Omaroo Posted March 17, 2012 Share #1 Posted March 17, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello all My name is Chris and I live in Sydney, Australia. I'm a keen amateur terrestrial photographer and astrophotographer. I have to make the distinction because they are entirely separate disciplines. I have always shot Nikon and Canon (current 5D-Mark II) when photographing Earth-bound subjects. I use a specialised cooled astronomical CCD camera mounted at prime focus on my telescopes to photograph gaseous nebulae, deep sky objects including galaxies and globular star clusters. Now I can count myself as a Leica owner. I've always loved M-series cameras - always. I never dreamed I'd take the plunge and actually buy one until now. I'm starting with an M8 in great condition that I've bought from a friend of mine. It comes this Monday from overseas. I can't wait. I've also bought a Summicron 40mm f/2 to start with. Leica lens prices quite frankly scare me (even owning several Canon L-series) so I'm going to take it a little slower with these. I might buy an additional Voigtlander or two for the moment until I get the bug. I also have my eye on a M4-P in very good condition, from the same guy. As soon as I receive the camera and have a go with it I'll post some results - hopefully happy ones. I'm going to try my hand at street photography - for the first time, really. I've always taken lengthily-composed and contrived photographs in public, but never with the gritty quick and dirty snap, snap, snap that I'm longing to do. I deeply respect how good street photographers truly capture a moment in time - with all the feeling that comes from impromptu situation photography. Anyway - enough rambling. Good to be here! Cheers Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Hi Omaroo, Take a look here Delighted to be here. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
azzo Posted March 17, 2012 Share #2 Posted March 17, 2012 Now I can count myself as a Leica owner. I've always loved M-series cameras - always. I never dreamed I'd take the plunge and actually buy one until now. I'm starting with an M8 in great condition that I've bought from a friend of mine. It comes this Monday from overseas. I can't wait. I've also bought a Summicron 40mm f/2 to start with. Leica lens prices quite frankly scare me (even owning several Canon L-series) so I'm going to take it a little slower with these. I might buy an additional Voigtlander or two for the moment until I get the bug. I also have my eye on a M4-P in very good condition, from the same guy. From what I read above, you've already got the bug. You just don't know it yet. ... Welcome aboard and I look forward to your input Chris. ..................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted March 17, 2012 Share #3 Posted March 17, 2012 What a great entrance!! Welcome, enjoy! I expect that you will get the same excitement that I had when I first entered this Leica planet. It really is different. I am still struggling to see what I can do with an m8 (etc). for astrophotography. That is not so easy, same applies to microscopy where I would dearly like to use my M8. Any comments & success stories are welcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DES Posted March 17, 2012 Share #4 Posted March 17, 2012 Welcome Chris, Yes I agree with azzo, I think you have already got the Leica bug, as we all have on this site. There is a wealth of experience here, and you can get a lot of help working through the various aspects of photography that is particular to Leica, as you will find out if you venture into the world of longer lenses, because great results can be achieved, but it is not as easy as it is with most SLRs. but it is very rewarding. Look forward to seeing your results. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share #5 Posted March 17, 2012 Thanks for the warm welcomes Ivan, Stephen & DES. Much-appreciated I guess I already have the "bug" as such, because I've always wanted one. My father was president of a Sydney camera club for dearly a decade and shot Nikon exclusively. He bought his first, an F, in 1968 or thereabouts and accumulated lenses from there. I've inherited these and still love them all dearly. I still remember him talking about Leicas, and with a great reverence. I think that if he could have afforded a Leica and a broad set of lenses, he most certainly would have had them. I haven't put many of my images up anywhere, but I chose a random dozen or so and put them up on 500px if you're interested. The link is here: 500px / Chris Malikoff / Photos Once again, glad to be here. I'm really looking forward to my M8 arriving tomorrow. Cheers Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted March 17, 2012 Share #6 Posted March 17, 2012 Welcome. that is a nice little lens, well suited to the M8. You will have a bit of trouble with the (essential) UV/IR filter (B&W 486) as the lens has a funny filter size (series 5.5). If it still has its original lens hood you can take the filter glass without the mount from a 39 mm filter and drop it in the hood mount. It will rattle a bit but it will work. Otherwise get the 5.5 adapter and lens hood form eBay shop Heavystar which will allow you to mount a regular 39 filter. It is easy to modify the lens mount to bring up the 35 mm frame lines, which are quite good for this lens on the M8. For the rest: enjoy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 17, 2012 Author Share #7 Posted March 17, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) How's that for mind reading? Thank you for your advice Jaap. I've done that, and have also bought a couple of other tasty pieces from that eBay store. Bookmarked for sure. I've also just purchased a Thumbie from Steve Barnett. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 19, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted March 19, 2012 OWw. The postal system may have lost my M8. It's now been two weeks since the camera was sent form New Zealand to Australia. I sent the sender two transposed digits in my postcode (2650 instead of 2560) and it upset the system so much that they can't find it. I hear of stories like this all the time, and I sincerely hope that it hasn't been "lost". I'm genuinely worried now. Stumped before I even get to start. Hopefully it will turn up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
azzo Posted March 19, 2012 Share #9 Posted March 19, 2012 Chris, I sincerely hope it'll be solved and that, you get your camera soon enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamey Posted March 19, 2012 Share #10 Posted March 19, 2012 Hello Chris. Like the others welcome, I am from Melbourne, and been using Film Leicas since 1973 and still do. However I think I have been cured of that Leica bug as I no longer want to buy any more Solms products so for my Digital needs I have switched to Canon DSLR and couldn't be happier. My 21-35mm 28-90mm and the 80-200mm work beautifully on the Canon. So good luck on your M8, but don't give up on your Canon. Cheers. Ken. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks for the messages. I think that I've lost this camera. Australia Post still denies it, but they cannot find it even though they claim that an employee physically touched it several days ago. Looks like my venture into Leica ownership has come to an abrupt halt. I was so looking forward to it. If things change, and at this stage it's unlikely, I'll post. Thanks everyone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted March 21, 2012 Share #12 Posted March 21, 2012 I assume that someone sent this with insurance? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share #13 Posted March 21, 2012 Yes, but that is a relatively moot point. The poster in New Zealand decided to send my article by post, rather than by a major courier company like DHL, not me. He has registered and insured it but Australia Post, unbeknownst to him, takes months to pay claims - of which only a small percentage are ever paid at all. It's a major scandal in this country. I'm just a citizen - I have no power to make this government-owned institution answerable. I think I've lost a couple of thousand, and I'll just have to get over it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IkarusJohn Posted March 23, 2012 Share #14 Posted March 23, 2012 Bummer! I sent an MP to the wrong address in Florida Fortunately, the buyer tracked it down. Very embarrassing. I hope it turns up - they sometimes do ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share #15 Posted March 23, 2012 Wow - they came through. 17 days of worry are over. I had a call from Australia Post management late this afternoon saying that they had discovered the lost parcel. I immediately drove the hour to the mail distribution centre for Sydney and collected it before it went anywhere else. This is a bit of a record for this class of mail, and I hear that they'll use it as a case study. Anyway - I'm now delighted again rather than despondent. The camera is beautiful. I hadn't realised just how well crafted Leica cameras are. I love it. Leica ownership, here I am! Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/175036-delighted-to-be-here/?do=findComment&comment=1961785'>More sharing options...
azzo Posted March 23, 2012 Share #16 Posted March 23, 2012 That is Great News Chris. .. Enjoy it. ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share #17 Posted March 23, 2012 Thank you Ivan. I guess my next posts will be photographic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted March 23, 2012 Share #18 Posted March 23, 2012 I followed this thread hoping that all hope would not be lost. And it turned out it wasn't! Congrats Chris, looking forward to your photos! As a Swede I'm happy to see you're a Saab fan philip Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted March 23, 2012 Share #19 Posted March 23, 2012 Phew! Glad it turned up and welcome to the madhouse! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omaroo Posted March 23, 2012 Author Share #20 Posted March 23, 2012 Thanks James - glad to be here! Philip - thanks as well. Yes, I'm a complete early 900-series Saab fan. Like Leicas, they are superbly and sensibly engineered. Solid as rocks. I've been President of the state chapter of the Saab Car Club of Australia. I've had around ten classic (1979 to 1988) 900 Turbos. I still have two at the moment,a 1985 900 Aero and a 1980 900 Turbo Enduro - of which 11 were built as factory specials and are now is ultra-rare (5 left we think): http://www.saab900enduro.com This is my second of these. I'm mortified about Saab's problems. I hope it can, as a company, be resrrected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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