Search the Community

Saw this family sitting with their baby on the street, with an "umbrella boat". Sometimes, it's not about the luxurious dinner or an expensive trip to other countries, it's about the time with our family and the love that matter. Trying to post more photos here this year, in order to learn more from you guys' comments. Thanks for your support as always. Happy new year and wish you have a great 2015 ahead! Cheers, Terence from Hong Kong 20130810-L1002472 by TerenceYam, on Flickr <Leica M9, 35mm Summilux ASPH> old shot in 2013 though...

Recently did a spin around the Tibetan Autonomous Zone of west Sichuan Province. Took an M9 and a few VC and Zeiss lenses. Didn't have much time to shoot as the guys I was with just wanted to drive like madmen. We were above 4000 meters for 12 days. I got a back and had a little problem with my card reader in the M9, took for service and they told me I will get it back in eight months. I like the M9, but at the end of the day it's a toy and not something for serious work. As I can't figure out how to add images to the gallery I created, I will just post a few here instead. Can check out more here. VC 50/1.5 VC 75/1.8 VC 75/1.8

this iris trio was unfolding its beauty on an overcast afternoon in our Botanical Garden. Canon 5D MKII with Elmarit R 60 mm macro

M9+28 summicron

Hi everyone, I am a Chinese guy who show my pictures here first time. A German photographer friend recommend me to communicate with other photographers here. So, you'd better leave words in English, and I can understand the meaning. n_n Thank you

to whom it may concern: arte strahlt an den Sonntagen 10.11/17.11.13 anlässlich des Photosalons Paris seine 4teiligen Serie "Zoom auf China" aus. Sonntag, 10. November um 17:30 Uhr (27 Min.) Wiederholung am Samstag, 16.11. um 5:05 Uhr Folge 2 (HIN ZUR SCHÖNHEIT) im Anschluss, Die Folgen 3+4 (SOZIALKRITIK, AUF DER SUCHE NACH SICH SELBST ) am Sonntag 17.11.2013 ab 17:35.

I have just returned from a week's photography trip up into northwest China. Just took the M9 with 35, 21 and 75 lens and a small Gitzo tripod. The M9 performed perfectly. Firstly and foremost, it achieved my goal of portability. Some days I walked non-stop for 4 or 5 hours, twice a day and, on one day, walked a very mountainous trail. Never once did I find the camera bag / tripod to be a burden. I could not have done that if I had taken my Hasselblad in its backpack. Secondly, the M9 took some excellent photos. I was able to get it into action quickly and capture the image fast and accurately. I am almost at the place when I can call the focal distance, the shutter speed and f-stop first time, every time. Sometimes I manually bracketed with the shutter speed but that was more of an insurance than a necessity. About the only thing that I screwed up was two or three times I forgot to switch the camera on* and once I forgot to take off the lens cap and missed a great shot of the train curving around a mountain. Doh! * I only had 2 batteries with me because Leica seems to now have a supply problem with batteries. On a couple of days I was shooting from early morning to late evening without an opportunity to recharge the battery. On the 2 days with overnight train journeys there was no chance to charge the battery. So, to preserve the battery, I was turning the camera off every time i put it back in my bag. With a 3rd battery I would have left the camera in sleep mode while out and about. The M9 captured some great people images. Sometimes I was able to employ stealth mode* so as not to disturb or distract the subject from whatever they were doing that I found interesting, often taking 3 or 4 photos without the subject being aware that I was photographing them. I also did some "handheld overhead shots" in crowds that would be impossible with a larger camera. No other camera that I know of could have captured those type of images so effectively. * Stealth mode is useful when you know that a subject is going to stop what they are doing or change their facial expression if they know they are being photographed. In stealth mode I: - face my body at 90 degrees to the subject so they don't feel me looking at them, - watch the subject in my peripheral vision, - hold the camera at wasit level and look down at it as if I am trying to change a setting or solve a technical problem, - frown at the camera as if the camera is absorbing my attention, not the subject, - judge the distance and set the focal length, - use a larger f-stop to compensate for any errors is distance estimation (e.g. 35mm lens at f8), - point the camera sideways so that the lens points at the subject, - press the shutter with my thumb. Would I have been happier with a new 39 megapixel Hasselblad CFV? For a couple of the shots, yes. I am sure that the larger sensor of the 'blad would capture finer detail. But, for many of the people shots, the size and presence of the 'blad would have freaked out the subject, whereas the M9 is almost invisible. And, there is no way I could have walked the distances that I did with that kind of weight. Just getting the camera out of the backpack and getting ready to shoot adds a delay that can make you miss "the moment". The M9, in its easily opened Billingham-Leica shoulder bag can be out and shooting in seconds. The quality of the images is great. I can zoom into them and see very sharp details. I have not printed any yet but I am sure they'll hold up well to at least 30x40cm (A3) which the largest that I ever print. So, yep, quite happy with the M9. Now just gotta figure out how to take it underwater... Regards Peter

It is very nice to see a healthy scene of a urban life that's missing in most of North American cities... another D-Lux3 snapshot.

another D-Lux3 snapshot... :

Gesehen im Tempel des Generals Yue Fei in Hangzhou / VR China (Scan vom Negativ). MfG Hermann

Scan vom Negativ. MfG Hermann

I was all set to purchase the Leica Q on Monday. I had sold my Canon gear in the previous weeks and couldn't wait to get the Leica. I live in Changchun city, China and the closest Leica store to me is in Beijing, about a 7 hour train ride. So I travelled down for one night and got a really bad reception at the store. I was not allowed to try the camera, let alone hold it. I had travelled this far and thought, well, I have read all the reviews I should get it anyway. The price was 32,000 RMB which is 5,153 US or 4,725 euro. Much higher than other places around the world. Still, it's the only Leica store and with all the warranty's and after sales care, I decided I would pull the trigger. When I was ready to buy, even though I couldn't try it, even though it's more expensive, the sales person wouldn't sell it to me unless I purchased 9,000RMB worth of accessories! That's 1,448 US, 1,328 euro. Cases, straps, things I didn't want. I decided not to purchase and walked away feeling like they didn't even want my custom. (almost like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman ;-)) I travelled 14 hours, was exhausted and came back with nothing. What I'm wondering is, is this a representation of Leica or just China? Has anyone else experienced this? I would normally hold Leica very high but I've had better care in a sweet shop. Almost turn me off investing in their products.