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Beginner in photography


Sweetshine

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If I was a beginner, I sure would not purchase a Leica M from eBay.  I would purchase second hand from an established dealer.  JAAPV posted some great links for the UK.  I would also check B&H, Tamarkin, ClassicConnection and KEH in the US.  They all have great return policies.  I have done business with Tamarkin and ClassicConnection since the 1980's and they have always accepted a return.  They will not sell cameras that have problems which cannot be said for everyone that you will encounter on eBay.

 

I do not know how difficult British Customs is or the cost of shipping internationally.  But I have purchased Leica equipment in London from Red Dot and I could probably have found it cheaper in the US but I wanted the item Right Now. Good thing about purchasing Leica stuff used is you can usually sell it for almost your purchase price if you don't like it. 

Edited by ktmrider2
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I own a Sony A7rII, A7r before that and also have the Loxia range of manual focus lenses for it (21, 35, 50), mainly because I just feel more involved with the photo when manually focusing, but that said I revert to AF lenses on the Sony if I can't afford to miss a shot.

 

I've owned a Leica 240 for, well a couple of days, so early doors to say the least, but thus far I find that rangefinder focus a little easier than the Sony focus peaking solution. The reasons being I think is that as you move the focus on the lens the feedback on the split image is immediate as to whether you are going further out or into focus, there is similar feedback in the Sony, but the rangefinder feels more immediate, plus even when out of focus, you can see still you image in the viewfinder and thus know where to point the patch, versus the Sony where if everything is out of focus, you've first got to get to reasonable focus in order to pickup the spot you actually want to focus on.

 

Hope that makes some sense. In addition I find the rangefinder to be more accurate that the focus peaking. As I mentioned, I am only 2 days in, but have already been able to photograph a moving subject which I would have failed with using my Loxia's.

 

In addition to the body itself I went with a couple of well respected Voigtlander lenses (35 f1.7 & 50 f1.5) to minimize my investment due to similar concerns that you have. 

 

I can't say after 2 days in I'm sold yet, I'll reserve that judgement for a year down the line, and I will continue to use my Sony, but I can say I don't yet have any regrets!

 

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers

Jonathan

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I purchased my body from the Leica store in Miami (online, I'm near Chicago). They were excellent to deal with, quick to respond, sent many photos which were very accurate and detailed even the slightest blemish on the camera. Would highly recommend them for a used purchase. Their prices seem in line to me also. They even contacted Leica Germany after purchase for me to un-register the previous owner, thus allowing me to register it.

 

Cheers

Jonathan

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If I gonna dive into Leica, I'll probably buy used one. Are there anything I need to keep in mind if I buy from eBay?

Totally don't want to buy so expensive thing from eBay , but a new one is way too much investment for me at this stage.

 

I bought my M240 on eBay and didn't have any issues. My advice if you're going to buy off of eBay is not to go for just the cheapest listing. Look for one where the seller details roughly how many photos they took with it, how old it is, and provides a lot of photos. Don't buy from a seller that doesn't have a good reputation on the site, either. When I bought mine, the listing made it easy to see that the seller had taken great care of the camera. And he had only taken roughly 5,000 photos with it before selling it to buy an M10. 

 

I've been super pleased with my purchase. But there's always a risk when buying from eBay. I'd say you can find reputable sellers that will sell you a camera in great condition for a decent discount. But if you're wanting to go to eBay to get a Leica super cheap, I don't think you'll have the best of luck. The cheapest listings tend to be cameras in not the best condition. If you can't afford it, maybe it's best to wait until you've saved up a bit more.

 

 

As the rangefinder has a bit of a learning curve, a short spell in a store will not be very helpful for finding out whether one likes it or not.

 

I agree. But it will at least give you an idea of how the rangefinder works. And for some, that's enough to get a general idea. The best way would be if they had a friend with a rangefinder they could borrow to try it out but that's not an option for most.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I still remember the first time I came out of the shop with my M8 which I had funded selling my two Contax Gs. I went home took the camera from the box, attached the Summarit 35mm lens I had bought along with the camera, switched on, pointed it to the subject, pressed the shutter half way and... NOTHING.

I thought: Damn, I'm very unlucky... I bought a brand new camera ad the auto focus doesn't work.

That was my knowledge about Leica gear in the beginning.

Now my M240 is the ONLY camera I consider worth taking pictures with.

That's to say: go ahead and make your day!

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Sorry, not much to add.. ..but I’d like to agree with lots said above, especially:

 

Welcome to the forum - it’s a great place! Lots of photography and a great ‘bar’ for everything else! There are skilful and very passionate people to meet there!

 

If you want to learn about photography you need a camera, not a point and shoot or iPhone (although I accept great snaps can be made with those ‘accidently’)

 

There was a day before the world had autofocus and autoexposure; the choice of gear then was basically SLR or rangefinder; nothing to be frightened of!

 

Buy wisely and, if you don’t get on, you shouldn’t take a massive financial hit when you sell or trade in.

 

Buy from a shop with a good reputation - it’s money well spent. You’ll get to handle the camera and maybe have it for a test drive.

 

I have an M9 because I don’t want the extra features such as video offered by the more recent models. The M8 / 8.2 is cheaper than an M9 but is not full frame so that affects the focal length of the lens. I mention these things because if you decide to get an M9 or M8 / 8.2 please research the potential problems (corroding sensor in the former, ‘coffee stain’ in the latter).

 

I’d be surprised if you regret your decision!

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Hi, I'm very new in photography. I'm now using Sony A7 and is seriously thinking of getting a Leica mp240. I'm debating if I'm 'too green' in photography to use a Leica camera. As you know, it's a lot of money to invest in Leica camera. I'm afraid i won't be able to manage the camera because I haven't reached the required skill level.

Anyone here learn the skills of photography from beginner by using a Leica camera? I'm imagining i spend a lot of money to buy an expensive camera (& lens) and turn out shooting everything out of focus....

Need your advice and share you experience please. Thanks!

 

@Sweetshine,

 

First of all, welcome to the forum!  I have to say that I think you are worrying needlessly due to the high cost of Leica M digital cameras, even used copies.  The truth is that whether you are looking at buying a film M camera or a digital M, they are some of the most straightforward, easy to use and simple cameras you can get. 

 

My first digital camera was an M240 and it was quite easy to learn.  As for focusing, rangefinder cameras are not difficult to focus at all, particularly in low light situations.  One of the frustrations I had with my autofocus Nikon cameras was how the autofocus struggled in low light.  With an M camera, as long as you can see the rangefinder patch inside your viewfinder, you can focus with ease. 

 

The digital M cameras have menus as do all digital cameras but I have found them to be straightforward and easy to navigate.  Beyond the menu, you have your exposure controls - ISO, aperture and shutter speed.  You have your light meter, manual focus and the shutter release - and that's it.  The digital M cameras are easy to use once you understand exposure control, metering and focus.

 

I would shy away from buying on eBay and shop the pre-owned inventory of established Leica dealers such as Camera West, Tamarkin, Leica Store Miami, Ken Hansen in New York City, etc. (Google them). 

 

When buying a used M by mail, make sure that the dealer will make things right if there are any problems with the camera when it arrives.  Sometimes the rangefinder mechanism can be knocked out of alignment due to rough handling in shipment.  It doesn't happen often, but it is possible.  To check for this problem, focus on a sharp black line on a light colored background.  When the line is in focus, you will see a sharp, single line.  If you cannot get a sharp, single line no matter how you try, the rangefinder mechanism is probably out of alignment.  This is an easy fix, but the camera will have to be sent in to a Leica repair shop to have the problem resolved.

 

If you can go to a Leica dealer and check out the camera in person before buying, that is the best way to shop.  If that's not possible, online purchasing from an established Leica dealer is the best way to go IMO. 

 

The M-P 240 would be an outstanding first digital M camera; this is the camera I am using at present and I am quite content with it.  The M240 would also be a good choice; I would spend a little more money to get an M-P 240 as it has twice the buffer capacity of the M240.  My M240 would sometimes freeze up due to a data logjam in the buffer.  This is easily resolved by removing the battery but it is time consuming and annoying when it happens.  This issue caused me to upgrade to the M-P 240 that I currently have.

 

Best of luck to you as you shop for your M camera!

Edited by Herr Barnack
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hello, i am a beginner too and i started with leica T, it produces really great photos however i thought it was too digital so i bought myself a second hand a m240 with a 1980 summilux 35 a month ago. compare to the camera, perhaps i would say the first lens would be a harder pick than the camera itself because there are so many choices... and price differences too

however with any lens, you will not regret buying a m240. battery is insanely long lasting, and it really makes me want to bring my camera out everyday.

i wouldn't say the focus for m240 was hard, it was really fun for me. but the correct exposure was difficult. as the rangefinder doesn't show you the image that you would get. at first, everything looked ridiculous. but for me that is the fun part of using a leica M, sometimes you miss moment. but when you capture that special moment with the right focus with the right exposure and right framing, you will be excited about the next special moment. 

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Is anyone still getting these lock-ups which require battery removal on an M 240? I’ve not had one for well over a year. Using latest firmware, of course.

 

Yes I have had that pleasure, being of topic now.  

 

On topic I would say, the new photographers don't have the choice we had for , say 25 years ago. I could start with a Nikon FM2 which was somewhat cheaper than the Leica and still have the same learning curve, except for the rangefinder it also was of a simplicity which gave clarity of what you were doing. Advantage , huge advantage now is that you did not have to wait a week before you could see the results. ( But that's also a disadvantage..)

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The argument against adopting a digital M early on in your photography learning curve is this:

 

If you learn on a full-featured, modern system, you will be able to judge whether you can live without the features they provide.

 

If you start out on an M system, you may find that there are ways you want to shoot that are better-served by a more modern camera.

 

An M8 (or honestly, even an Epson R-D1) is a good first Leica for precisely this reason. If the only limitations you find on these cameras are the result of their older sensors, then you can happily move up to a more current model, resell the M8 for roughly what you paid for it, and get many years of happy use out of your new M.

 

If, on the other hand, you find the M8 limiting in ways that can't be solved by an improved sensor, then the system may not be a good primary system for you.

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