the sexy leica mp

[vic vic]

my beloved leica mp camera nude :-))) it is always amazing to see how beautiful is this camera when nude (without lens on it). leave aside for a moment that this leica is "extention of body" (in cartier bressons words), it is also a masterpice of design :-))))

[leica_mage]

Ah, Victor, how you fuel my desire for one. I've had a brand new one set aside for me to complement my M6. Hesitating somewhat before taking the (expensive but worthwhile) plunge!

It's even sexier when the 12mm white disc shows - but sexiest of all with an extended silver 50mm Elmar attached!!

Best,

[vic vic]

hi kp
no, i dont have that little elmar lens. i wanted it once, because i use 50 as my prime and wanted some very small lens than the fast ones, but gave up. now with the digital m i will probably need to buy the 35mm.
anyway, i highly recomed this mp camera - this one or that new addition that looks like m3. i think that the m3-like is even sexier :-))))

[uulrich]

Originally Posted by leica_mage

It's even sexier when the 12mm white disc shows - [...]

Showing the 12mm discs in public places is not allowed in all countries. :-)

[vic vic]

it is the lower angle that hides the white disk.

go to here http://web.mac.com/victorbt/
u will have the 12mm disk there:-)))

made in the same country as far as i remember :-)))))

[wilfredo]

What is the name of this sexy Leica? I shoot with an M7, and I call her Lucia.

Cheers,
Wilfredo+
Benitez-Rivera Photography

[vic vic]

ha ha wilferdo - sounds nice :-)))
no, i dont have special name for it. but my mother calls it "your wife", my sister "your girlfriend" and my girlfriend "your eyes" :-)))

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by uulrich

Showing the 12mm discs in public places is not allowed in all countries. :-)

L-O-L!!!!!

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by vic vic

ha ha wilferdo - sounds nice :-)))
no, i dont have special name for it. but my mother calls it "your wife", my sister "your girlfriend" and my girlfriend "your eyes" :-)))

Excellent! Needless to say, it's your girlfriend who is right!

Originally Posted by vic vic

[...] i highly recomed this mp camera - this one or that new addition that looks like m3. i think that the m3-like is even sexier :-))))

Actually it's the MP3 LHSA edition and looks like the original MP (or like the M2, if you will) - I would agree. But the price tag... Not for now!

[vic vic]

ya kp, i know what u mean. i also would buy this mp3lsha if i had much more money. but m8, and other future investments i have to make soon will not let me buy one. maybe in the future :-))) but one thing u can do though - to buy an old and clean m3 (or one with smaller magnification finders like m4).

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by vic vic

ya kp, i know what u mean. i also would buy this mp3lsha if i had much more money. but m8, and other future investments i have to make soon will not let me buy one. maybe in the future :-))) but one thing u can do though - to buy an old and clean m3 (or one with smaller magnification finders like m4).

"Been there, done that", as they say; I once owned a total of seven camera bodies and a wide assortment of lenses. Had to go through that to realise that all I need is two Leicas and a maximum of five focal lengths. The 'sexy MP' is probably going to be my second camera. I currently own a beautiful chrome M6, which is going to become my backup body. Focal lengths 21, 35, 50, 75 and 90mm. To me, perfection.

Best,

[vic vic]

oh ya kp, this is more than enough - no doubt. with those u can hadle everything as u wish.

personally, i love 28mm instead of 21 and 35. dont know - 35 in my hands is anemic, 21 is great but with large cameras where u have more creative control - especially in close distances. 28 is perfect for my vision when i want to open the scene and get in intimate distance with things i photograph.

one lens i really would like though is the noctilux for its temper. but me too, not gonna buy it at the moment :-(

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by vic vic

[...] personally, i love 28mm instead of 21 and 35. dont know - 35 in my hands is anemic, 21 is great but with large cameras where u have more creative control - especially in close distances. 28 is perfect for my vision when i want to open the scene and get in intimate distance with things i photograph.

one lens i really would like though is the noctilux for its temper. but me too, not gonna buy it at the moment :-(

Victor, you're rubbing an old wound there. 28mm was my preferred indoor focal length in my SLR days, 35mm my outdoor lens. 21mm was too wide for me back then. 24mm was to me what 35mm is to you - in my hands, totally anemic.

Now it just so happens that the reason I opt for 21mm in M lens terms is that I don't like the way both the pre-ASPH and ASPH lenses in the 28mm perform. For me this is unusual, because I really love Leica optics. The 24mm FL is out of the question for the reason I gave above, so that leaves the 21mm as my widest lens after the 35mm. And I really like its performance, and it will be a challenge to use creatively.

If an evil photographic daemon were to say to me: 'you can only have one lens!', I'm pretty certain it would be the 35mm ASPH 'lux.

And yes, I too flare up in Noctilust regularly, but I'm going to cure it with an ASPH 'lux!

Best,

[vic vic]

kp,
personally i do like the asph lens very much i have to tell u, and i use them so when developing b/w (i do it only by myslef) i can give it the look i want.
but i do understand what u say.

the f2 on 28 is great thing. u can see for example galil photos in "photo forum - people".
they are f2 or at most f2.8.

ha ha , the point is that when or if i buy the digi m camera i will have to buy also the 35 u r talking and the 21 :-))) so that it will function like 28 and 50 on the full frame :-)) this is partly why i cannot step into noctilux at the moment :-(

anyway - the 50 asph u want is great - best! :-)

[hm1912]

You're a lucky guy to have a new MP. I'd love one of those, although I've never used a rangefinder. I got into the Leica gear because of my grandfather, who had an R4 which I inherited. When it was stolen, the insurance replaced it with an R9, so I've only got SLR experience with the Leica. And I like the photo. It belongs in an official brochure!

[vic vic]

ya ilan - me too - old traditions from home back in georgia (ussr). my father and grandfather were more about rangefinders. they had great collection of german cameras like old voigtlanders, zeiss, i think some linhof too and so on.
m4 was the first leica i have holded in my hand - it was great. it had some tiny lens on it - i think it was 35mm summicron. and of course the m3 which is the magic - as far as i remember it was with the 50mm f1.5 - dont think it was called then summilux (people who are femiliar correct me please ). the pictures of father and grandfather (my moms father) from those old ones are megical as well. there is some flare on them but it is like some eye catching glow to the picture.
but those stuff were stolen when we moved to israel :-((( i think some of the georgian or russian custom officer new very well the value of those things:-))).

any way - i do have now one vintage 90mm leitz elm. not eassy to work with it, especially when u have those new asph lenses, but when it gets rite - it is amazing. u deffently should not mix that old lens with the new ones on the same roll of film in order to give appropriate deveopment/exposure to the film.

if u have the oportunity - i highly recomend u to step into the rangefinder stuff.

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by vic vic

[...] as far as i remember it was with the 50mm f1.5 - dont think it was called then summilux (people who are femiliar correct me please )

"Summarit" it was called, but both Laney and Puts (in the lens part of the Leica Pocket Book, 7th Ed.) screw up in their reference works and also call it a "Summitar", which is a completely different (collapsible) lens with a maximum aperture of f/2. Puts' Leica Lens Compendium gets it right, finally.

[vic vic]

ah ya - true kp, thanks - summarit it was and "leitz" was written on it like on my 90mm vintage elm :-) and true - it was srew mount with adapter on the m3, while the 35 summicron was normal m mount.

[wda]

It is a good thing that Leica have produced a very versatile range of M lenses because we all see the world differently. For years I favoured the 50 and 90, occasionally using the 28 - all on an M3. Gradually I developed a liking for the wider angle view and added the 35 and 21. The latter is probably the most challenging lens to use accurately, getting the image square in the finder.

I do think Leica could have improved the accuracy of the 21 finder; even the latest 21-24-28 finder leaves much to be desired in framing accuracy.

David

[leica_mage]

Originally Posted by wda

[...] The latter is probably the most challenging lens to use accurately, getting the image square in the finder.

Absolutely!

I do think Leica could have improved the accuracy of the 21 finder; even the latest 21-24-28 finder leaves much to be desired in framing accuracy.

I have seen many praise the Voigtländer finders; maybe they're worth looking at.

Best,