With MA, M7 or M6. Will I make better photos than with IIIf or IIIg ?.

[Mute-on]

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Never underestimate the utility of convenience. It facilitates the pursuit of desirable outcomes without the futile consumption of energy for its own sake.

[wizard]

Judging from the photographs you posted above, your Summicron is tack sharp. Happy shooting!

 

Cheers, Andy

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[convexferret]

¡Hola Dopaco from a fellow IIIg user (in Andalucia)!

    Using older cameras, developing and scanning is an adventure every time. There are plenty of things that can go wrong but a great deal of satisfaction when it goes right. I'd advise you to take careful notes each time you develop and scan so as to avoid repeating mistakes. Take your chances when photographing but not in processing. Also, try to use the same film and developer for a while until you feel that you've got your process perfected. Other than that, just enjoy the experience!

 

   Un saludo

[Dopaco]

Thank you all for the comments.

 

They are worthy of admiring those users who in the middle of the battle of war were able to photograph so many scenes with these cameras.

They should have a lot of practice.

 

a greeting

[carbon_dragon]

I tried using a IIIf prior to buying a M2. For me with glasses and an astigmatism, the M’s were loads easier to see into the viewfinder, and I scratched my glasses with the IIIf before putting a rubber washer over the IIIf viewfinder. Also I found the dual window thing a little annoying. So for ME the answer would be yes. Practically speaking the M lenses get better with time (and more expensive) and they can still shoot screwmount lenses with an adapter. Film loading is easier and the rangefinder is combined and larger (though I haven’t tried a IIIg).

 

Emotionally though, it really depends on what you are comfortable with. You will probably do better work if you’re using something you like using. The early Leicas are probably one of the only cameras that old that CAN still be used regularly and for which there is still repair services available.

[Ko.Fe.]

One thing I really don't like about Leica LTM in question, is lost VF, RF lenses due to broken frame. I had one IIIf like this and now another IIc user reported same issue.

And here is no replacement for those lenses. M is more robust camera. Or I series. 

[Dopaco]

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After watching the attached video I love more my LTM Leica iiif and iiig.

As mentioned, the worst thing about these cameras is loading the movie. With practice you get over it.

The feeling of robustness that the LTM has is that, as there are no doors that open and close, it is more
Difficult to produce possible slack.
In the LTM, everything is a compact block, to facilitate the placement of the film, I have built a homemade "ABLON" and, thanks to the information that exists on the Internet, it has been easy to do.

VIDEO:

 

[pedaes]

Good as the LTM cameras were in their  day, Leica replaced them for a reason. The question might be, are you content with the performance of LTM lenses that you can find in good condition and the range available.

[Dopaco]

21 hours ago, pedaes said:

Por muy buenas que fueran las cámaras LTM en su día, Leica las reemplazó por una razón. La pregunta podría ser si está satisfecho con el rendimiento de los lentes LTM que puede encontrar en buenas condiciones y el rango disponible.

 

21 hours ago, pedaes said:

Por muy buenas que fueran las cámaras LTM en su día, Leica las reemplazó por una razón. La pregunta podría ser si está satisfecho con el rendimiento de los lentes LTM que puede encontrar en buenas condiciones y el rango disponible.

I am in a period of learning and discovering things. For now, I have a good time.

The cost of the new cameras plus the current M targets are too high to be used as a hobby.

Anyway, I have a digital M8 in case someday I could experiment with a recent lens.

Thanks for comment.
a greeting

[pixie]

The  LTM are not nice to use!

Saying that, their images 'cause of lenses and poor viewfinders are stunning.

The images captured are of another era!

It's same using my Rollei TLR, everything "looks" the "50's".!

Loading so quick and sure in ALL M's a joy, able load in dark and get 39~40 exposures..

Pal had an early LTM and took 40 mins in rain at parade to load..

I would have kicked camera to another time zone!

Film must have specific shape at start for LTM.

There is a trick using a name or plastic card that works well..

 

[carbon_dragon]

I will also add that age is an issue (mine and the camera's 😄). My IIIf has a pretty dim rangefinder. I might be able to fix that somewhat by sending it to someone to realign and resilver the rangefinder mirror so that the result is clearer, but it's still a pretty hard device to use well relative to any Leica M. 

And if you're looking for Leica edge to edge sharpness (which is what Leica is shooting for these days, except maybe for the Thambar), then you'll get better performance from a later model Summicron than with the screwmount ones (though there were special edition versions made with screwmounts). But if you're not prepared to spend that much money, you can get decent results from the older lenses. 

So as I said above, the answer to the original poster's question for ME is absolutely yes, any M would give me better pictures -- not because I'd be a better photographer, just because I'd nail the focus better, the lenses would be better, and I'd enjoy it more. But if you love the screwmount camera, and that is what you enjoy using, it's hard to recommend anything else. 

[Dopaco]

On 4/11/2018 at 12:51, carbon_dragon said:

También agregaré que la edad es un problema (el mío y el de la cámara ). Mi IIIF tiene un telémetro bastante tenue. Es posible que pueda solucionarlo al enviarlo a alguien para realinear y ajustar el espejo del telémetro para que el resultado sea más claro, pero aún así es un dispositivo bastante difícil de usar en relación con cualquier Leica M. 

Y si está buscando la nitidez de borde a borde de Leica (que es lo que Leica está buscando en estos días, excepto quizás el Thambar), entonces obtendrá un mejor rendimiento de un modelo posterior de Summicron que con los de tornillo (aunque hay Fueron ediciones especiales realizadas con tornillos de montaje). Pero si no está preparado para gastar tanto dinero, puede obtener resultados decentes de los lentes más viejos. 

Entonces, como dije anteriormente, la respuesta a la pregunta del póster original para MÍ es absolutamente sí, cualquier M me daría mejores fotos, no porque fuera un mejor fotógrafo, simplemente porque me enfocaría mejor, las lentes Sería mejor, y lo disfrutaría más. Pero si te encanta la cámara de tornillo y eso es lo que disfrutas usando, es difícil recomendar otra cosa. 

Despite my age> 70 years, for now I have good eyesight and both Leica IIIF and Leica IIIG I see clearly through the viewfinders.

Leica IIIF with external viewer earns a lot.

Leica IIIG for me, now it is not necessary to place an external Viewer.

I'm looking at photos taken with M and LTM and, at this moment, I do not see big differences.

I am still investigating and when I have it clear, I can replace an LTM that I have for an M3, for example.

I also value the size. Leica IIIG is a bit larger than IIIF but Leica M3 is considerably larger than Leica IIIf and IIIg.

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At this time, the 2 LTM work correctly, since the defects that I have seen have been corrected without any cost to me (They were in warranty).

[Bill Clark]

The most important ingredient when making photographs is the reflection you see when looking at a mirror.

[analog-digital]

Am 2.9.2018 um 12:04 schrieb Dopaco:

If I buy an MA, M7 or M6 and with the same objectives ... Do you think I can make better pictures?

 

 

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