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My D2 keeps being mistaken for an M by photographers...


comapedrosa

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Does this happen to you too? My D2 seems to keep attracting other photographers, including professionals, who mistake it for a classic (film) M. I guess that's due to the chrome-like paint job...

 

"Wow, a Leica". "My grandpa used to have one". "The lenses...". "These are amazing cameras, legends!". Sincerely I don't mind, and these situations often lead to interesting conversations. I don't expect every photographer to distinguish the different Leica models either. Not everybody can be a gear-head ;). But I don't particularly like it either, as I feel compelled to explain that it's just a small-sensor digital.

 

I was just at a wedding, and the photographer (supposedly the best in town, with 2 assistants (!)) came to see me 3 times and wanted to chat. He even told the bride that i (or rather my camera) would take the better shots. I think he felt a little bit threatened and i tried to do my best to get out of his way and show that i had no interest whatsoever in competing with him.

 

Anyhow, just curious if other D2 owners have experienced the same...

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I've had that same experience with the D2, and at weddings the official photog at least looks, and often engages me in conversation. Like you, I try to keep out of their way.

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I've had that same experience with the D2, and at weddings the official photog at least looks, and often engages me in conversation. Like you, I try to keep out of their way.

 

A nice picture with a good composition. These leafs in the grey sky work, well done.

Jan

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It would interest us, what your answer is.

Jan

 

Both times it turned out that they were young photo students, I explained what it was and that as it happens 'my other camera's a Leica' - seems lots of people associate any older expensive looking chrome camera with a Leica!

 

I also get asked about my Leica's when I'm out shooting with them. Obviously if someone asks they know something about photography so it's good to stop and talk a while.

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Happens all the time. I usually explain the D2 and M and the Leica standpoint on digital. A few of them has bought a D2 later when I meet them and are very happy with it for work and/or leisure.

 

Jut saw he new Canon D1 Mark XIII :D today and I don't get why so few photographers don't get how easy life would be without all those buttons.

 

The Auto White Balance is really off on the new Canon, and the Canon folks said to some guys "you never have to worry about white balance, you just set it later"

 

There you go. The wonders of technology!

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My D2 attracts a lot more attention from people passing by than my Nikon D70 used to do.

That is one of the disadvantages of using a chrome Leica for street shooting :(

 

Should have bought a Canon G10 if I wanted to avoid this :D

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Obviously, with all of the frontal area available for positioning the black rectangular AF "eyes", and all of the back area available for positioning the EVF eyepiece, Leica and Panasonic's decision to put them right where an M viewfinder would have been was purely coincidence. ;)

 

Just tell the curious that you are beta-testing a disguised M10....

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:)

This seems quite common then. Along those same lines, I'm far from achieving the professional level of some posters here, but I've also received offers to buy my D2 from people with big DSLR's but without much experience ("It's the camera..."). I advised them against it.

 

If you don't mind, I can't resist posting a few from that wedding... (all except last B&W jpeg ISO 100 or 400). I was set on replacing it with a 5D Mark II, but this trip helped me reconcile with the D2 again...

 

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comapedrosa,

 

Beautiful images, exactly why we hold on to our D2's and why we get what we get from other photographers. Your photos are are true testament to the D2...

 

Classic D2 IQ.

 

KI

Completely agree, wonderful images!

 

Yes, I am also asked again and again if my D2 was an M, and still people are surprised to hear that Leica also produces digital cameras. Well, nevertheless, there is an increasing number of people who heard about digital M cameras, and then I have to explain that I have "only" a D2... :o

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I just got offered a D2 for $600.00 bucks. It's minty. I hate being in this predicament! One more camera? I would use it for those situations when I'm at a gathering with friends etc. Is this a good deal or what?

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I just got offered a D2 for $600.00 bucks. It's minty. I hate being in this predicament! One more camera? I would use it for those situations when I'm at a gathering with friends etc. Is this a good deal or what?

 

Sounds ok. What you should check for is:

Are there one or two batteries (many has two)

New or old sensor (if old it might get a new for free later, plus a CLA. Does it have the new one, you save that trip to Leica)

Macro lens (lucky if there is), UV-filter (should be), lens shade and front cap (should be).

 

But if it's good condition, with two batteries, I would buy.

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Thank you so much KI and krabat!

 

Much has been written about the D2 here and why it's becoming a classic despite it being an old-timer with so many shortcomings. In my case, I do believe that the tool helps provide a bit of creativity, freedom, courage... I'm wondering how many of us will migrate towards one of the current EVILs (e.g. the GF1 or the expected Olympus "E-P2"). Lack of DOF control (small sensor) and slow AF are my biggest gripes with the D2 (I like wide apertures and I must admit that I’m just not that fast (pre-)focusing manually with critical accuracy). Though to date no EVIL/lens combination seems to be a good replacement for the D2 summicron zoom.

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Thorsten,

 

I caved and bought the camera. I bought it from the original owner who is not big on photography and hardly ever used it. He got it as a gift. What's the deal with the Sensor replacement? This will be for leisure but I am impressed with the pictures here, very nice B&W tonality.

 

It did come with an extra battery, Lowepro bag, and B+W Orange filter (which I will have no use for). Now I have 3 Leicas stretching across time, an M2, M8, and something in-between, the D2. Crazy!

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