Guest Ming Rider Posted June 21, 2012 Share #41  Posted June 21, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Probably not, by the time I got to parts that wouldn't come off in my hand it might be fairly light Besides, as an American child of the cold war I thought everything the Soviets made had bayonet mounts  Very good, I like it. You see what he did there? Russians, Bayonet mounts, Guns . . . Oh never mind Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 21, 2012 Posted June 21, 2012 Hi Guest Ming Rider, Take a look here Contemplating Leica. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Guest Ming Rider Posted June 21, 2012 Share #42 Â Posted June 21, 2012 P.S. Â You're the third person on this forum today with back problems, me included. Must be an epidemic ?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 21, 2012 Share #43  Posted June 21, 2012 Using a Zorki+Industar to decide whether to get a Leica+Summicron is like driving a Lada to decide whether to get a Maybach  You mean one is a practical affordable utilitarian product and the other is a grossly overpriced, vulgar status symbol sold to people who lack taste?  I think that's a little unfair to Leica actually. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ming Rider Posted June 21, 2012 Share #44 Â Posted June 21, 2012 You mean one is a practical affordable utilitarian product and the other is a grossly overpriced, vulgar status symbol sold to people who lack taste? Â Which one is the vulgar status symbol ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share #45 Â Posted June 21, 2012 I've read your comments on developing B&W over the last couple of years on the forum. I can't remember if it was you or someone else that suggested get one film, one developer, and stick with it until you are comfortable. I'm going to go with XP2 and C41 at the lab for a bit until I get the workflow down past that. When I do get to that stage, how does sticking with Ilford sound? Thinking Delta 400 or 100 with Ilford liquid developer (not sure which one). Â Also, would need the rest of the developing kit (tank etc). Â Lastly (whether C41 or B&W) I'd need a negative scanner - is the Plustek 7600i still a good option? Better without breaking the bank? Â If you can follow a recipe to make a cup of instant coffee, you can develop your own B&W films. Seriously. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 22, 2012 Share #46  Posted June 22, 2012 You mean one is a practical affordable utilitarian product and the other is a grossly overpriced, vulgar status symbol sold to people who lack taste? I think that's a little unfair to Leica actually.  Uh, no that's not what I meant. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted June 22, 2012 Share #47 Â Posted June 22, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Contrary to common belief Leica is very affordable. Â They do a great job at making stuff which has a remarkably constant (or indeed increasing) value. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 22, 2012 Share #48  Posted June 22, 2012 Contrary to common belief Leica is very affordable. They do a great job at making stuff which has a remarkably constant (or indeed increasing) value.  Hmmm that's not the same as affordable.  A £3M flat in Chelsea might be a fantastic investment opportunity, but it's not affordable for the majority of people!  But my remarks were mostly in jest! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share #49  Posted June 22, 2012 Contrary to common belief Leica is very affordable. They do a great job at making stuff which has a remarkably constant (or indeed increasing) value.  I almost got a Digilux 3 when I got my D40 and have regretted it at times. Got me curious now to go see what the values are between them now. I remember the Leica was a bit more than the Nikon at the time.  ETA: Checked on ebay and my old D40 is worth about half what I paid for it (and I got a good deal). Can't remember exactly what the Digilux 3 was priced at the time but it looks like it actually has gone up a bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share #50 Â Posted June 22, 2012 If I decide not to go film, I'm liking what I see of the X2. Short of an M8 or M9, is the X2 a good way to get the Leica experience? Â BTW, is there a way in the forum to see pics taken with a certain camera? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJP Posted June 22, 2012 Share #51 Â Posted June 22, 2012 The money I have spent on Leica stuff, and guessing the current value of the whole pile shows a positive return. I started getting the urge about 5 years ago & based on a detailed & lugubrious calculation it increases its value at about 3% per year. Maybe the stock market would do better but whichever way I look at it I do not see this as expensive (e.g. compared to an average car which depreciates in value in a depressingly predictable way). Â Moreover, and more importantly, the 'community' that comes with the package is rather pleasant - certainly interesting (this as about you guys/gals, I think/hope we actually like each other somehow ). Â Money very well spent, I only regret that I did not figure this out earlier in my life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted June 23, 2012 Share #52  Posted June 23, 2012 Do you get the Leica experience by using a X2? To some extent, yes. Excellent optics. A fairly straightforward user interface. Decent handling, with the EVF. Bloody point-and-shoot without it.  But a M9 has an even more straightforward interface, because it has decent dials/rings for aperture and manual focus, and because the M rangefinder is far more transparent in use than any AF system. And that directness of use, which most all other manufacturers have abandoned, is now quintessential Leica. The X2 does not have it in full – and not the S2 either! A Leica M (and hopefully also the M9 successor) is pretty well the only camera today to have physically direct handling – a stick shift camera, if you will.  To repeat an old advertising slogan: They don't build them like they did. Except Leica. They build them like they did – but better.  The old man from the Age of the M3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted June 24, 2012 Share #53 Â Posted June 24, 2012 If I decide not to go film, I'm liking what I see of the X2. Short of an M8 or M9, is the X2 a good way to get the Leica experience? Â If by "Leica experience" you mean shooting with a camera that bears the Leica name, then yes. But if you mean experience with an optical finder and mechanical rangefinder, that Zorky you were contemplating is a lot closer to the M9 in terms of handling. And by "handling" I'm not merely referring to holding it up to your eye vs out in front of you, or setting parameters with marked dials vs menus and buttons. At this point an EVF is still like watching closed-circuit TV compared to direct or mirror-reflex viewing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share #54 Â Posted June 24, 2012 If by "Leica experience" you mean shooting with a camera that bears the Leica name, then yes. But if you mean experience with an optical finder and mechanical rangefinder, that Zorky you were contemplating is a lot closer to the M9 in terms of handling. And by "handling" I'm not merely referring to holding it up to your eye vs out in front of you, or setting parameters with marked dials vs menus and buttons. At this point an EVF is still like watching closed-circuit TV compared to direct or mirror-reflex viewing. Â I was think of the lens and results. I think my plan now is to shoot the Zorki with the Industar to see how I get along with the range finder way of shooting. Then if I like it probably start saving for a Leica M film camera and/or a good LTM lens. If I don't, well then I don't know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 25, 2012 Share #55  Posted June 25, 2012 Then if I like it probably start saving for a Leica M film camera and/or a good LTM lens. If I don't, well then I don't know.  M = M bayonet mount LTM = Leica Thread Mount or 39mm  You can of course use an LTM lens on an M (with the appropriate adaptor) but not the other way around. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share #56  Posted June 25, 2012 M = M bayonet mountLTM = Leica Thread Mount or 39mm  You can of course use an LTM lens on an M (with the appropriate adaptor) but not the other way around.  That's what I had understood. Of course, it would be easier if it worked both ways then I could get whatever lens and stick it on the zorki and get an M camera when I could afford it and got a good deal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share #57  Posted June 25, 2012 Posted this over at RFF as I was too chicken to post it here (lest I be deemed unworthy of Leicadom). Plus I feel as though in some way I should be shooting film. But as I ponder it, this is what I feel (and posted on the other forum:  I’ve been contemplating film versus digital workflow. Even though I have an F2 and an FTn, I only use them occasionally. As I’ve thought about film I have a deep reservation.  Part of it stems from my checkered experience with film. I lost a lot of good shots of our honeymoon because a cheap Minolta P & S didn’t load correctly. Then I brought out my F2 for the birth of my second son. Film loaded correctly but got lost in the mail on the way to the developer so I lost those as well.  When I was shooting my F2 this morning, I had about 8 shots to go and was going to try to take pictures of the kids to use it up. I was caught in the conundrum of not ‘wasting’ shots but wanting to get the film to the developer.  Not sure I want to deal with the chemicals involved in B & W and finding good developers is hard.  Going to run film through my Zorki but the more I contemplate film the more I dread it.  BTW, The chemical part isn’t so much that I’m afraid of it but it’s another step to the process that doesn’t necessarily excite me (yet).   IF I decided that I’m no artisan, what would be the way in via digital? I’ve been reading and watching on range finders and I believe I’ll like them. I want easy manual control of shutter and aperture and easy manual focusing. M9 is out of the price range for sure, seems like in some ways the M8 is the red headed step child and not well respected, and the Epson R-D1 looks discontinued. Which would be a better choice M8, X2, or something else? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 25, 2012 Share #58 Â Posted June 25, 2012 Try to Zorki out to see if you like the way a rangefinder camera works - you don't even need to put film in it, just 'pretend' to take photos. Â If you think you'll like it then you really need to buy an M8 or M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadfael_tex Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share #59  Posted June 25, 2012 Earley Gallery: I know you’re a big supporter of film. I’ve got some Fuji Pro 400H waiting for the Zorki. I’ve also got some old (read outdated in 2010) Velvia 50 and Ilford Delta 400 on ice.  Guess part of my hesitation with film is still getting ‘support’ for it easily as fewer places seem to develop. It doesn’t seem to be like when I was in school over there in the late ’90’s where I could run into Boots and buy any number of films and feel somewhat confident that they’d be developed correctly. Excuse the bad scan but here’s one I did just as above with the cheap Minolta. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ming Rider Posted June 25, 2012 Share #60  Posted June 25, 2012 Cadfael. I would highly recommend developing your own B&W film.  Of course there's an initial outlay for kit and chemicals probably in the region of £50. Tank & Reels, Rodinal, Stopper, Fixer, Wetting Agent, Changing Bag or Darkened Room and a Stop Watch or Kitchen timer. All available second hand on ebay. Add water at 20 degrees and agitate occasionally.  A fantastic way to spend 15 minutes and the delight of opening the tank and unreeling your negatives never goes away. It's like a little box of secrets, with a different surprise each time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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