Why am I shooting film on an M when I have other film cameras?

[Aldrahn]

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I have a Sover serviced Nikon F2 which is an absolute joy to use. But, I always put the film into the Leica MP....  Why?

How many of you do the same - have wonderful film cameras, yet always use the Leica?

Is it because we spent a lot on the M? My F2, mechanically would certainly give the M a run for it's money. However, it cost less than 20% of the M with a full service by the worlds best F2 technician.

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Edited February 28, 2024 by Aldrahn

[adan]

Smaller? Lighter? Quieter? A "different view" of the world?

Personally, I stuck with the original F for years, and "Leica-ized" it by only using the plain unmetered prism. Reduced weight a little; reduced the form factor quite a lot (as well as getting rid of the 3cm-tall shutter-speed "Martello tower").

Edited February 28, 2024 by adan

[Bertig]

I am still undecided in this regard. I love to walk through the nights with my M2, but also adore the Leicaflex 2 (despite the size). Equipped with a 80mm 1.4 it serves me well for shooting my family...

[FrozenInTime]

18 minutes ago, adan said:

Smaller? Lighter? Quieter? A "different view" of the world?

Personally, I stuck with the original F for years, and "Leica-ized" it by only using the plain unmetered prism. Reduced weight a little; reduced the form factor quite a lot (as well as getting rid of the 3cm-tall shutter-speed "Martello tower").

I use my F2 with even more of a Martello tower than the DP Photomics; the DW-2 x6 finder. The only Nikon lenses I own are the 28 and 35 PC, so not looking to follow any action with this combination.

[pegelli]

I have an M2, a Olympus OM4T and a Minolta Dynax 7 for film. All in perfect working order and used periodically.

I find it great to have a choice which one to take out based on the mood I'm in and what I have in mind to photograph.

[Borna]

I think the compact factor is great, also if you have a digital camera the Leica ecosystem is easy to just swap lenses etc. It is quite more convenient. Although if you are after a specific look/feeling etc. perhaps Nikon/Canon/Contax offer that with their lens supply. 

[dpitt]

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Lots of reasons to chose one ofmy Leica M classics. My main reason is that I like the rangefinder so much.
It wins by default from any reflex for anything from 35 - 90mm FL.

Everything else, great lenses, MF , compactness, compatibility with my digital Ms is just a bonus. I would choose the RF regardless if it comes with the same gorgeous view finder as the Leica M2 and up.

[Aldrahn]

Thanks for all of your opinions, I love the fact that we are all connected with our love of these mechanical chunks. Funny how humans form a deep and subtle connection with mechanical devices. 
Pix and the M... in almost darkness.

 

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[SiggiGun]

My anwser to your question:

1/ YES, I am a Mer since 1984,... starting with a M6. Before I had a Pentax. It is so different with the M. So M is my favorite camera for Travel and "daily use". But if I have a special photo session for Portrait, Landscape, Architecture. I take the SL2 (now). But this is Luxe. With an M I can do anything. It is just more "comfortable" to use Autofocus and Vario Optics in this cases.

[pgk]

Whilst I do not own one, I've always fancied rebuying my first decent SLR, an OM-1 and fitting a 35/2 Zuiko to it. I'm sure it would shoot very well and cost would be pretty low these days.

Edited February 28, 2024 by pgk

[Fotoklaus]

vor einer Stunde schrieb pgk:

Whilst I do not own one, I've always fancied rebuying my first decent SLR, an OM-1 and fitting a 35/2 Zuiko to it. I'm sure it would shoot very well and cost would be pretty low these days.

Why not? Do it and enjoy!

[RexGig0]

In my case, the one-word answer is: Lenses.

I do not yet own a Leica M film camera. I and my wife do have some wonderful Nikon lenses, and F-mount Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses, that I like using, occasionally, on a Nikon FM3A. When I started using interchangeable-lens cameras, they were Canon EOS DSLRs, at first due to the accidental of availability of an unwanted bag of kit, to enable me to try the concept, but then continuing because I needed a weather-sealed macro lens of very high quality, preferably with image stabilization, to use on a weather-sealed DSLR. Canon had the best of the best such macro lens, at the time, in 2010. Because my wife was a dedicated Nikon DSLR* shooter, it was convenient, and cost-effective, for us to share a common set of lenses. So, for a while, in my early days of serious shooting, Canon was my digital SLR system, with an emphasis on close-range and macro, while I added some Nikon SLRs with which to shoot 35mm film.

So, my progression was consumer-level 35mm point-and-shoot camera, to Canon DSLR in 2010, then adding Nikon 35mm SLRs, starting about 2011, then Nikon DSLRs, starting about 2014, and finally adding the Leica M system in 2018, with the M10. Each interchangeable-lens camera system established itself due to one or more lenses being seen as important. The first important lens was the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS, with IS being Image Stabilization. Next, several Nikon F-mount lenses looked interesting, but if I recall correctly, the Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S was the main reason that I bought an adaptor to enable using it on my Canon 7D DSLR, and then added a Nikon FM3A film SLR. Today, a Nikkor 45mm f/2.8P is probably my favored Nikon F-mount, compact, manual focus, walking-about lens. I really do find 45mm interesting, plus, my wife tends to want to use our one 50/1.2 AI-S. Domestic tranquility is a good thing. 😉 When I added the Leica M system, the initial impetus had been the Summilux-M 50mm ASPH, because no Canon or Nikon ~40mm to ~60mm focal length lens could render images quite like THAT.

*My wife had been an Olympus 35mm SLR shooter, for a number of years, but when her employer issued a then-new Nikon D300s DSLR to her, she became a dedicated convert to the Nikon F-mount system.

Edited February 28, 2024 by RexGig0

[Helge]

Still using my R9, I did shoot a complete vacation last year using it.

But as mentioned several times, the MP is smaller, lighter and just something different. It is a lot more fun, having it with on longer hikes and walks.

However, the R9 comes into the game, once I‘m using macro lenses, shift lenses or lenses exceeding the range the MP can reasonably support, especially beyond 135 mm up to 560 mm.

[Danner]

Right there with you.  I own, literally, every single Nikon AF-D lens ever manufactured (except one) and several film bodies (N80, N90s, F100, F4s), not to mention digital bodies.  Yet, I reach for my M6 and Summicrons 95% of the time.

Go figure?

[250swb]

I'm just as happy using a Nikon (F, F2, F3, FM2n, FM3a, F100, F80, Nikkormat, and that's just the SLR's) and couldn't say what makes me load either a Nikon or a Leica, I guess intuition. Nikon and Leica have historically been close companions to each other, many photographers would have both systems, and it's just as nerdy using and collecting Nikon's and Nikkor lenses as it is Leica except more accessible and cheaper. 

[Knipsknecht]

In my case it's quite similar. I have a Nikon FE2 in pristine condition, a Leica M6 and a M7. My most used film camera is by far the M7 although technically and buildwise the FE2 is more or less on the same level, if not better (with 1/4000 for example). But indeed I prefer the M7 for its soft and silent shutter and the fact that I personally enjoy the rangefinder focusing much more than the spli-screen/fresnel lens focusing with the FE2. With the M7 (and of course the M6) I rarely miss a shot while this happens more than I like with the FE2.

Maybe it's just because I shoot with a digital M10-R, too, and have more practice with the rangefinder. I really like the design and the build quality of the Nikon FE2, but the shooting experience with the M cameras is more satisfying (in my case!).

Edited February 28, 2024 by Knipsknecht

[TomB_tx]

In the last month I've used 3 M models, 2 R models, a Contax IIa, and a Pentax H1a. Like to keep them working. Need to dust off my F & F2 and take them out.

[williamj]

I load film into all my cameras in strict rotation so that none of them feels left out or thinks to play up and stop working to punish me for neglecting them. This includes Nikon F, FM2, Leica IIIf and M3.

[spydrxx]

While I love my M body, I equally like my Barnack Leicas, and they are my usual preferred choice in RF cameras. BUT I have a slew of film based Contax, Nikon, Canon, Olympus,  Pentax, Ricoh, and Sony digital, Nikon digital, and Olympus digital gear which I choose from whenever the urge strikes me. Guess that makes me a dilettante or one who just can't part with some of the gear acquired over the years. It does make for much enjoyment though.

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Anbaric]

5 hours ago, Danner said:

 I own, literally, every single Nikon AF-D lens ever manufactured (except one)

This one?

https://richardhaw.com/2021/02/25/repair-alleged-ai-af-zoom-nikkor-ed-28-80mm-f-2-8d-if/