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Convince me to buy a film M

fielden

By fielden
in Leica M-A / M7 / MP and Film M

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

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also possible to take some landscapes :)

 

 

MP-35 Summilux Asph

Kodak TX400

I understand why Leica offers one roll of Kodak TX when purchasing an MA, fabulous film !

Film , all in nuance , it's art in photo !

 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

 

Regards

Henry

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mxa

mxa

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Let me attempt a somewhat different hypothesis for those - like me - who are returning to film after many years of serious and successful commitment to digital, and are also completely uninterested in analog vs digital religious wars, could not care less about pixel peeping but do care about overall image quality.

 

I have to admit that an important component of my fatigue in dealing with digital photography is the ecosystem that comes with it. The marketing is not dissimilar from that of personal computers or smartphones (or dishwashers) - a new generation promising miracles every 18 months - and ferocious obsolescence of products; hysterical hype in magazines that need to keep the buzz as loud as possible to maintain readership; IT problems that are now creeping in any corner of the photo workflow - today antivirus and software updates in the imaging desktop, tomorrow lenses that will be driven by upgradable software and cameras that will have their own IP address (with all the horrors that come with it).

 

Do not tell me that one can shoot digital all the time and totally isolate himself or herself from this pernicious ecosystem that comes with it: I am truly sorry, but I simply do not believe you. 

 

And for those of us for whom digital does not represent a business necessity or where the advantages are substantial (like I said above, in infrared photography, for instance) the simple question is: why should I subject myself to this obsessive info buzz / technology-crazy circus?

 

Just a thought.

 

Cheers

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hepcat

hepcat

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Let me attempt a somewhat different hypothesis for those - like me - who are returning to film after many years of serious and successful commitment to digital, and are also completely uninterested in analog vs digital religious wars, could not care less about pixel peeping but do care about overall image quality.

 

I have to admit that an important component of my fatigue in dealing with digital photography is the ecosystem that comes with it. The marketing is not dissimilar from that of personal computers or smartphones (or dishwashers) - a new generation promising miracles every 18 months - and ferocious obsolescence of products; hysterical hype in magazines that need to keep the buzz as loud as possible to maintain readership; IT problems that are now creeping in any corner of the photo workflow - today antivirus and software updates in the imaging desktop, tomorrow lenses that will be driven by upgradable software and cameras that will have their own IP address (with all the horrors that come with it).

 

Do not tell me that one can shoot digital all the time and totally isolate himself or herself from this pernicious ecosystem that comes with it: I am truly sorry, but I simply do not believe you. 

 

And for those of us for whom digital does not represent a business necessity or where the advantages are substantial (like I said above, in infrared photography, for instance) the simple question is: why should I subject myself to this obsessive info buzz / technology-crazy circus?

 

Just a thought.

 

Cheers

 

 

Your thought is valid...  mostly.   The production cycle of whiz-bang improvements has slowed.  Where we used to see a doubling of resolution on sensors every 18 mos, we now see incremental improvements.  And as in new lens technology, those "improvements" generally don't amount to much in real-world work.  I have a camera that is wifi capable.  I used it once to see if and how it worked.  The feature, while slick, is wasted on me.  I haven't "upgraded" to the M240 because it doesn't offer me anything that the M9 doesn't have.  I'm using PS 6 because I don't want to use Adobe Cloud.   I use a pro print lab for digital prints because I don't have to buy ink, paper, or try to maintain any of that.  They do all that for me.

 

Digital technology really matured when most cameras hit the 12mp mark.  Lens technology matured in the mid 1990s and really hasn't changed signficantly since then.  And even then, I still shoot with 1970s vintage Leitz Canada lenses (for the three or four Leitz lenses I own... the rest are Voigtlander.)   I only returned to Leica at that time because it was clear that Olympus wasn't going to support their 'pro' base any longer, and was also moving entirely to EVF consumer cameras.  I only moved up the to M9 because it was a 35mm sensor instead of APS-C which is more convenient for me.

 

So, yes, it is entirely possible to use tools a couple of generations back quite effectively.  No learning curve, no muss, no fuss... and no capital outlay.  As I said in my earlier post, I've never completed ditched film either...  but neither do I feel any compulsion to be on the bleeding edge of digital nor do I buy the claims of ANY of the advertising any more.   Have they improved the products, really?  Probably incrementally.  Will the new product make any improvement in the imaging I do?  Not a bit.  So it's irrelevant to me.  Fortunately there are legions of folks who are willing to plop down their hard-earned cash for the latest and greatest, and I am grateful to them... as that makes affordable used gear available when I want something.  But I haven't bought anything now in a couple of years since I returned to Leica and re-acquired my kit.  The latest thing was an X-T1 body to complement my M9P, and I just found out last night that I'm a couple of firmware revisions behind.  And would you believe that the body still works?  Amazing...

 

One of these days I'll send my M4-P body to Sherry for an overhaul and a finder MP upgrade though...

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mxa

mxa

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Your thought is valid...  mostly.   The production cycle of whiz-bang improvements has slowed. ........

 

 

Your comments are eminently wise and I subscribe to them. In fairness my (other) work forces me to live in close proximity to the echo chamber of digital photography (imaging software startup), so my comments did try to be generalistic but are probably tainted by my specific situation. Hopefully, nobody interpreted them as the rant of a luddite old fart, 'cause I ain't :-)

 

At least I hope so :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

 

Cheers

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

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.....  Digital technology really matured when most cameras hit the 12mp mark.    I only moved up the to M9 because it was a 35mm sensor instead of APS-C which is more convenient for me.

 

...... One of these days I'll send my M4-P body to Sherry for an overhaul and a finder MP upgrade though...

Hi Hepcat, 

Look at this link : Akira Watanabe agree with you :)

http://www.cnet.com/news/olympus-12-megapixels-is-enough-for-most-folks/

For your M4P, you're right to use this great camera . It's a good decision. Many LF friends used it and share their pictures in "I like film" thread  ....   and you are also welcome :)

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205842-i-like-filmopen-thread/page-479

Best

Henry

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hepcat

hepcat

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It's an interesting world today.  It's consumer-sales driven.   Camera companies need to sell cameras to stay open.  They constantly need to find new markets, and convince the folks who already have one of their products that buying a new one will revolutionize what they do and how they do it.   In the digital age, consumers need the companies to remain solvent for after-sales service, firmware upgrades and such.  We'd like to think that the camera companies are providing us with our heart's desires...  the truth is that they're providing their shareholders profits, with after-market support being primarily a marketing tool.

 

I'd like to think I'm not cynical, merely pragmatic.  The question is how do we support our favorite manufacturer (without spending the family fortune to do it) so they can continue to provide that after-sales support?  

 

Did you notice that actually making photographs doesn't really play into the scenario outlined above?

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hepcat

hepcat

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Hi Hepcat, 

Look at this link : Akira Watanabe agree with you :)

http://www.cnet.com/news/olympus-12-megapixels-is-enough-for-most-folks/

For your M4P, you're right to use this great camera . It's a good decision. Many LF friends used it and share their pictures in "I like film" thread  ....   and you are also welcome :)

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205842-i-like-filmopen-thread/page-479

Best

Henry

 

Thanks, Doc.   

 

I've posted this elsewhere, but just for fun, here's my M4-P:

 

16082996284_85222a1dc0.jpgDSCF3017 by Roger H, on Flickr

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Doc Henry

Doc Henry

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Thanks, Doc.   

 

I've posted this elsewhere, but just for fun, here's my M4-P:

 

16082996284_85222a1dc0.jpgDSCF3017 by Roger H, on Flickr

Hi Roger , this is what I called the "action shot"  with the revolver and the handcuffs :D

How beautiful the M4 . Really

Thanks for the picture. :)

 

I no longer am interested in the digital for the reasons that I mentioned above.

I let people "formatted" to digital continue their shopping with each new release cameras.

I can also buy new camera but I am looking now  for what is "artistic" in photography and it dictates to me that not

and that the film  makes great service in photography and I think for still a long time before I die anyway.

 

Happy New Year  Roger

 

Best

Henry

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fielden

fielden

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Thanks everyone for the comments and advice.

 

Will get the M6 tomorrow!  :) just got to decide 35mm Summarit or 40mm f1.4 Voightlander Hmmmm!

 

Some interesting posts and I have similar views regarding the digital ecosystem and the constant "need" to upgrade cameras and software etc. You can also see it coming, from adobe, microsoft, auto cad, sage etc. that they will soon not sell software but demand that you pay a monthly subscription to use their software which may not even reside on your computer.

 

On top of this, I too find endlessly messing around in lightroom etc more and more tedious and will look forward to having more focus on taking photos than editing and tweaking on the computer.

 

Thanks again everyone. We have a sunny weekend forecast in Rochdale so hoping to get out and capture some light!

 

All the Best

 

Graeme

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Fotoklaus

Fotoklaus

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Now the proud owner of M6 Titanium and 50mm summarit and orange filter  :)  :)  :)

Congratulations! Now get some Rolls of TRI-X or Tmax and go for beautiful landscapes with beautiful clouds!

Isn't it a good feeling, holding this solid piece of craftmanship in your hand?

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