M10 via Canon AE-1

[hollisd]

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I bought an M10 then was reimbursed while on the waitlist due to an accident that will have me on crutches for more than 2 years. 

 

I didn't think it was the best time to purchase a new camera that I was eager to walk around with. 

 

Now I'm getting the jones again and was thinking about purchasing a Canon AE-1 with 50 1.4 to test the waters and change my process by slowing down. 

 

Emotionally I'm invested because I had 2 AE-1s when I was 15 but never fully appreciated those cameras back then. So returning to the game with a manual film body appeals to my nostalgia. 

 

Money wise an old school shop in Barcelona will develop and scan film for €8.5 - the scans aren't massive but good enough - and the same shop sells film for €3

 

Alternatively I could scan at home purchasing an Epson or Canon scanner; not sure how much developing a roll of film on its own is but marginally cheaper 

 

Has anyone gone a similar route in the digital age? What did you learn, pros and cons etc? 

 

I should add that I'm starting from zero with my Canon dslr stolen almost 3 years ago. They caught the hotel employee and I received in full what I paid new for my gear, but I haven't jumped on a new system having shot with my iphone only ever since.

Edited September 21, 2017 by hollisd

[jaapv]

What is against buying an M film body and using your existing lenses?

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[romanus53]

Rangefinder experience is different and old-School enough, get a AE-1 for nostagica but there is no big difference in Shooting with it, just exposure automatic if you want. Compare the scanned results with the dng you can get out of the M10 and ask yourself why you should go that retro-way. Hope you can walk arround soon as intended and the M10 will be the better comrade for this.

[earleygallery]

Not sure I understand - do you have the M10 and want a film camera? Or are you saying you didn't get the M10 in the end but now want a film camera instead?

[SilentShutter]

What is against buying an M film body and using your existing lenses?

 

I am not sure but I think he doesn´t own any Leica gear till now.

Afraid to get stuff stolen again the Canon AE-1 "situation" would be a idea

because you get this cameras for real cheap anywere.......lenses are FD and a bargain either !

[microview]

Like the OP I had an AE-1 stolen, whereas its identical replacement has been sitting unused on the carpet for years and years – ever since my first Leica M6TTL/50 Summilux. Anyone interested in the Canon? Just email me…….. The FD50mm lens was pretty good really.

[SilentShutter]

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Funny but true I started photography with a Canon AE-1 (FD 24-50-135) too

But after using a Nikon F2 (my teachers pride) I changed system and never went back again

The only Canon gear comes nearly close to Leica oder Nikon (pre-Ai-gear) mechanic build quality was the Canon F (old)

and the FL lenses.

[arno_nyhm]

if you are looking for some analogue gear instead of the M10, you might be better off with some other cameras.

 

the AE1 is not known for its technical reliability. its shutter tends to become squeaky and then break. and then, the AE1 does not give you coupled metering in manual mode. so you always have to read the meter and transfer value to the f-stop. not very comfortable.

 

if you were about to spend 6 Grand on an M10 but now get afraid that it might be stolen (wich in my opinion would be easy to cope with when you have insurance and nhardly ever happens and thats why insurances are so cheap) you might be happy with spending some money in the range of 4 to 8 hundred.

 

You could stay with leica and get an R7 with summicron 50/2 for that kind of money.

 

or- if you dont wanrt any Leica-gear as it might get stolen- you could watch out for a NIKON F3 or FM3a and some really decent glass.

 

and if you want to spend "next-to-nothing" you can still get a cosina CT1a (mechanical, PK-Mount) and some cheap Cosina-Lenses which were branded as "Porst" or "Revuenon" just up and down the focal-scale for 10 to 30 bucks each.

 

but dont go for the AE1. you wont get happy. at least go for an A1 which is slightly more espensive but at least gives three modes (A,S or P) instead of only one with the AE1.

 

what did i learn from analogue? actually nothing, i really need in digital days with the M10. maybe metering but the M10 does that in almost perfect manner. i only learned from the digital cameras and then tried to use my knowledge with the analogue. and it was sometimes more satisfying, as i had put more energy into the makling of every single analogue frame when developing all films by myself in the dark batroom. but the images didnt get any better.

[jaapv]

I am not sure but I think he doesn´t own any Leica gear till now.

Afraid to get stuff stolen again the Canon AE-1 "situation" would be a idea

because you get this cameras for real cheap anywere.......lenses are FD and a bargain either !

In that case, if you ask in a Leica forum: Get an M3 with a Summicron 50 and a Sekonic.

[robert_parker]

I have actually kept my old Nikon FE2 that I bought in my early twenties but sadly sold my Zenit E from my teenage years....

 

I have an AE1 + 1,4 that I bought for around Eur 35 on eBay but my favourite is the Olympus OM1, with Zuiko 1,4 lens, which is light, tactile and in many ways replicates the Leica experience in an SLR - you should note that you should use a Wein cell battery unless it's been converted, to keep the meter safe and accurate.

 

The M3 / M2 experience is very special and would introduce you to rangefinder photography - also consider a 11b, 111f or 111g as an alternative as these are again hugely tactile cameras that are capable of excellent results

 

It's worth noting that the M10 gives the closest experience and results to using a film camera that I've yet seen

Edited September 21, 2017 by robert_parker

[PaulJohn]

I shoot both film and digital as i am sure do others on this forum. I have the M10 but my favourite body is my film MP with a 50 lux pre ASPH loaded with ilford delta 100. I home develop and the results are amazing. So good i sold my MM 246. I find home developing to be therapeutic.

[SilentShutter]

I shoot both film and digital as i am sure do others on this forum. I have the M10 but my favourite body is my film MP with a 50 lux pre ASPH loaded with ilford delta 100. I home develop and the results are amazing. So good i sold my MM 246. I find home developing to be therapeutic.

 

Makes me smile a lot - for me I am just glad to get rid of that splasching in the darkroom after a exhausing day taking pictures.

Still love to use film and shoot street with the old rangefinder and a dirty 50 hidden under my Jacket, but I let develope the film

and scan them to make the fine adjustments in Photoshop which helps me more to get closer to "my picture" than the work in the laboratory.

[jaapv]

I have actually kept my old Nikon FE2 that I bought in my early twenties but sadly sold my Zenit E from my teenage years....

 

I have an AE1 + 1,4 that I bought for around Eur 35 on eBay but my favourite is the Olympus OM1, with Zuiko 1,4 lens, which is light, tactile and in many ways replicates the Leica experience in an SLR - you should note that you should use a Wein cell battery unless it's been converted, to keep the meter safe and accurate.

 

The M3 / M2 experience is very special and would introduce you to rangefinder photography - also consider a 11b, 111f or 111g as an alternative as these are again hugely tactile cameras that are capable of excellent results

 

It's worth noting that the M10 gives the closest experience and results to using a film camera that I've yet seen

 

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/zenit

 

I am sure that you can buy it back - and still pay less than you got for it

[mikemgb]

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/zenit

 

I am sure that you can buy it back - and still pay less than you got for it

 

Stop doing that, you're just tempting me to spend money, I also sold a Zenit E many years ago and have considered finding a replacement.

[Eoin]

Has anyone gone a similar route in the digital age? What did you learn, pros and cons etc? 

 

I had a Canon A1 back in the day and then upgraded to the T90 which I still have with a lens or two.

I used to develop and print my own B&W and colour films.

 

Honestly, in this day and age I have zero interest in using or being constrained by the roll of film I currently have loaded in a body or the chemical in my tanks.

Digital is a modern medium which opens up so many possibilities to "adjust" in whatever way you desire, the image you initially captured.

 

Couple that with the speed and ease in which you can output a print on whatever paper medium and with any adjustment your creative heart desires.

Couple that with almost perfect preview on the monitor before you commit the image to print, what's not to love about the tools we enjoy today.

 

Some will argue it is not a pure photographic experience unless you're faffing around in the dark doing it the traditional way!, others will argue that brand x of film

can't be reproduced in the modern digital workflow.

 

I say bollox to all that, if you're relying on the "je ne sais quoi" of traditional film and printing methods to make a picture more interesting, then your image is not strong enough to stand on its own merits.

 

Naturally, I am no "expert" or accomplished photographer, all I can say is when you get the "right image" it doesn't matter a fiddlers feck what camera, lens, film, sensor or phone it was captured on, the image stands on its own merits.

 

Relying on the nuances of film, lenses, sensors to somewhat enhance an image is grasping at straws, your digital workflow is the brush to help turn the mediocre into something more acceptable.