Never sell a Leica, they say.

[Guest malland]

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Ever since I got my Ricoh GR-D last July, followed by a Leica D-Lux 3 in December, I haven't touched my two M6s for which I have "full complement" of lenses. It just doesn't look like I'll ever go back to using film for the following reasons:

 

1. I'm not about to go into "tropical processing" and taking the film over to a lab takes me 45 min in Bangkok traffic (just a few miles actually) and another 45 min a few days later to pick it up.

 

2. Scanning takes me 15 min per frame on my Imacon Precision III and then I have to spend a lot of time in Photoshop spotting dust spots.

 

3. There's also the cost of the film, and the develoing and printing contact sheet, although the latter is a lot cheaper here.

 

4. The bother of traveling with film — I travel very frequently — and of making sure that the film is not too much out of date (it usually is).

 

For all these reasons I don't see how I'll go back in film; and in almost a year I haven't.

 

Now people have often said, "Never selll a Leica"; and I had a couple of M2/M3s years ago that I sold and ended up eventually getting a couple of M6s. But that was no big deal, and I preferred having the in-camera light meter anyway. Now, having crossed the digital divided, I'm not sure the never sell a Leica makes sense any longer in the case of selling the M6s. Any thoughts?

 

—Mitch

Mitch Alland's slideshow on Flickr

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[Guest stnami]

Just send one to me Mitch............... If you don't use the cameras sell them . I really suggest a M8 for your B&W work............... OK more than suggest.........

[Guest malland]

... If you don't use the cameras sell them . I really suggest a M8 for your B&W work............... OK more than suggest.........

Sean Reid gave me the same advice. You mean that I should forget about the medium-format look of the M8 and shoot at ISO 1250-2500, or just throw in the towel and use Alien Skin to add grain? I really don't want my pictures to have that exquisite look.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[sean_reid]

Sean Reid gave me the same advice. You mean that I should forget about the medium-format look of the M8 and shoot at ISO 1250-2500, or just throw in the towel and use Alien Skin to add grain? I really don't want my pictures to have that exquisite look.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

 

Hi Mitch,

 

I did give you the same advice but its up to you. As I advised last fall, shoot at high ISO if you want the files to look coarser. F/8 at 1/1000 at ISO 320 = F/8 at 1/2000 at ISO 640 = F/8 at 1/4000 at ISO 1250 = F/8 at 1/8000 at ISO 2500

 

So, even in bright sunlight there's room to work. And, since maximum resolution isn't important to you, there's F/11 and F/16 to work with as well - giving the deep DOF that you also like.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Guest stnami]

They won't have the exquisite look,remember you can over/underexpose and that will add a grain to digitals, sure there is a loss here and there. I have been using the pentax 100(21 aka32mm lens) at 1600iso/f22 and getting good stuff in OZ and it's as bright as buggery here, Leica lenses would be better

[Guest malland]

Yes, I've been absorbing what you've both been saying (Imants and Sean), and am still thinking about it. On the other hand I'm also thinking at looking at the Olympus E510 when it hits the market: what attracts me is the "live preview" because I've found it useful to shoot using the LCD preview on the GR-D and the D-Lux 2 but am not sure that I would get the same "fluidity" -- loose and a goose! -- with a larger camera.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[Guest stnami]

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The Oly is really worth a look into, my only beef is no small wide primes the 11-22 is too wieldy,,,,,,,,,,,,otherwise live view,size and lens quality....it's all there

[Guest malland]

I guess lenses are a problem for the 4/3rds system: the Leica 25mm 1.4 and the Sigma 1.8 are huge. Maybe the Pentax K10D is a better way to go because there are some small prime lenses for it, no?

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[Guest stnami]

It is still 32mm with the pentax 21 pancake..... a bit of distortion ......I do also use the 28mm/42, manual focus only...........the 8 is still a go

 

RiceHigh's Pentax K100D Full Review

[biglouis]

Mitch

 

I can relate to what you are saying. The fact is (and sorry if this is psychobabble) but we do sometimes create a bond with objects we own which have bought us pleasure over the years. I'm going through similar anxieties at present but have taken the step to sell all my other 'N' gear on e-bay to support my Leica-habit. I almost feel disloyal.

 

Personally, I'd sell both the M6s and (contraversially) the D-LUX 3 (keeping the Ricoh) and get a M8. I've stopped using my D-LUX 2 except as a convenient p&s since getting my R-D1. You quickly notice the difference in quality using a digital rangefinder over the D-LUX 2 (and I suspect 3) once you try a M8 (or R-D1).

 

Just my two cents

 

LouisB

[audidudi]

I guess lenses are a problem for the 4/3rds system: the Leica 25mm 1.4 and the Sigma 1.8 are huge. Maybe the Pentax K10D is a better way to go because there are some small prime lenses for it, no?

 

Not all lenses that work on an L1/D3 are huge! If you compose with the LCD and don't mind manual focus / exposure, there are a great many you can choose from, including my favorite, the Voigtlander 12mm/f5.6 ... not a perfect setup, by any means (read my previous posts on this subject), but despite this, it seems to be working fine so far! And if you want grain, ISO 800 should work well for you...

[Guest malland]

Jeffrey:

 

Interesting, because I like to compose with the LCD. What other lenses could one use?

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[audidudi]

Interesting, because I like to compose with the LCD.

 

Likewise (because, fundamentally, I'm really a view-camera kind of guy and being nearsighted certainly helps as well). The only catch with the Voigtlander lenses I use (the discontinued 12mm and 15mm Nikon F-mount versions) is that the mirror contacts them lightly every time the shutter is triggered. I haven't noticed any problems resulting from this over a few hundred exposures so far, but in the long run, who knows? The camera is inexpensive enough, though, that I'm not going to worry about it...

 

What other lenses could one use?

There are 4/3 adapters available for just about every major line of 35mm SLR lenses, including Leica R lenses. I also have a few Contax lenses I use, including the 45mm/f2.8 Tessar, which I just love and is lighter than the Voigtlander 12mm even if a little bit larger...

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[salvatore]

What a nice combo camera+lens!!! Its a pity the 4/3s system lacks a normal prime (around 20mm = 40mm Eq) of that size.

[Guest malland]

To recap on my M8 cogitations: two people who know my work well (Imants and Sean) recommend that I get it and shoot at high ISOs. If I got it I would use mainly my Summicron 35 v4 (pre-ASPH), Elmarit 28 and Elmarit 21 ASPH, the latter, I gather, with the VC28 viewfinder. (Unfortunately, I'd have to dump my DR Summicron.)

 

Advantages: better and more convenient lenses than with the Olympus E510, but no live preview,which means no shooting by framing with the LCD, which I like to do.

 

Disadvantages: the M8 just doesn't grab be in having the "gestalt" of a Leica-M, as Mike Joihnston put it in his ideosyncratic evaluation.

 

Like the rest of life: there are always trade-offs.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[sean_reid]

To recap on my M8 cogitations: two people who know my work well (Imants and Sean) recommend that I get it and shoot at high ISOs. If I got it I would use mainly my Summicron 35 v4 (pre-ASPH), Elmarit 28 and Elmarit 21 ASPH, the latter, I gather, with the VC28 viewfinder. (Unfortunately, I'd have to dump my DR Summicron.)

 

Advantages: better and more convenient lenses than with the Olympus E510, but no live preview,which means no shooting by framing with the LCD, which I like to do.

 

Disadvantages: the M8 just doesn't grab be in having the "gestalt" of a Leica-M, as Mike Joihnston put it in his ideosyncratic evaluation.

 

Like the rest of life: there are always trade-offs.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

 

Hi Mitch,

 

Indeed, no one camera is ever perfect. As for the gestalt, Mike didn't get enough time with that camera - and he realizes that. It's really a lot like working with an M7. That doesn't make it right for you, necessarily, but that's my impression having now used M8s since August. The D3 will likely drive you nuts if *you* frame with the LCD when working at your normal pace (too many delays, clicks and clunks, etc.) I like the D3 but wouldn't use it for fast work that is being framed with the LCD. For the latter, maybe the Oly 330? You can use most of the OM lenses on these 4/3 cameras but you lose auto-aperture stop down (not great for fast hand-held work). Maybe see the D3 review?

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Kirk]

On the other hand I'm also thinking at looking at the Olympus E510 when it hits the market: what attracts me is the "live preview" because I've found it useful to shoot using the LCD preview on the GR-D and the D-Lux 2 but am not sure that I would get the same "fluidity" -- loose and a goose! -- with a larger camera.

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

 

Hi Mitch... you seem to enjoy small P&S cameras, and although the e510 is small and light for a DSLR, it is way bigger than a P&S. And, LV is not smooth and realtime like a P&S. First, the mirror flips up, then you compose, then you click the shutter, then the mirror flips down, and then it takes the photo. So there is a lot of sound, so you can not be as discrete. Camera Labs has a short video on the subject:

 

Olympus E-410 full review Cameralabs video review

 

The other problem for your style of shooting is that the new e410 and 510 have much less noise than previous Olys, so even at ISO 1600 you may not get what you want. The earlier e400 has a Kodak sensor, which produces more noise, and the price is very low now that the new 410 and 510 have been released. But no LV in the 400.

[Guest stnami]

: better and more convenient lenses than with the Olympus E510, but no live preview,which means no shooting by framing with the LCD, which I like to do.

.......... I shot with a LCD only for a couple of years, and now going back to film about 40%, well that's not possible but I find that I no longer frame as I used to. I approximate and sorta know where things are.......... as there are times that I never even looked at the LCD so I am no stranger to point and shoot literally. LIfe is not so crucial with wide lenses and the dof that goes with f8/16 etc

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[Guest malland]

Hhmm, what you say, Kirk, about the live view being cumbersome, is very informative. In that case I'd do better with the Leica M8 than using the DSLR viewfiender. And the 0.68x magnification is really not a problem when the main lens is 35mm and the others are wider angle. Although I like the Summilux 25 (pre-ASPH) a lot, I don't really like it getting the FOV of a 65mm lens.

 

Looks like Imants and Sean may be right, and I'll have to think about it a bit more. I'll see whether I can get an M8 to try out here in Bangkok from the Leica importer. Otherwise, I'm beginning to see why Imants has been going back to film to some degree...

 

—Mitch/Bangkok

[martinb]

Mitch,

I think that Oly E-410 or E-510 might be perfect cameras for you. The 14-42mm kit lens is very compact and has low distortion for being a kit lens. Yes, it's not very fast, but you have a better ISO 1600 setting in the Oly cameras compared to the D-Lux 3. If you also like live view the choice is pretty easy.