Is It Time To Ditch My MP Film?

[RayD28]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I believe a few dust spots are not a big deal so long as they don't distract too much from an image. So long as you take care while the film is drying a   rocket blower is usually enough.  An occasional annoying dust particle is easily fixed in PP.  

[Advertisement]

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

[WvE]

Your MP is timeless, your M10 is not. 

[jeffz]

4 minutes ago, WvE said:

Your MP is timeless, your M10 is not. 

+!

[Jon Warwick]

One difference is the MP will potentially also be the same price in 5 years time, whereas the M10 will have plummeted in price.

I get my film processed, and then drum scan (maybe) about 1 in every roll. It’s an almighty hassle, even though I’m getting it all outsourced. But for some subjects, like 30”x20” portraits, I simply prefer the smoother look and deep colour tonality that (say) the new Ektachrome provides compared to a digital sensor. I sold my M240 as a result, and complement the film camera with an iPhone.

[Jon Glass]

30 minutes ago, Jon Warwick said:

One difference is the MP will potentially also be the same price in 5 years time...

...and complement the film camera with an iPhone.

Agree on the pricing question, and agree on the solution for digital - the best camera is the one you have with you, and I always have my phone.  I got rid of everything except my MP, my Galaxy S9, and a GoPro that doesn't see much use anymore.  I still lust after the M10-P, but I almost certainly will never buy one.

[spydrxx]

My take on the original question is a simple one. Typically Leica film bodies don't lose much value over time. If you find that you're using digital almost exclusively, but think you love the feel or the process of a film camera..keep it for 3 years even if it sits in a closet unused. At the end of that time you should have been able to decide either to begin using it again, or keep it as a paperweight (poor choice IMHO), or sell it. Most likely you'll fall in love with it again, as I did.

[sblitz]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Actually the selling price of an M4 has gone up in the past couple of years .... don't know about others, I just don't check because I don't own them and think about adding a second M4.

 

I don't do any developing or scanning work myself, I would love to but I still work for a living and telling myself I will do this just isn't realistic. My negs are scanned by the local shop doing the developer (in NYC there are still a number of professional shops) does the scan, 24mb tiff files. IF there is something that needs more/better scan and/or a print, there are places to go for that. When I load my tiff files into CaptureOne pro I am immediately more pleased than when I look at my clean digital files (M9, Q, and now a CL -- which I do really lke). I don't care this isn't pure, I understand the value in a "pure" workflow, but I do what I can to feed my hobby and perhaps at some point I will do more.....

[Archiver]

On 8/1/2019 at 5:00 AM, Jon Glass said:

Agree on the pricing question, and agree on the solution for digital - the best camera is the one you have with you, and I always have my phone.  I got rid of everything except my MP, my Galaxy S9, and a GoPro that doesn't see much use anymore.  I still lust after the M10-P, but I almost certainly will never buy one.

In some ways, I wish my criteria for personal photography allowed me to take a route like this. My standards almost allow this, but not to the extent of ditching everything for a film M, a phone and an action camera. At the moment, my pocket digital is the Sony RX0, which takes surprisingly decent pictures and production quality video. If only Panasonic continued with the CM1 phone with 1 inch sensor camera, I'd buy that and replace my Samsung Note 8 and Sony RX0 with it. So there's the phone and camera solution.

Now for the film vs digital M. I simply can't shoot a film camera like a digital. Last night I was out at a birthday in a pub, and even with a Voigtlander 35mm f1.2, I was still shooting at ISO 1600 in colour. Being spoiled by M9 image quality, it's difficult to do 'serious' work with anything less than that. As much as I love the tonality of colour negative film in daylight, low light scenes just don't cut it for me. And I have a bunch of other cameras which serve different purposes, like a Canon 5D Mark II for paid work, Ricoh GR for pocket sized DSLR quality images, Panasonic GH4 for video work, GX85 for B-cam, GM1 for C-cam, etc.

As for the OP, whether it is time to ditch the MP - if you can afford it, keep it. There's something deeply satisfying about shooting with a film M as long as you're aware of its limitations, which you obviously are. I'm happy to use my M9 much more than my M7, but I keep the M7 just to be able to shoot one roll every now and again.

[espelt]

Until not so long ago, no digital camera could really do black and white. With the M10 this is probably now better possible. Technically you can of course simulate any look with an image editing program. Therefore, from a technical point of view, there is no reason to work analogously.
But I simply enjoy the analog process a lot more myself. And especially with black and white, the digital impression is usually too smooth, too sharp for me. Somehow without a soul. I often like visible grain and certain disturbances here. And I like the suspense that builds up from exposure to development. This not knowing how the result will turn out has its charm. The camera is a tool, I photograph. We develop ourselves. That's not really difficult. And I have the advantage that I can produce exactly the desired look for the respective film with developer, time, temperature. Normally the negatives are scanned. However, special photographs are printed classically on photographic paper. A baryte print is simply indescribably beautiful. Analog is sensual. . .
If there is some time and above all the desire to deal with the subject, classical film photography is something wonderful. I would absolutely keep the MP. I don't see it as a choice of better or worse. It's what personally suits you better.
I don't have a digital camera anymore. The iPhone is perfect for fast memory shots. Otherwise M6 and M2.

[espelt]

All theory.
Until a good picture with perfect gray balance is achieved.
Beautiful lights, depths not drowned. Not oversharp, not sterile. With just the right grain. Just wonderful black and white.
FP 4 in HD110 - a wonderful combination.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Keep the MP!

[Ko.Fe.]

Actually I only learned film for real after I ditched labs and started to develop by myself.

Even scan of bw film are much more natural and deeper than Monochrome files. To me. But I prefer 8x10 darkroom prints.

M10 is good, film M is different.  Not only for bw, but for color. C-41 and E6 are just as simple as bw for home developing. 

If not more easy. Mix once, use up to 30 rolls over one year. I have done it twice with Telenal 1L kit.

[benqui]

I had a SL and to me, it was the perfect camera. But maybe too perfect. I always did my (b/w) shootings  with the SL and the M6. And especially in difficult light situations I liked the results with the M6 and aTmax 400 or Ilford Delta 400 much more. As a result I sold all of my SL equipment and bought a M4. Do I regret it? No, not at all. But sometimes the GAS is comming to persuade me to buy a M10-D or MD. But when I look at the analog results, the GAS is gone. And to be honest, does a new camera makes my results better? No of course not.

[Ecaton]

Should you sell your MP? Hold it to your ear and listen to and feel its shutter and then pull the film advance lever.

Do you really want to miss this? It's your decision

[pico]

2 hours ago, Ecaton said:

Should you sell your MP? Hold it to your ear and listen [...]

I did that and heard the ocean.

[otto.f]

On 8/6/2019 at 5:00 PM, espelt said:

FP 4 in HD110 - a wonderful combination

I always liked FP4, also in HC110, with indeed just the right grain. However, since I got disappointed with TriX, because I can’t dry it anymore without chalk stains, all methods to prevent this to no avail, FP4 is my first choice, even above Delta100, because it has this nice bite and deep blacks. I do it in PMK now and this gives more sharpness. It’s ideal for landscape and is a bit easier to deal with than Delta100 (not that this one is very difficult, but it can come out too soft easily)

Edited August 19, 2019 by otto.f