Just a Newb

[FotoMonkey]

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Thought I'd give a quick hello. I recently joined the Leica family by picking up a near mint M4 (1967 vintage) with a Voigtlander 40/1.4. Between work and weather I'm still working through my first roll of film (Ilford HP5+) and anxious to see the results. She's been fun to shoot and I'm learning to get used to the rangefinder style. I've been a Nikon shooter for decades and recently switched to Fuji, but I'm really enjoying the Leica. Looking forward to sharing more as I get more time under my belt.

 

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[TomB_tx]

Good choice - enjoy it! I've used my M4 since 1968, and while 50 & 35 Summicrons from that same time were my main lenses for decades, in recent years I use a 35 1.4 Nokton - very similar to your 40. You should get very pleasing results.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello FotoMonkey,

Welcome to the Forum.

Best Regards,

Michael

[spydrxx]

Good looker and welcome. I had my M4 for almost 35 years...I hope you enjoy yours just as long!

[ktmrider2]

M4 is one of my two favorite film bodies, the other being the M2 (primarily for its viewfinder).  I have a mint black chrome 50th anniversary model and may pick up a chrome body in Hong Kong early next year.  I wish I had purchased a black paint body a few years ago as they are now fetching upwards of $15000.  Am trying to decide between the original M4, M4-2, and M4-P but the original M4 has the original viewfinder (not the cheapened one of the M4-2 and subsequent models) and I am not a fan of the double frame lines of the M4-P.

There is a lot of argument that the M4 was the last hand built M camera as Leica changed the manufacturing process with the M4-2 to save money.  The only advantage of the M4-2 or M4-P would be that they are newer.  I owned them when they were new trading them for an M6.  So, you have the best version of the M4 IMHO.

Edited December 17, 2023 by ktmrider2

[kivis]

Nice clean rig. Enjoy and welcome.

[EddieJ]

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9 hours ago, FotoMonkey said:

Thought I'd give a quick hello. I recently joined the Leica family by picking up a near mint M4 (1967 vintage) with a Voigtlander 40/1.4. Between work and weather I'm still working through my first roll of film (Ilford HP5+) and anxious to see the results. She's been fun to shoot and I'm learning to get used to the rangefinder style. I've been a Nikon shooter for decades and recently switched to Fuji, but I'm really enjoying the Leica. Looking forward to sharing more as I get more time under my belt.

 

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!

Welcome to the family and the slippery slope that comes with Leica ownership!

My first Leica was a M4 BP

 

[williamj]

Welcome. You might find this of some interest and a good place to post your camera

 

[FotoMonkey]

Thanks for the warm welcome! And sorry for the delayed response. Wife decided we needed to host a Christmas party tonight and I can finally breathe. 😀

@TomB_tx and @spydrxx It's nice to see such longevity for the camera. I definitely hope to keep it around for a long run. Also, Tom, I'm a native Texan, born and raised in SA. Still have brothers in the area and family all over.

@ktmrider2 I looked at all of the models and multiple 4 variants and agree with you that this is the best one. Certainly feels solid.

Thanks, @EddieJ. I'm almost certain this will become a rabbit hole. 🤪 Nice M4! I really like that all black look. It's interesting that all my bodies are black. Even on the Fuji where I went round and round and almost bought the silver more than once but ended up with black. For some reason it didn't even cross my mind with the Leica but it looks very sleek.

@williamj appreciate the link. I'll pop in there as well.

@Michael Geschlecht Appreciate it!

[ktmrider2]

Did you hear that the governors of NM and Texas argued over who gets El Paso?  The governor of Texas lost.  Seriously, I lived in ELP for 25 years working on border security for CBP.  I thought it was a great place to live but we moved to Alaska about 4 years ago (wife grew up in Anchorage).

I find it amusing how people over on the MP/ MA threads talk about how their cameras have the updated MP viewfinder which is Leica putting a condenser lens back into the viewfinder which they removed from the M4-2 and subsequent models in an attempt to save money.  The original M4 has the original viewfinder with the condenser lens (I think the M2 as well) and the M3 is a different design (higher magnification) so the original M4 has the non-flaring version of the .72 viewfinder.  I suspect I will be hung in effigy by MP/MA owners.

I have been trying to keep my system simple but am thinking of adding another body for different films.  I will be visiting Hong Kong and there are lots of camera shops with lots of used Leicas (both film and digital).  A chrome M2 or M4 is at the top of my list as I have owned every film body up to the M7.  Chrome bodies are still reasonably priced compared to a black paint M4 which is between $10000 and $15000.  Black chrome M4's are going for about $1000 more than chrome and I just saw a mint black chrome anniversary model (the one I use) list for 7200 Euros on Leica's website.

The M4 was the Leica (as well as the M5) I could not afford while a poor college student and photojournalist in the first half of the 1970's.  I had to make do with a couple motorized Nikon F's.  I think you made the right choice but you would not go wrong with an M2, especially if you primarily shoot 35.  In the end the modern film loading and rewind crank of the M4 won me away from the slower film loading and rewind of the M2 but it is still a really close contest.

And for digital I have also switched to Fuji using the X-T5.

 Enjoy your M4.

Edited December 18, 2023 by ktmrider2

[FotoMonkey]

Good one. I don't remember too much about El Paso. Still hope to get to Alaska one day.

I was really close to getting the M3. I almost pulled the trigger multiple times. I'm glad I waited for the "right" one, though. Maybe I'll have to look for a black one now. 😀

What do you think of the X-T5? I almost got that and went back and forth as well. Again, another wise decision on my part, I think. I opted for the X-T30ii and love it. Very small and easy to take everywhere. I still want the X-T5, though, so we'll see.

[ktmrider2]

I enjoy the X-T5 as the latest in technology.  I have primes in the equivalent of 35, 50 and 85 as well as a fisheye and 28-80f2.8 zoom.  It is a totally opposite experience from shooting with the M4.  These days I find myself doing travel photography a lot since I seem to travel a lot.  And I enjoy both types of photography as represented by the X-T5 (usually full auto) and fully manual as presented by the M4.  Choosing one over the other would be very, very difficult but if push came to shove, I would take the M4 with 35/90 lenses.

I am in the Philippines until April 2024 for five months of scuba diving.  I will be in NZ for all of Jan 2024 and later Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur for a week or so before returning to the USA.  I left both the Fuji X-T5 and M4 in Alaska.  I have a Ricoh GR3 and a GoPro (underwater photography) along.  I recently gave the GoPro to one of the dive crew here in Subic as I was not producing any good photos with it (underwater photography is much more work and equipment than I am interested in doing or buying).  

Of course, I also have my phone which is so easy to send snapshots to family and friends back in the US.  I miss the Leica and wish there was a way to get it here without going through Philippine Customs.  When I travel next summer (motorcycle trip planned through Canada), I think I will carry the M4 loaded with Ektar 100 and leave everything else at home.

May make you a deal on X-T5.

 

[pippy]

On 12/16/2023 at 10:06 PM, FotoMonkey said:

...I recently joined the Leica family by picking up a near mint M4 (1967 vintage) with a Voigtlander 40/1.4...

Hi, welcome to the Forum and congrats on finding such a fine M4.

Also congrats on choosing the 40mm Nokton; it's a superb lens with (IMO) just the right balance of 'vintage character' at f1.4 / f2.0 but which 'moderns-up' nicely at smaller apertures. Very little distortion, too, which might be useful if your shooting style incorporates elements of architecture.

If you will be buying a hood for it (not everyone wants / needs one) I would thoroughly recommend picking-up Voigtlander's LH-6 which is dedicated for the 35mm and 40mm Noktons. Initially I went the 'generic' 43mm screw-in route and discovered that when also used with a filter there were insurmountable problems with physical vignetting...

Just a thought.

Have fun with your 'new' camera!

Philip.

Edited December 20, 2023 by pippy

[FotoMonkey]

Thanks, @pippy! I almost didn't grab this one. The seller pointed out a ding in the top plate but when I got it, it's barely visible. I'm so happy. Otherwise, it's spotless.

Great to hear about the 40. I tried to do my research and felt pretty good about the purchase. I really hope I can finish my first roll this weekend. It's hurt working all week and having horrible weather on the weekends. I'm on vacation the rest of the year, though, and tend to make the most of it.

Funny you should mention the LH-6. I've actually already been looking at it so thanks for the confirmation.

[pippy]

8 hours ago, FotoMonkey said:

....Funny you should mention the LH-6. I've actually already been looking at it so thanks for the confirmation....

One small point regarding the LH-6 and filters...

I always use filters on lenses; either just UVa for protection or Pola / Colour Contrast for 'effects'. Whilst most filters will probably be fine there was one filter I bought whose filter-ring was a fraction greater in diameter than the norm. The reason I mention it is that this extra width meant that the hood couldn't slip over the ring.

It was a low-cost brand (I'll check later on) but was, at the time, the only Red one I could find. Hoya and the other main manufacturers' products, OTOH, have all been OK.

Best of good fortune in finishing the roll!

Philip.

EDIT : The brand which didn't fit 'in the usual way' was VHBW. I say 'in the usual way' because it is possible to use the filter. The trick is to fit the hood first then screw the filter onto the lens afterwards. It's a bit finnicky but it does work!

Edited December 22, 2023 by pippy

[FotoMonkey]

Much obliged. I appreciate the info. I'm also a fan of at least keeping a UV filter on every lens.

And despite a crappy start to my vacation, we have success!

 

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