- 30 films to get used to a rangefinder camera. Don´t give up too soon.

Since you come from SLR-cameras your LEICA-v/f will present you the world so, as if

you peek through a slideframe, you will see everything sharp, from fore- to background.

You have to get used to this and focus your lens carefully on the matter of your interest.

 

As you know, the SLR-screen shows your motif as if you view through a pair of binoculars,

with the photog having an outside position. The rangefinder allows you to step visually right

into the scene you want to cover.

 

Enjoy the r/f-way. HAPPY NEW LEICA-YEAR 2014.

 

 

Best

GEORG

 

With a $7,500 investment you can be quite sure I won't be giving up too soon.

 

I really am looking forward to exploring the rangefinder world view side by side with my SLR, I will be using both extensively.

[madNbad]

Do you plan on scanning your own or using a service?

[Berth]

Do you plan on scanning your own or using a service?

 

I'll be doing my own scanning most of the time, I'm going to upgrade from my Nikon Coolscan pretty quickly. Any recommendations would be welcome.

[madNbad]

Stick with the Nikon Coolscan untill it dies.

[Berth]

Stick with the Nikon Coolscan untill it dies.

 

Sadly, the Coolscan software may not be compatible with Mavericks, the operating system on my notebook. I really don't want to scan into my obsolete desktop. .

[DigitalHeMan]

Sadly, the Coolscan software may not be compatible with Mavericks, the operating system on my notebook. I really don't want to scan into my obsolete desktop. .

 

 

When I had to make the same decision I went for VueScan following a recommendation on the forum. This is independent software that works with a wide range of scanners and is available online at http://www.hamrick.com. It works well for my purposes....

[Guest DoloresBickerstaff]

Welcome to the forums, I hope you have a great stay here..

[hamey]

Hello Bert.

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

I use both the R and M system and frankly Leica is untouchable in the film world just love the stuff.

Nowdays I use Fuji Provia and couldn't be happier with this combination, and like you I also use Canon for my Digital needs.

The beauty with the EOS system is I can combine both my R (via an adapter) and Canon L lenses on my Canon DSLR's just love their AF and IS system and frankly I am becoming hooked with it.

 

Good Luck.

 

Ken.

[Berth]

When I had to make the same decision I went for VueScan following a recommendation on the forum. This is independent software that works with a wide range of scanners and is available online at VueScan Scanner Software for Windows 8, Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks), Linux, iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android. It works well for my purposes....

 

Done, I bought it tonight. Thanks!

[Berth]

Well, the MP & 28mm Elmarit showed up today just like B&H said it would.

 

You might say my mechanical skills could be improved. Attaching the strap took me 15 minutes, kept getting the second side backwards. Speaking of upside down, that's how I put the battery in. Kept looking for the red light in the viewer in vain. Then I fitzed & fuzted with loading the film, not drawing out enough leader. It really shouldn't take 15 minutes to do that either.

 

Finally, the Leica Eveready case seems a little short for the MP, the hole on the back partially covers the top of the film ISO dial. And it doesn't allow for a tripod. Anybody try Angelo Pelly's half cases?

 

At this rate my hall of shame is going to need an additional room.

[k_g_wolf ✝]

Welcome to the world of LEICA-M, Berth, and:

 

- take the lenscap off ...

 

- get your fingers out of the finder ...

 

- hold your lens (l/h) from underneath when focussing ...

 

 

 

best

GEORG

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[jip]

Yes VueScan is great for the Nikon Coolscan, I use it with the Nikon Coolscan LS4000 if u need any help (since it can be confusing if you are coming from Nikons software) just send me a PM.