Streamlining my Leica Gear?

[ezc203]

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Unlike some of the people on this forum, I really don't intensionally collect Leica gear. I just have a weakness to buy them sometimes And right now, I find that I have more cameras than I really can afford (both in terms of cash and time). A lot of my cameras just gather dust and I find that a real shame.

 

So the questions is, should I try to cut my Leica gear down?

 

This is the move I'm contemplating:

 

Now:

M8

X1

M4-P

CLE

 

CV 15mm

24 Lux

CV 35mm

50 Summarit (New)

90 Cron pre-AA

 

After:

M8

MP

CLE

 

24 Lux

28 Cron

35 Cron

50 Nocti-1

90 Cron

 

I know this is a very personal question (only I know the answer), but just want to hear what other people think about the idea of streamlining your gear...

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[wattsy]

Doesn't look much like a streamlining exercise to me.

[giordano]

Ian pointed out that moving from four cameras and five lenses to three cameras and five lenses isn't much of a streamlining, so I'll wonder why you complain you can't afford the gear you have and propose to change it for something that's probably even more expensive.

 

Here's a streamlined Leica outfit for you:

M8

24mm

35mm

90mm.

[stunsworth]

I'm struggling a bit to see how buying a Noctilux and 28mm Summicron leads to anything other than an even greater hole in your pocket given what you are proposing to sell.

[ezc203]

True... perhaps that's a bad alternative.

 

I'm more inclined to keep lenses around than cameras. I wanted a digital M, and one for B&W and one for color. (Hence 3 camera) But maybe just an M8 + MP

 

In terms of my lens selection.

 

Maybe 24 Lux, 28, 35, 50, 90 Cron

 

I admit, money is not the primary reason for "streamlining", I'd just rather not have camera sitting around that I don't use all that much.

[RockyIII]

I streamlined my Leica gear recently.

 

Before: M9, 28 Elmarit, 35 Summicron, 50 Summicron, 75 Summicron

 

Now: X1

 

 

Rocky

[tdtaylor]

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The "streamlined" list is definitely more expensive, just dropping the CVs and replacing with Leica (3 Leica lenses to 5 Leicas, not to mention the Nocti). I would call this rearranging.

 

I would ask what is your real goal of this exercise?

[stunsworth]

True... perhaps that's a bad alternative

 

You haven't thought this through. Can I suggest you come back when you have?

[250swb]

True... perhaps that's a bad alternative.

 

I'm more inclined to keep lenses around than cameras. I wanted a digital M, and one for B&W and one for color. (Hence 3 camera) But maybe just an M8 + MP

 

In terms of my lens selection.

 

Maybe 24 Lux, 28, 35, 50, 90 Cron

 

I admit, money is not the primary reason for "streamlining", I'd just rather not have camera sitting around that I don't use all that much.

 

 

Well I can see why you may think of a Noctilux, because part of the streamlining could be to have one lens that does two things, so a 50mm AND as your main fast lens it would do two jobs. A Noctilux is probably an extreme example of this thinking however.

 

But I see no logic in the list above. A 24mm lens is far easier to hand hold steadily at slower shutter speeds than say a 50mm. So the benefit of making it a 'Lux' is lost unless you specialize in something that needs this speed. On the other hand the 50mm would be ideal for making a 'Lux'. Its long enough to be able to crop an image without loosing to much quality, so making the image 'semi telephoto' (and covering the 75mm range), and 50mm focal length is ideal for using narrow DOF for portraits, as well as low light photography.

 

So I'd just have 24 Elmarit, 28 Summicron, 35mm Summicron, 50mm Summilux, and 90mm Elmarit. And even then I wouldn't pack them all in the same camera bag at one time.

 

Steve

[SteveYork]

I use to struggle with this stuff and felt bad when I had more then the minimum amount needed, but then it struck me that I just like to use and experience different things. You hear about people talking about "XYZ" but until you get it into your hands you can't fully appreciate what is meant. Now, I just get the stuff and use it. And if a little bit later I don't want I sell it on that auction site. If I lose money, I just view it as "rent." Lots of time I make a little money.

 

Here's my other solution -- just go shoot more film. As long as I'm using something, I don't mind having it. It's when something that it gets on my nerves.

[SteveYork]

What to own in 'Leica World' has more to do with the heart then the left side of the brain. Don't think about it too much. Get what turns you on at an emotional level. You'll use it more, and love using it.

 

PS -- You will love the MP. I've had one for 7 years now, and it'll be with me for as long as film is available, which is to say, for a very long time.

[SteveYork]

Here's another idea: Monitor your use over the next six months. Get rid of what you don't use. There's a lot of truth in the 'less is more' mantra.

[UliWer]

.....I know this is a very personal question (only I know the answer), but just want to hear what other people think about the idea of streamlining your gear...

 

You can't get a better cw-value than with a Leica II (D) and a 3,5/5cm Elmar.

[IkarusJohn]

For much the same reasons as Eddie, I've just gone from:

 

Nikon F5,

Nikkor 17-28 AF zoom

Nikkor 35-85 zoom

Nikkor 180 f2

 

Hasselblad 503cx

Distagon 4/50 FLE

Planar 80

Sonnar 4/150

PME 3 view finder

 

and other stuff like filters etc to

 

M9 (grey)

Cron 35 (chrome)

Cron 75

 

all in a nice Billingham bag.

 

I couldn't be happier - the Cron 35 Asph is truly amazing.

 

Cheers

John

[SJP]

Yep, that is streamlining

[wda]

True... perhaps that's a bad alternative.

 

I'm more inclined to keep lenses around than cameras. I wanted a digital M, and one for B&W and one for color.....

Unless you are a stickler for film, why not experiment and derive the best possible B&W results from your digital cameras? It can be done. You could then shed two film cameras.