Going to buy my 1st Leica, in need of advice please :)

[earleygallery]

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Anyone worried about the viability of film should look here;

 

KODAK: Film Facts

[jaapv]

That is cine film, not still. But it is appropriate. Film will live as long as movie film is needed.

[earleygallery]

Yes I know it's movie film but I'm guessing that Hollywood et al use more of the stuff now than still photographers!

 

People need to look at the bigger picture, not just hobbyists. And even if movie film useage declined considerably I still think that film would remain in production, you can still buy super 8 after all.

[jaapv]

I'm sure the movie industry is the driving force behind the current development and production of films at Kodak. The still market will, in the end, revert to makers like Rollei I think.

[redbaron]

adox.de

 

= discipline.

[redbaron]

BTW, just buy an M6 and a 35 f2 lens. You will eventually, so why wait?

[Angeloz]

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BTW, just buy an M6 and a 35 f2 lens. You will eventually, so why wait?

 

Well, this is how I'm thinking alright?

I've got this book and its titled "Photography", I have written down the introduction to the preface (I've tried out digital on my less than mediocre Canon 450d and film on my awesome Canon A-1). I have tried both worlds, and both offer advantages distinct from the other. Now the choice I make will dictate what is going to come next, on the first couple of blank pages I need to fill.

 

Film gives a feel to the images, a sort of texture I greatly appreciate. It also makes you think a tiny bit more than digital since you need to consider everything (ISO settings, metering, exposure, aperture, film sensitivity...) You cannot see the results instantly, thus you learn from your mistakes the hard way. On the other hand, when your pictures turn out nice, well then, the satisfaction is really fulfilling.

 

Digital is cool too. Instant pictures, you can plug it everywhere, transport it easily, send it, receive it, edit it, delete it... The lenses are high-tech and reliable. On the other hand they do not last as much as film cameras (or so I heard) and they definitely do not have the same feel to it, not as much soul as film.

 

So you can understand why its hard for me to make a choice. I'm going to spend about 3.500 USD - maybe that doesn't seem a lot to you, but it is a big deal to me - I need to spend it wisely.

Should I go for digital, plug and play? Or go film, hunt and shoot?

 

I'm not really sure yet, this is part of why I'm here I guess...

 

Looking forward to your answer .

 

Peace.

[andybarton]

Deciding whether to go film or digital is so fundamental that you have to get that out of the way first. And only you can decide that for yourself.

[Paul Verrips]

According to the budget: yesterday i vistited my usual photosupplier (Welkom op de website van Foto Konijnenberg bv | Fotokonijnenberg) and the salesman told me that they are going to sell about 4 secondhand m8's for about € 1615,= including VAT.

 

That seems to me like a nice price. But i'm just into Leica since last week, so maybe there are better options & offers.

[jaapv]

That is an excellent price.

[andybarton]

That is an excellent price.

 

Unless you're thinking about selling

 

That's now cheaper than M7s, depending upon condition.

[earleygallery]

So you can understand why its hard for me to make a choice. I'm going to spend about 3.500 USD - maybe that doesn't seem a lot to you, but it is a big deal to me - I need to spend it wisely.

Should I go for digital, plug and play? Or go film, hunt and shoot?

 

 

OK how about this. Keep your A1 whatever, you'll get peanuts for it so not worth selling and you'll probably miss your SLR for some stuff.

 

Don't spend 3,500, spend about a third of that on a user M2 and 35mm Voigtlander lens or 50mm Elmar (older type), and see how you get on with that set up.

 

An M2 won't lose value so you can sell up and trade up to an MP M6 M7 or M8 later on.

[Knomad]

There is one thing on my mind though, gentlemen (and ladies of course!), and that's whether or not a Leica is the right path for me?

 

I've asked the same question in another forum which does not belong to any particular brand or anything of the sort, everyone advised me not to get a Leica, everyone told me that the price tag is - and I quote - "hideously expensive" and that its a "boutique" piece of equipment.

I wonder, should I go for a Leica? God knows I want to, very much so... and although I have never seen one in real life, I drool at the thought of owning one.

 

Would you mind sharing your thoughts with me? Am I just doing this in the spur of the moment? Should I do this when everyone is telling me to go Nikon/Canon?

 

The community here has been awesome and I'm overwhelmed with well thought (and intended) comments, and I really appreciate it; so many thanks to everyone .

 

Anyway, lets see what happens.

 

Pace.

 

I've just been through this on another forum, too... as one of the people standing up for Leica. I can tell you based on that experience, most of the naysayers have never used a Leica.

 

That doesn't mean a Leica is for everyone... but for those doing the type of photography that is compatible with a rangefinder, and who appreciate quality build and some of the best lenses ever made, and willing to pay a little more for that quality, they are a valid consideration. A Leica may or may not make you a better photographer, and if it does, it's only because it keeps you more passionate about photography; but a Leica will make you a different kind of photographer, because (as others have described above) a Leica is a different way of seeing, a different kind of workflow.

 

The cost difference isn't as clear cut as some would have you believe, either. Thats because (again, as mentioned above) film Leicas and lenses at least retain resale value, which most other camera systems don't; and then there's the fact that we're not as tempted to buy the latest/newest/fastest thing on the market on an 18-month obsolescence cycle like most of the DSLR folks are. I still regularly use an M6 purchased more than 10 years ago. Some of those folks telling you how expensive a Leica is have a bag full of lenses and are on their third DSLR body in four years, and have well over $10,000 invested in gear... which they're generally quick to whine about on the forums.

 

In the end, it will come down to how much you enjoy working with a rangefinder. For me, it brings an immediacy of seeing. On good day, colors seem brighter, texture more real, all the senses are heightened, and getting the picture almost seems secondary to the act of seeing. Ironic, that a piece of fine German machinery can provoke a zen-like state.

 

Apparently the masses buying mainstream cameras either don't care about that, or more likely don't know about it. Many of them also shoot things like telephotos or macro that really are better done with an SLR. But some of us prefer to be different.

[NZDavid]

Marhaba Angeloz,

 

So much to think about, but the good news is you won't go wrong with a film Leica. If it isn't right for you, it won't lose value -- unlike a digital camera which will shed hundreds of pounds as soon as you buy it!

 

An alternative, as suggested, is a film M and a more economical compact digital as a backup, perhaps a Panasonic with Leica lens.

 

l concur with Bill and others and would go for a used M6 or any M from the M3 to M7. Just make sure you buy one in top condition with a guarantee from a reputable dealer. It's worth it for peace of mind.

 

As for lenses, either a 35 or 50 Summicron.

 

Next, try different films, including slide films. You can easily get them scanned so you can share pictures digitally.

 

Good luck, have fun!

[griffster]

Just to give you more food for thought, you can buy new Cosina Voigtlander Bessa bodies (which take Leica bayonet lenses) for 1/3 the price of an M6. With your budget that would allow the purchase of an extra lens or two. You can have them with auto exposure or full manual. Take a look at CameraQuest Home Page

 

Of course it's not Leica quality and the rangefinder base is shorter, but it's a well regarded alternative to a Leica film body. My olive R2 will be arriving shortly!