I love my… I love my MP

[DBerens]

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Yes, I keep looking at the digitals but I'm just not ready to go there - especially for a Leica experience. However, I do know people who are enjoying theirs.

[milsu]

I was looking at the digitals for two years. And found none I would enjoy with. I wanted a photo camera with normal lens. Was close to get Olympus E-1 with ED 50mm 1:2.0 Macro and Extension Tube EX-25, but then appeared E-300 which was better and cheaper. Tried to go for Canon 20D, but couldn't find EF 35mm f/1.4L USM in my country. Fuji S3 Pro was too expensive for its class. Didn't like Nikon, bad aesthetics. Then, I have definitely decided to go for 35mm film camera. Here, I could find only some Nikons: almost bought FM3A, but they didn't have manual 50mm lens, and I didn't want to put autofocus lens on manual body; F80 was made of plastic; F6 was too big. Then, I have chosen Canon EOS 30V with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM; couldn't buy it in my country; on internet found only one store which was offering it, but they didn't have it in the stock anymore. Then, I remembered on Leica web site there was a list of Leica dealers. A little over my budget, but it was "to photograph or not to photograph" question. And I knew I could trust Leica men. I made first contact with Leitz Hungaria, because Budapest was the closest city with Leica dealer. I ordered an M7. But changed my mind, and listened to my heart, which was crying: Go for MP! Go for MP!... I betrayed Leitz Hungaria, and made contacts with Leica bei Meister in Hamburg for my MP and Summilux. Et voila...

(My odyssey, short version.)

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[gylee]

Well, I've been absent from this forum for a while having been busy with other things but I hope to be a more frequent visitor - my Leica CM got a big brother yesterday in the form of a black MP and a 50 summicron.

 

Although I have been toying with this for a while, the catalyst for all this was a trip to Siem Reap in Cambodia to see the temples at Angkor Wat - my brother in law brought his new M8 with him (together with 35 summilux) and I spent an evening playing with it in a restaurant and I loved the way of making pictures. I was photographing the people at the table as they were talking and the closest analogy I can find is that looking through the viewfinder on a rangefinder is like watching a tv show and the shutter release is like the pause button - when you see something you like - a gesture, a facial expression - you pause it by pushing the shutter release and it is caught forever. Because you keep your eye to the viewfinder and no mirror flips up, you know instantly what you have actually photographed (even without the chimping),

 

My initial reaction was to sign up for an M8 but after some thought, I decided that perhaps a film M was a better way to go. I particularly liked the all mechanical aspect of the MP so after spending some time in a Leica dealer yesterday (including some time comparing with the M7) I walked away with the MP.

 

I finished my first roll today and will get it developed tomorrow. Taking pictures with the MP is a revelation. It really is photography reduced to its essential elements - ISO, shutter speed and aperture. Coming from the all automatic CM and the complexity of a 5D there is something very nice about being completely the master of your own exposure (I know that this is possible with the 5D as well, but the reality is that mine never moves out of aperture priority). I really like the rangefinder focusing as well.

 

I am a bit slow at the moment (and I suspect developing a callous on the side of my finger from the shutter speed dial) but I hope to get quicker with practice.

 

As an added bonus, while I was looking around for the M8 initially, and then the MP, I also picked up a pair of Ultravid 10*25s. It has been an expensive week...

[rob_x2004]

I STILL love, that the shutter speed dial is back from the frontplate and that I can be chasing shutter speed exposure WHILE I am depressing the shutter release, WITHOUT a softie thanks. Out of the box, MP is good.

[flavio]

I have to admit: my head is telling me M8, while my heart is clearly on MP. A REAL beautiful camera, the very right size, the quiter, softer instrument you can ever use in the photo field. And probably it is the perfect one.

 

I think my M4 and a very welcome MP may last for the rest of my life and the same I'd say for film or slides.

 

In the mid-time, I suppose to be in trouble with my local developing lab, because film users appear to be a disappearing species.

At least this is what they (lab guys) are telling me and we don't have so many labs here around.

[Guest Metroman]

Pssst! Me too.............

 

 

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I am leaving these two in close proximity in the hope they produce the perfect Digital M!

 

 

 

 

Taken with D-Lux 2. My CL is away for a CLA'd and will be very upset at missing the party.

[milsu]

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No digital would ever give me that lush feeling of a pure mechanical photo camera.

[andalus]

I've had Leicas for 40 years in most iterations (including Leicaflex SLII) but have settled down now with just the MP and the latest 75/2 Cron and the 28/2 Cron. That as basic as it may get these days, what with all the DSLR's and the M8 out there. The nagging question, as ever, is do I go for the M8, too. My lenses are not yet coded. That's a problem. Also, I keep reading about bugs in the M8, and then read about the wonderful Canon EOS and how they are virtually bug free and rugged, too. So I can't make up my mind to spring for the M8 or a Canon, and find the MP such a marvel of simplicity and form. I am thinking of buying a better slide scanner and just say fugettabout digital, feeling it might give me headaches messing with all the software, downloads, uploads, coding, battery charges, whacky electronics, magenta cast, IR filters, etc.

 

I suspect others have felt as I do. I mean, unless you are making a living shooting, why bother with all the latest technology IF one can create acceptable scans of one's best Velvia slides. I wish the powers that be would come out with a good scanner midway between the expensive drum kind and the Nikon 5000 ED. That may be the perfect solution. Any comments welcome. Wonder if others have felt as I do. I am in Vietnam now after a 3 month stint working as an editor for the Communist national English language paper. Going home to North Carolina in three weeks. Hanoi is colorful but awfully polluted with motorbikes and noise, which is tiresome for a guy of 60.

[Nick De Marco]

Interesting to read Siem Reap was someone's reason fro trying digital

 

I have gone the other way a bit. Havoing not touched film for years I got back into serious photography through digital SLRs. Last year I bought the canon 5D which is a beautiful camera. Having invested heavily in some great Canon L lenses I cannot contemplate trying Leica digital - and to be honest i would be surprised if the Leica (Panasonic?) digital cameras are as good as the 5D.

 

However, on my recent trip to Siem Reap/Phnom Penh i decided to take my Voigtlander Bessa R2 and some black and white film too. I was as impressed with the shots from that, as I was with my digital - although very different of course. I have since become so bessotted with film rangefinders that I have bought a cuple of Leica Ms at last (M3 and M4-P) and just blown far too much money on a second hand 50mm f2 summicron and now a 35mm f2 summicron version 2. I plan to return to Siem Reap this summer and take one of my Leicas as well as the DSLR.

 

Long may both formats live, prosper and co-exist.

 

Photos from my trip - both film and digital - for anyone interested: Nick De Marco's Photo Galleries at pbase.com

[rob_x2004]

How am I ever going to afford an MP for every lens if you guys keep plugging them and telling everyone how great they are. Go out and buy a digital and put your MP on ebay for heavens sake.

 

 

 

 

 

....and nice gallery Nick.

[semrich]

Well it's finally time for me to check in at this link. I got serious with photography as a hobby last year at this time with the D-Lux2. Then I wanted a viewfinder and I got into rangerfinder's with the Epson R-D1 and love it. Next came the M8, love that as well. All of them including this forum have been teaching me a lot about my hobby.

 

Now I've just finished putting six rolls of film through my new MP, and because I've learned enough with the instant feedback from the digital world I can say that I love my MP. I find it is a lot more intutive and actually easier to use while also adding another bump on the learning curve. The best part it this is that all of those wonderful Leica M lenses fit both film and digital bodies.

[RITskellar]

I just recently sold my M6 classics and moved to the MP. I'm really happy with it and can't imagine how it could be improved. It's great as is, for work and for play.

 

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[dspeltz]

I wish I could say that about my new MP. It went through one roll and then locked up and had to be returned for service. My new M8 has spun out nearly 6000 photos, however, with no problem. And when it locked up I was heading into a volcano, called Leica for help, and found there was none other than post it to New Jersey. I suppose the only time a camera breaks is times like this.

[frc]

500+ rolls through my MP and no hiccups so far.

[rob_x2004]

and can't imagine how it could be improved.

 

There is a neck strap comes with the camera I find makes all the difference because you can adjust he length in an instant. If you are flying you can lengthen it out so it sits on your lap or if you are on the roof of a bus you can shorten it up and it doesnt bounce on the roof. I absolutely couldnt survive with a fixed length strap. Now if I had two MPs, they wouldnt clunk together.....

[gylee]

I wish I could say that about my new MP. It went through one roll and then locked up and had to be returned for service. My new M8 has spun out nearly 6000 photos, however, with no problem. And when it locked up I was heading into a volcano, called Leica for help, and found there was none other than post it to New Jersey. I suppose the only time a camera breaks is times like this.

 

I am struggling to picture an MP lock-up. Can you elaborate?

[martin]

old lense new cam

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[gylee]

Interesting to read Siem Reap was someone's reason fro trying digital

 

 

Hi Nick

 

Actually it was my first opportunity to try an M, it just happened to be a digital. I have been using digital for years and DSLR for a while as well - first a 350D and then a 5D and it was the 350D that really fired my passion for photography.

 

I have to admit that I think that the Canon L glass, at least the zooms, is a bit variable. I am using the 24-70 (which is good to very good), the 70-200 (which is very good) and the 16-35 (which is frankly just average). You are right though - the investment would make me think twice about moving to anything else. The 5D is extremely good, but a very different experience to what is essentially a simple, all manual, film camera. I am starting to feel quite passionate about the MP. I just like the 5D.

 

Hope that you enjoy your trip back to Siem Reap.

 

G.

[chrisweeks]

she's treated me well. i, on the other hand, haven't treated her that well ...

 

but she works every time i ask her to!

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[dspeltz]

Lockup: pushed the shutter button and it would not come back up. Everything locked up.