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Anyone reached 'Leica equilibrium' and happy with exactly the gear they have?

plasticman

By plasticman
in Customer Forum

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Knomad

Knomad

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There's not really anything else I've got to have right now, probably not this year. After that, who knows, needs/desires can change along with what one shoots.

 

But for now, I'm enjoying the Leica minimalism. Most of the time it's one body with one lens, and I go weeks at a time without changing that. Of the five lenses I own, really only two of them see much use. In a world of ever-increasing complexity, I very much appreciate that simplicity.

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Austinite

Austinite

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Besides my non Leica digital stuff I have an M3 DS, Elmar 50 2.8, Elmarit 90 2.8 and VC 40 1.4. with finder. No complaints about any of the lenses. But I'd love to have an M6 and 35mm cron. I hate having to use a hand held meter.

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Pindy

Pindy

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Sort of sated, yes. I've gone about 6-7 months since acquiring an M6 and have not purchased any camera gear in that time, a record for me since 2006. The D700 has had maybe 30 exposures in that time and I feel for the first time that just a 35mm lens is sufficient to make my work, maybe a 90mm would round things out. I will not stop there, but the cement is beginning to dry. I would say the biggest factors are the price (prohibitive to behave like a Canon/Nikon owner) and also just discovering the M system, which made me love making pictures again.

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plasticman

plasticman

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Well with a certain vague feeling of disappointment, I really feel that I'm almost there now.

 

I just took delivery of a beautiful, unused Black Paint Millenium M6 - I chose that specific camera because I consider it the ideal M, and I hope I'll never be tempted to sell it or need to buy any other film M again. (Also feels nice to save such cameras from the doom of a collector's cabinet).

 

Now I'm tempted by a Nokton 1,1 as a general carry-around instead of the Noctilux when on vacation (wasn't entirely happy with the Noctilux at night in the Raval area of Barcelona - and I know that's a contradiction with what I said above, but discomfort at the thought of losing the lens somewhat colors the pleasure of using it).

 

Then when I've located a Nikon Coolscan 9000ED I really will have everything I need.

 

Then I guess I'll have no excuse for not getting out there and taking photographs... :rolleyes:

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Guest

Guest

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I'm indebted to Andy Piper, because following a thread about the 28-35-50 I discovered the Customer Forum and this thread here, which is an eye opener to me.

 

My conclusion is: what gear did I use during the last 12 months?

Sell half of it and all of the unused and double my picture taking.

 

ALL the Leica gear will go when, with patience, each item will have found someone who agrees with me about it's value. It is a 12-18 months project and nothing will stop me.

 

I was fascinated by the X1 concept since 9/9/09, alas the cam is not what it could have been.

 

But most pictures I do take with a couple (in German: ein paar, because roll film changing can be quite disruptive) of Rolleiflex GX on a tripod, all filled with TriX and a Hensel Porty with it's single head pounding against a ceiling and/or a wall and a digital Ricoh as a "Polaroid" to check the light before.

 

The subjects are two, three, four (only one time five, because there were three kids with their parents) different people for each session, who are perfectly ordinary and whom I know for quite some time.

 

I'm lucky to befriend an excellent printer not much older than me (and in good health) who also does the negatives' processing. Practically all sessions (two resulted: with "Nix geworden!", though I wasn't truthful: the negs were not ruined in a lab accident) lead to ONE print of 28x28cm on a 30x40cm paper (not platinum, not even barryt :p , but exquisitely processed in the wet lab). Very rarely it is: "You can have it" "Oh, too nice! You can have it!" if they don't live together. 20%-30% want a second one. It's only available in the same size, also costs nothing, but they have to ask me THREE TIMES for the second print. I do count.

 

I'm the first to admit, that because of the lack of variety in design (well I'm trying, I do my best, I do my best), in their totality this is a collection of bloody boring pics. :D :D

But hardly anybody sees them as a collection and people like them. More then ten I know of are framed (naah, not by me!) on walls. The results are, just like the sessions: so outdated, that they are a surprising (small) success for someone of my tallent, also regarding my time spent.

 

I'm doing this as a lifelong amateur now for over a year and there's nothing else I want to do in photography. This thread decisingly helped to be clear about it. THANK YOU endlessly.

 

And just like someone who quitts smoking...

(I quitt for five years, after many years of a pack per day, with the - successful - idea to be able to do what I do now for over a decade: smoke on the average one carton per year - at parties.)

... I will refrain even from lurking.

 

So the first day on the customer forum made me be a customer no more.

 

All I can say is, that ALL OF YOU are the nicest gang I've met in a long time.

 

Cheers!

Simon

 

PS: my daughter will lend me her S90 she got for Christmas, I hope. But I'm serious: all L gear goes back into their boxes during the week-end. Luckily no financial necessity involved, but this thread is even more revealing than marknorton's anatomy class. And in the Customer Forum it's well hidden.

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plasticman

plasticman

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Simon - that's a fascinating post, I'm still mulling it over and wondering about this habit (addiction?) of accumulation and what it would mean to kick the habit and be free of it.

For me it wouldn't mean selling my M gear, but I would certainly love to spend more time using it, and less time poring over the classifieds wondering which lens I 'need' next.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful contribution.

 

Viv - there's a thread here about film scanners that you could contribute to by posting some example crops of exactly what the 9000 can do, if you'd like to help out.

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wilfredo

wilfredo

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Didn't you just buy a Nokton!!? 5 days of equilibrium :eek: LOL!!

 

I'm as bad as you are Wilfredo--the difference is, you'll probably sell something too, where I won't anymore :)

 

Part of the "hedge" about this is exploratory... there are so many different lenses to try, for example. And they keep making them! :)

 

Well, I received the Nokton and was disappointed with the lens wide open, and it didn't have the punch I was hoping for. I decided to return it. Now I seem to be setting my sights on a Leica Summilux 50mm ASPH. Perhaps Leica equilibrium is a fallacy?

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plasticman

plasticman

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Well, I received the Nokton and was disappointed with the lens wide open, and it didn't have the punch I was hoping for. I decided to return it...

 

Well that's interesting - so possibly I don't need that lens as my 'Nocti-carry-round'. One step nearer Leica nirvana?

 

The pre-asph Summilux 50 that sits pretty much permanently on my M8 these days is definitely the nicest small lens I've ever used. But I don't want to encourage you to buy it... :cool:

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pgk

pgk

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Perhaps Leica equilibrium is a fallacy?

Could be that equilibrium has a lot to do with photographic 'stability'. Gaining gear for its own sake is potentially addictive. Equilibrium should be reached when sufficient, but no more, equipment is owned to produce the images suited to the style and techniques required by the photographer. The trouble is that, in my experience, few of us ever reach that state where we know the sort of images we want to take and will not deviate from this path, so photographic stability is not achieved and thus equilibrium is merely a temporary state:eek:.

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wilfredo

wilfredo

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Paul,

 

I think your comments are as close to the truth as we will get. Having said that I'm wondering if Leica will be offering any rebates soon? That might help some of us get a temporary equilibrium.

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Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts

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Well, I received the Nokton and was disappointed with the lens wide open, and it didn't have the punch I was hoping for. I decided to return it. Now I seem to be setting my sights on a Leica Summilux 50mm ASPH. Perhaps Leica equilibrium is a fallacy?

 

Hey Wilfredo, apart from the .95 ASPH nothing that fast will have "punch"... that's actually the desirable thing about those lenses, especially in contrasty light.

 

Anyway, all of sudden lately I've been looking for a replacement 28 1.9 CV. I don't need it--the 28 cron is all that--but I'd like to have it especially for film. Weird.

 

I also need a nice, lower contrast 50 (cron, maybe) that will soften the unreal sharpness of the 50 1.4 ASPH without the wildness of the Nocti.... people "of a certain age" don't necessarily want 18mp of wrinkles in print (not that I get rid of them or anything, but a softer portrait lens is great). Like a 75 Lux only a 50 (but not the pre-asph Lux... if you're following... still too contrasty).

 

Has anyone used the Summarits extensively for portraiture? They seem like they might be just the ticket as alternative brushes to the ASPH designs.

 

Thus endeth the equilibrium :)

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pop

pop

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If the equipment is purchased for photographic tasks, equilibrium suggests that the photographer's skills aren't evolving.

 

It also might suggest that the equipment is overkill for the users current skill level.

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plasticman

plasticman

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If the equipment is purchased for photographic tasks, equilibrium suggests that the photographer's skills aren't evolving.

 

I think it can take quite literally years for me to understand how to get the best out of a lens or a camera, but only months between new purchases...

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razerx

razerx

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I have all the Leica I wanted and needed. Funny thing. Due to the demise of the R system I started converting my R lenses to Nikon F mount and started shooting Nikon but then after trying some of the newer Nikkors I really like them especially the wide zoom (yes that one) and now waiting for the fast primes. I can never handhold my 180mm Summicron-R anyway.

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