How do you custom your M camera/lenses?

[Dennis]

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1 hour ago, Camaro5 said:

For me, personally, it would drive me crazy if my cameras and lenses were in anything but pristine original condition.

Why crazy? how?

A camera is for use. I prefer a scar on my camera a hundred times because I used it a lot than being driven crazy because of the pristine conditions. When one customs gear, it's for an improvement, not the contrary. But I understand what your point is.

1 hour ago, Camaro5 said:

but if it's customized you can pretty much throw the resale value out the window.

As said before, I have no intention of selling. It's my first Leica ever. I hope the shutter will never die.

[Sailronin]

I don't mind people customizing their cameras. Cameras are a tool and I don't expect them to be pristine as I'm not a collector, however I don't understand taping over shutter speeds or f-stops as that would lessen the effectiveness of the tool by limiting it's operation to some degree. I want my tools to be more useful, not less.

When "the Great Weegee" said the key to a great photograph was "f 8 and be there" but doesn't mean he pinned his aperture to f8.

Edited December 13, 2021 by Sailronin

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[Dennis]

2 hours ago, Sailronin said:

I don't mind people customizing their cameras. Cameras are a tool and I don't expect them to be pristine as I'm not a collector, however I don't understand taping over shutter speeds or f-stops as that would lessen the effectiveness of the tool by limiting it's operation to some degree. I want my tools to be more useful, not less.

Let me explain why. I like to work in a manual since I remember, and I don't read the camera exposure. I just guesstimate, no need for auto settings. Now, try to work with an M10 in almost darkness, and you can't visually see the SS on the dial because it's dark. I don't want to work in A priority, so no numbers inside the OVF, cause I want to use manual, right? With my tapes on, I can quickly understand where 1/4000, 1/500, 1/60, and 1/15 numbers are (check post #1 the camera from above). And because I use only three iso settings on my M10, since sunny 16 and with experience and method, I'm faster to choose the proper settings: speed is critical.

I use +1.5 spectacles to read, iMac and see close. I can't see well the numbers of the cameras w/o help. But I like to shoot w/o spectacles. My tapes are helping me to find quick my most used settings.

Third, most important: it's about limitation. When I choose a certain DOF, I have a fstop in mind, right? f/4 is my base aperture, f2 is I want shallower DOF, f8 if I want much more. Three options, more than enough to accomplish everything. Same for iso...

2 hours ago, Sailronin said:

When "the Great Weegee" said the key to a great photograph was "f 8 and be there" but doesn't mean he pinned his aperture to f8.

My CV 21/4 Color Skopar is used 95% at f/8 only. I do use more fstops on 28, 35, and 50mm. I usually utilize 21mm when I want a lot of context and rich DOP. f8 is perfect. It works very well for me. 
Yes, f8 and be there. it means leave it there 🙂

 

 

[jslabovitz]

9 hours ago, Dennis said:

Third, most important: it's about limitation. When I choose a certain DOF, I have a fstop in mind, right? f/4 is my base aperture, f2 is I want shallower DOF, f8 if I want much more. Three options, more than enough to accomplish everything. Same for iso...

I entirely agree! When I look back at some of my own major documentary projects, one of the qualities that make each of them coherent is a similar depth of field -- which meant using almost exactly the same settings across the whole project. For example:

I shot Portland alternative circus & burlesque [+ more albums at Flickr] at f/4 @ 1/125 on a Zeiss ZM mostly with a 75mm lens, on Delta 3200 @ 1600 in Microphen. I carefully calculated the aperture to take in the depth of most performance stages, given where I was usually standing, and the shutter speed that would capture just enough movement in dancers without either freezing or excessive blurring.

I photographed letterpress printers across the US at f/8 on a Rolleiflex TLR with 75mm lens (sometimes with a closeup lens), on Tri-X @ 400 in Xtol. I varied the shutter speed to adjust for light, but found that most studios were similarly lit, as printers need about the same amount of light to work.

I tend to do my urban architectural/landscape photography at f/5.6 with my M10-D and Summaron-M 28mm lens, auto shutter/ISO, usually converting to B&W with the same custom preset. I love the vignetting that the lens gives, and the depth of field is just limited enough to focus attention on my subject, but wide enough to keep a relatively flat scene sharp.

I never thought of taping up my cameras & lenses while I was shooting those projects, but it probably would have made things easier.

[Sailronin]

9 hours ago, Dennis said:

Let me explain why. I like to work in a manual since I remember, and I don't read the camera exposure. I just guesstimate, no need for auto settings. Now, try to work with an M10 in almost darkness, and you can't visually see the SS on the dial because it's dark. I don't want to work in A priority, so no numbers inside the OVF, cause I want to use manual, right? With my tapes on, I can quickly understand where 1/4000, 1/500, 1/60, and 1/15 numbers are (check post #1 the camera from above). And because I use only three iso settings on my M10, since sunny 16 and with experience and method, I'm faster to choose the proper settings: speed is critical.

I use +1.5 spectacles to read, iMac and see close. I can't see well the numbers of the cameras w/o help. But I like to shoot w/o spectacles. My tapes are helping me to find quick my most used settings.

Third, most important: it's about limitation. When I choose a certain DOF, I have a fstop in mind, right? f/4 is my base aperture, f2 is I want shallower DOF, f8 if I want much more. Three options, more than enough to accomplish everything. Same for iso...

My CV 21/4 Color Skopar is used 95% at f/8 only. I do use more fstops on 28, 35, and 50mm. I usually utilize 21mm when I want a lot of context and rich DOP. f8 is perfect. It works very well for me. 
Yes, f8 and be there. it means leave it there 🙂

 

 

Good points all.  

[Dennis]

9 minutes ago, jslabovitz said:

I entirely agree! When I look back at some of my own major documentary projects, one of the qualities that make each of them coherent is a similar depth of field -- which meant using almost exactly the same settings across the whole project.

I never thought of taping up my cameras & lenses while I was shooting those projects, but it probably would have made things easier.

I'm glad you understand my point and it makes sense to you. I'm not alone 😅 Thank you for sharing your photos, I get your point.

Behind the black tapes, there are reasons, it's not for fun. And the consistency of using this method result (for me) in a better workflow and result.

 

[Dennis]

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Do you know any recommend black permanent marker to cover some white engravings of SS and ISO? I would love to do something like the M10-P ASC body:

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

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It's a more straightforward process than using alcohol to remove the white painting from the numbers. I guess...
Any tips? My tiny black pieces of tape are felt after a few months. They work just fine, but I have to make new ones after a while. Maybe a black marker could save me, lol 

[Al Brown]

I engrave my regular and brass my black paint bodies and thumb rests but as some forum members find the latter appaling I will not post any pictures.
If somebody wants to see both of the above -  follow the link.

[Dennis]

13 minutes ago, Al Brown said:

I engrave my regular and brass my black paint bodies and thumb rests but as some forum members find the latter appaling I will not post any pictures.

Thank you for sharing! The result is very well done, fascinating. I would not care about what other members are saying at all. Post your photos when you want, at least other members and I will enjoy them, for sure.

Do you think the same technique can work for SS and ISO dials? I mean, covering in black the white numbers with laser?

[Al Brown]

3 minutes ago, Dennis said:

Do you think the same technique can work for SS and ISO dials? I mean, covering in black the white numbers with laser?

No, not with laser, it is much simpler - use black acrylic paint over the white numbers with super fine paintbrush.

Edited January 3, 2022 by Al Brown

[Dennis]

6 hours ago, Al Brown said:

No, not with laser, it is much simpler - use black acrylic paint over the white numbers with super fine paintbrush.

No idea, but I will investigate more. Certainly more efficient than a marker, I guess. My wife will probably do it 🙂 It;s about be patient and precise, right? No big deal. 

Any recommended kind of black acrylic paint? All working? 

Thank you 🙏

[AndreasG]

vor 38 Minuten schrieb Dennis:

Any recommended kind of black acrylic paint?

I made good experience with acrylic paint from Tamiya, which is for model cars etc., however only with white and yellow to recover worn paint in the pits of old lenses. Should also work with the dull black from Tamiya, XF-1 in your case or with a comparable type by Revell or so. You can apply the paint with the tip of a toothpick, massage it in, excess paint - water soluble before hardening - can be removed instantly with a wet cloth.

[Dennis]

1 hour ago, AndreasG said:

I made good experience with acrylic paint from Tamiya, which is for model cars etc., however only with white and yellow to recover worn paint in the pits of old lenses. Should also work with the dull black from Tamiya, XF-1 in your case or with a comparable type by Revell or so. You can apply the paint with the tip of a toothpick, massage it in, excess paint - water soluble before hardening - can be removed instantly with a wet cloth.

Thank you for the tip, I appreciate it. I'll definitely give it a try.

 

[Al Brown]

3 hours ago, Dennis said:

No idea, but I will investigate more. Certainly more efficient than a marker, I guess. My wife will probably do it 🙂 It;s about be patient and precise, right? No big deal. 

Any recommended kind of black acrylic paint? All working? 

Thank you 🙏

All working, on my link above I have used white acrylic paint to show/emphasize the numbers/letters after laser engraving, you can use any black acrylic paint in small tubes or little bottles (there is even an acrylic paint stick) to paint over your numbers/letters.

Check this thread where I go into detail.

Edited January 4, 2022 by Al Brown

[lookbook]

... i came across this thread by accident and i hope,
i don't have bad dreams from what i saw!!!

[Guest]

I always tape up the company logo on my TT artisans 50mm f0.95 just to be discreet.

Then i walk up to strangers and tell them "i got a noctilux here mate" .

[Dennis]

6 hours ago, steve 1959 said:

I always tape up the company logo on my TT artisans 50mm f0.95 just to be discreet.

Then i walk up to strangers and tell them "i got a noctilux here mate" .

Yes, I know it. The mighty TT Charlatan, lol

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Dennis said:

Yes, I know it. The mighty TT Charlatan, lol

It is of course an imitation of the real thing but it is a very beautiful imitation of metal and glass and engineering quality and the same applies to my 7 artisans 75mm f1.25 .

I could never afford the amazing minolta 58mm f1.2 rokkor never mind the leica noctlux variants but now i have my very own versions of those lenses and they are stunning in their clarity and rendition.

[Dennis]

4 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

It is of course an imitation of the real thing but it is a very beautiful imitation of metal and glass and engineering quality and the same applies to my 7 artisans 75mm f1.25 .

I could never afford the amazing minolta 58mm f1.2 rokkor never mind the leica noctlux variants but now i have my very own versions of those lenses and they are stunning in their clarity and rendition.

Yes, I know. I heard many great things about those lenses, which are great in many ways. I only had a TT 35/1.4, and I loved it when I had it. Weight was the only cons for me. I want to keep it under 300gr-ish.
If my imagery slows down in the future, I mean less (and quiet) scenes and more time to shoot, maybe I would start to get vast but outstanding lenses. Time will tell.

 

 

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[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Dennis said:

Yes, I know. I heard many great things about those lenses, which are great in many ways. I only had a TT 35/1.4, and I loved it when I had it. Weight was the only cons for me. I want to keep it under 300gr-ish.
If my imagery slows down in the future, I mean less (and quiet) scenes and more time to shoot, maybe I would start to get vast but outstanding lenses. Time will tell.

 

 

I like small lenses as well but i do love that option for those wafer thin depth of field images of my grand children or that beautiful rose in my dads garden shot at f0.95 as an alternative option.

I have been Partly inspired by "fotografr" or brent on this forum and other sources to look at that very shallow depth of field option as an alternative to the fully informative image at times.

I only used the minolta 58mm f1.4 mc for about 15 years until i went digital in 2013  so already had a feel for that type of thing.