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I do love her, but……


Guest Gilgamesh

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Guest Gilgamesh

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I have a confession to make: I do love my M240.

 

That's why I am vocal in its completely unnecessary short comings, such as a B setting that is a polar opposite of the billing.

Auto ISO on an M. Laughable. Dark slides that record nothing. ISO uncontrollable scrolling. Slow on C. Useless on S. Anyhow, these are more than covered in this forum.

 

It's night photography at sub 30 seconds is quite astonishing. I am comparing like-for-like V the D800.

 

The 50mm f1.4 and the 35mm (f1.4) are simply iconic.

The 90mm f2 is as close to MF as you are likely to get. Better in some regards. I also have range finder film MF system.

 

The Leica I took to the front line in Kyev in February. I was there on that Tuesday when the stuff hit the fan.

It was lethargic. The D800 was not the best press camera either, well no surprise there as a the best fast moving news camera is unquestionably the Canon Mark 2 or 3 & the 24-70 f2.8 lens, no debate. For sports, a fast burst rate is preferable, but not my field of experience.

 

Back to the Leica….

 

… however, I am not alone in taking my Leica into battle, that's one instance, in Ukraine. I had my finger on the button, and had to wait 'til the buffer clear first. It's a passion. I use her almost exclusively on M, VERY occasionally in Auto Aperture, selecting the ISO manually, of course.

 

In the cold, bleeding troublesome, inoperable often.

 

But there's a bigger issue rarely discussed here. Style. Your own style. Buying the kit is one thing, but what is the style you proport to?

In some ways an array of R lenses on an M240 will set you apart. that, to me, is reason enough.

 

For me, any many others, the 35mm and 50mm are the basics of the M system, and not much else matters. The M240 is a remarkable camera, awful in may ways, Leica should hang their collective heads in shame as there are way, way too many issues (they are too busy with their new purchase to be bothered) .. but I still took it into the fray.

 

The point being: our M240 is but a photographic tool, the important thing here is: develop your own style, stuff the "crowd" and their seemingly insatiable appetite & desire for the new shiny £££ kit & go the LeftField route. Your route.

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The point being: our M240 is but a photographic tool, the important thing here is: develop your own style, stuff the "crowd" and their seemingly insatiable appetite & desire for the new shiny £££ kit & go the LeftField route. Your route.

 

I agree with this wholeheartedly, and yet the comments you have attached to so many photographs in this forum, where people have been trying things out that sometimes work and sometimes don't, has been overwhelmingly derisive and negative, nearly always suggesting that they have simply got it wrong, with the very strong implication that there is a prescribed way of getting it right. You have never encouraged their experimentation, or found what might be interesting in a photographic idea, but always concentrated on what is not technically perfect in the most traditional and conventional sense. In other words, you seem regularly to be advocating a formulaic approach to photography, which is rather at odds with the "left-field" route you're recommending here.

 

Something doesn't quite add up.

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So … uh … do you mean that "to go your own way, develop your own style, go your own route" … is an excuse for the flaws you describe that obviously crimp your style? Sorry, I don't follow that logic (or the lack of it).

 

Tools don't dictate "a way, a style, or a route" … people do. Tools are selected based on their synergy with those objectives. For me, that is the M Monochrome.

 

So, I actually do get the attraction to rangefinders. Can't remember a time I didn't have one. Not sure I'd force fit one into shooting scenario it is not best suited to just because I "love" the camera … especially if my livelihood where attached to it … which it often is.

 

- Marc

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The Leica I took to the front line in Kyev in February. I was there on that Tuesday when the stuff hit the fan...taking my Leica into battle...in Ukraine...It's a passion...Style. Your own style...into the fray...

 

Stirring stuff.

 

It might be time to start an official fantasy photo thread.

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Reminds me of something that happened long ago :

I was in school, and I had a tutoring meeting about how my graduation project was going on a Monday morning.

"it's going very well actually. I had a shooting yesterday, great light, good stuff, I'm going to process the rolls right after this meeting"

Both my teachers look at each other and say with great sarcasm : "yeah, we're sure they are amazing photos".

I remember felling very insulted. My photos were on the rolls, it was only a matter of two hours before I'd have contacts to show...

But they explained to me (and it took me a few more years to fully understand) : until you have actual images to show, you're just wasting your breath.

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which one do you recommend for all rounder performer , the 35mm Summilux 1.4 or the 50mm Summilux 1.4? I am getting my M soon within a month or so from a Leica store in Mayfair London...

 

they are both the best of the best in their focal lengths. it all comes down to your preference.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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