New guy needs advice on Leica purchase

[Jeff S]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Sorry to encourage you to spend more money!  I still wouldn't use it unless you have to....or at least until you've given the RF a long and fair run.  It's the heart of an M....and the RF on the M240 (M-P) is the most accurate yet, having been improved since the M9, and housed in a more robust body, too.

 

Jeff

[pico]

Jeff, I keep my camera in the left bag on my BMW.  I put a fleece lined helmet bag folded double on top my clothing and then, the camera goes in an individual fleece bag.  I pad out the area around the camera with clothing.  I've traveled thousand of miles with SLR's (Nikons) and have never had a issue.  Is the Leica more susceptible to vibration? 

 

Mike

 

You will be fine with that protection, Mike. In fact, the camera does not require that much. I pointed my '81 R100rs to San Francisco (where I met ramarren) from Minnesota with the M4 in a tank bag. No issues. Have a great time!

Edited December 30, 2016 by pico

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Jeff S]

And to further encourage you to stick with the RF, and to avoid accidentally hitting the video or live view buttons, the menu allows you to quickly disable (or enable) both.

 

Jeff

[Rangefinder]

Sorry to encourage you to spend more money!  I still wouldn't use it unless you have to....or at least until you've given the RF a long and fair run.  It's the heart of an M....and the RF on the M240 (M-P) is the most accurate yet, having been improved since the M9, and housed in a more robust body, too.

 

Jeff

:-)  No worries, Jeff.  I haunt a couple of M/C forums and have helped other get rid of those dirty old greenback.  Turn about is fair play!  This photography hobby has cost me a bunch over the years but, you know, I haven't regretted any of it.  I've still got my old Nikon F from my Vietnam/Cambodia days with all the lens plus the boxes they came in.

 

Mike

[Jeff S]

You will fine with that protection, Mike. In fact, the camera does not require more. I pointed my '81 R100rs to San Francisco from Minnesota with the M4 in a tank bag. No issues. Have a great time!

While I also think he'll be fine, the M4 is not the same as the M-P in terms of tolerances.

 

Jeff

[pico]

While I also think he'll be fine, the M4 is not the same as the M-P in terms of tolerances.

 

Jeff

 

That thought occurred to me. Mike - listen to Jeff. I'm done with motorcycling otherwise I'd put my opinion to the test, beginning with your level of caution.

[Rangefinder]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

You will be fine with that protection, Mike. In fact, the camera does not require that much. I pointed my '81 R100rs to San Francisco (where I met ramarren) from Minnesota with the M4 in a tank bag. No issues. Have a great time!

Ah, more "scooter trash" on this forum, huh?   You know, I was going to wait to see if the M10 would land within the next few weeks but, what the heck, since haunting the forum and reading various post about the M, I'm gonna pull the trigger.  You guys sure seem to be having fun with your Leicas!

 

Mike

[Jeff S]

 I'm done with motorcycling otherwise I'd put my opinion to the test, beginning with your level of caution.

 

Same here...for now anyway.  Things might change if I move back to a place more conducive to riding (like I used to do when I lived in Santa Fe and Northern California).  Ah, those were fun times.

 

Jeff

[NZDavid]

The M-P sounds great, a true modern classic. Having tried it out, how different does it feel from your original M3? It seems to me all Leica M cameras share the same DNA and if you like rangefinder photography and concentrating on the essentials you can't really go wrong.

 

One other possibility for a wide may be a used 2.8 or 3.4//24 Elmarit-Asph with an accessory finder -- it's an excellent lens for travel, buildings, and interiors. The 50 Summilux should be fantastic for portraits and street scenes.   

[Jeff S]

You guys sure seem to be having fun with your Leicas!

 

 

I love photography and all that goes with it.....printing, traveling, galleries, print/book collecting, etc, etc.....regardless of gear.  But, yes, the M has served me well, film and digital, since the early 80's.  So, too, has a lot of other gear along the way, from 35mm to medium and large format (4x5).  Some love the M/RF experience, some not; I bonded with it from the get-go and have always had one.  In fact that's all I have now....but I'm looking for a complementary system to better serve my renewed desire to use wider/longer lenses.  The M10, or some future M with better EVF, may fill that gap, but I'm going to wait to also test the X1D, GFX and SL before committing.

 

Jeff

[pico]

Re: Scooter Trash

 

Ah, more "scooter trash" on this forum, huh?

Yes, well over thirty-years of riding, lots of motorcycles, and thank god no serious accidents or broken cameras. I wish you the same luck. I gotta show you the motorcycle I rode before the BMW. Do not gag! I built it from the ground-up in the early days before ready-made parts were popular. We did with what we could from scraps.

 

My 1946, 56, 66 Harley.

 

[Rangefinder]

Oh, you dog!  I know you wish you still had it!  Looks like a Pan bottom with a Shovelhead top end.  It's a beauty!

 

Mike

[pico]

Oh, you dog!  I know you wish you still had it!  Looks like a Pan bottom with a Shovelhead top end.  It's a beauty!

 

Mike

 

Yeah, you nailed it. It was the hot set in 1966. You can tell the '66 heads by counting the fins at the valve area. I would like to have it again, but also with the youthful coordination I had. Maybe I'll get it back or build another. Stay tuned, brother.

[Rangefinder]

I got everything on order today.  The store said it should all be in on Thursday of this week.  Here's what I ended up with:

 

M-P (Type 240)

50mm Summicron 2.0

28mm Elmirit 2.8

90mm APO Summicron 2.0

EVF 2

SF 40 Flash

UV Filters for all

Spare Battery

 

Okay, I get home and tell my wife about the order.  She informed me she needed a new dress for the formal gig we have to attend.  I told her, "Hon, I just spent a lot of money and we're going to have to cut back a little."  She smiled and asked where I intended to have dinner.

 

I'm excited!

 

Mike

[wda]

Mike, your postscript made me smile. Can just imagine your excited anticipation.

 

While you are waiting, formulate a simple practical plan of priorities following arrival of your new kit. I would suggest not using the 28 and 90mm lenses straightaway; nor the flash. Just spend a few days with the 50mm lens fitted and get yourself fully comfortable and confident operating that basic camera and lens. Possibly for one week if you can control your itchy fingers reaching for the other lenses.

[andybarton]

 

 

One other possibility for a wide may be a used 2.8 or 3.4//24 Elmarit-Asph with an accessory finder

 

Every Leica owner should own a 24mm Elmarit-M ASPH.

 

Just saying.

[Rangefinder]

Mike, your postscript made me smile. Can just imagine your excited anticipation.

 

While you are waiting, formulate a simple practical plan of priorities following arrival of your new kit. I would suggest not using the 28 and 90mm lenses straightaway; nor the flash. Just spend a few days with the 50mm lens fitted and get yourself fully comfortable and confident operating that basic camera and lens. Possibly for one week if you can control your itchy fingers reaching for the other lenses.

Thank you, David.  That's good advice.  In fact, that's what the Leica dealer told me.  I've got the owners manual downloaded to my computer and will spend some time with that today. 

 

 

Every Leica owner should own a 24mm Elmarit-M ASPH.

 

Just saying.

Oh, thanks, Andy!   I came very close to getting one.  My dealer does have a fine used one that I handled for a few minutes yesterday.  There are so many lenses and so little money!  I've got to spend some time recovering from my Leica purchases and the fancy dinner I had to buy my wife last night. 

 

Mike

[Jeff S]

Congrats.  Are you taking it all on your motorcycle trip?  I would at least put the lenses you're taking through some paces to ensure proper operation; otherwise the advice to stick to one lens initially makes sense. 

 

And unlike your film days, you'll need a storage and back-up plan for your files.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Rangefinder]

Congrats.  Are you taking it all on your motorcycle trip?  I would at least put the lenses you're taking through some paces to ensure proper operation; otherwise the advice to stick to one lens initially makes sense. 

 

And unlike your film days, you'll need a storage and back-up plan for your files.

 

Jeff

Good morning, Jeff,

 

Yes, sir, I'm taking the Leica with me.  I'm going to familiarize myself with it long before I throw a leg over the scooter.  Although I'll take the 28mm and the 90mm, the 50mm will be on the camera most of the time.  As a long-time photographer, I'm pretty familiar with storing photos.  When I travel, I take a little Mac Air with a 1TB hard drive.  I create a folder and label it according to the trip and, then, use individual files within for each day's photos.  When I get home, everything is transferred from the travel hard drive to one of the other externals.  Heck, I even back those up to other drives. 

 

The camera should be in today.  Getting antsy!

 

Mike

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[Mark Pope]

Every Leica owner should own a 24mm Elmarit-M ASPH.

 

Just saying.

 

Stop it.  How's a bloke supposed to control his GAS? :-)