Leica film cameras & their results?

[MrNutt]

does anyone have one? I'd be interested to see what you've got out of them? I'm tempted to forgo my journey to digital and invest in something a bit special but I could do with some inspiration?

also any info about which ones are worth holding out for etc would be great!

many thanks

A

 

[Gandhi]

Amazingly well engineered camera. Great ergonomics. Depends on what sort of photography you do. Probably not the best for landscapes and studio work but great for travel and reportage.

However, it would be worthless without the fancy glass in front of it and ultimately that is what gives the 'Leica' look to stuff. I don't have one but have used an m6 briefly.

 

[CT]

My choice (assuming you're discounting the digital M8) would be the M7 on which Leica have at least provided an Aperture Priority Mode, although you wouldn't go far wrong with any of the later 'M' Series models. Affording a Leica body isn't too much of a stretch, but the desirable glass is horrendously expensive!

Have a look at the Contax G2, blistering autofocus, and with Zeiss lenses every bit as good as the Leica equivalent and a fraction of the cost.

 

[blinkerz]

Konica Hexar RF Camera is nice alternative, id love a leica mount camera just for the 50mm f1.0

 

[chivers67]

Konica Hexar RF Camera is nice alternative, id love a leica mount camera just for the 50mm f1.0

Awesome piece of glass.

I used to sell Leica cameras and had access to second hand stock to test and use whenever I could. I once took an M3 for a test drive with an old 50f2 summicron collapsible and ran some FP4 though it. The pictures were stunningly sharp and truelly sharp as opposed to high in contrast that some Japanese lenses do to images.

I was always impressed by the colour you would get with them too. My boss used an M6 with a 35mm summicron and his slides were always pin sharp.

If you can afford Leica the quality of the mechancial bodies and lenses they make/made are a dream to use. We sold contax cameras as well the amount of people that traded them back in for a Leica was surprising as they are great quality too.

It was mainly down to thinking more about your pictures with time and patience. You can liken it to going for a ride in the country with a Rolls Royce or Bentley - they won't be the fastest cars but you'll get a lot of pleasure and experience from them.

 

[kiasdad]

does anyone have one? I'd be interested to see what you've got out of them? I'm tempted to forgo my journey to digital and invest in something a bit special but I could do with some inspiration?

also any info about which ones are worth holding out for etc would be great!

many thanks

A

I've been using Leicas for a few years now and I love them. I have an M2, M6TTL and M8.
The M2 was manufactured in January 1960 and it still works flawlessly. The cameras are beautifully engineered and the lenses are superb. In addition to the Leica lenses, you can also buy lenses made by Zeiss and Voigtlander which are less expensive and still cut the mustard.
I have five Voigtlander lenses, 12, 15, 21, 28 and 75mm - all are excellent performers, though not up to Leica's standards (though close), but then they cost a fraction of the Leicas.
You can pick up a used M6 body for about £700, with the later M6TTL going for about £800 upwards. Personally, I would go for the M6TTL over the M6 as I feel its ergonomics are better.

I started out with the M6TTL, 35mm Summicron and 90mm Elmarit (since discontinued) as I like a slightly wider than normal lens as 'standard'.

The cameras are quirky - it's a PITA sometimes having to take off the baseplate to load film, but you get used to it.
If you haven't used a rangefinder before it can take a bit of getting used to. It's totally different to using a reflex and one thing you have to get used to is that fact that the viewfinder is nowhere near as precise as a reflex. The reason is that the viewfinder frames are fixed at one focusing distance and as the focus changes, so does the angle of view. You don't have this problem with a reflex.

As far as lenses like the Noctilux are concerned, they are expensive - the new version is VERY expensive. They are also quite hard to use (or so I am led to believe, having never used one), as the depth of field at f1.0 is virtually non-existent. In capable hands, it gives some wonderful results. If you want the ultimate in low light performance, then it can't be beaten. However, for me a Summicron (f2) is plenty good enough.

It might be worth considering a Voigtlander Bessa, which can be had new for less than the cost of a used M6 or M6TTL. Have a look at Robert White - but bear in mind the prices do not include VAT so you would have to add 15%.
The Voigtlanders are good. They aren't in the same league as the Leica, but it could be a useful way of seeing whether rangefinders suit you or your style of photography. That's how I got started, but for me the lure of the Leica was just too much!

As far as the Konica Hexar RF is concerned, it's a good camera, but it's completely electronic, with a built-in motor wind. I have heard of a number of people who have these cameras and they have gone wrong. Sadly, they are no longer manufactured and I believe that spares are virtually impossible to obtain, so it could end up being an expensive paperweight.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

 

[Flash In The Pan]

How do you like the M8? I've got a hankering for one of those, but the price keeps making me look at Epson RD-1/s :shrug:

 

[raathistle]

For me the M8 is too much of a compromise. RF photography is based around normal to wide lenses as long lenses are hard to use (if you can get much over 135mm).

This means a crop sensor is pretty much removing a huge chunk of what RF is about (for me at least).The IR filter issue seems to be a bit of a non-issue for me, just stick a filter on and you're sorted, but is a bug bear for some.

Personally I think it is horribly overpriced and will beocme "obsolete" too quickly (as with nearly all digi equipment).

If you havent used RFs before maybe try the RD but thats not exactly cheap either. If you are ok with the crop sensor and have some lenses already it might be worth a go? Personally I would just but a film M (and infact am trying to source a used M2 atm).

 

[kiasdad]

How do you like the M8? I've got a hankering for one of those, but the price keeps making me look at Epson RD-1/s :shrug:

I love my M8. It's my "desert island camera". The results are fantastic.

For me the M8 is too much of a compromise. RF photography is based around normal to wide lenses as long lenses are hard to use (if you can get much over 135mm).

Agreed, BUT - you can fit lenses from 12mm upwards to the M8. I regularly use a 90mm with my M8 - usually with a viewfinder magnifier. I have had very few problems with focus.

This means a crop sensor is pretty much removing a huge chunk of what RF is about (for me at least).

It doesn't bother me particularly - my main lenses on film Ms are 35mm and 90mm.
On the M8, if I want similar coverage, I use 28mm and 75mm.
People go on about having a full-frame rangefinder, but I think it's unlikely that it will happen due to the vignetting caused by wide angle lens (I'm just paraphrasing Leica's stance on this issue BTW). That said, I'd love to see one too.

The IR filter issue seems to be a bit of a non-issue for me, just stick a filter on and you're sorted, but is a bug bear for some.

Agreed. When you buy a new M8, you get two free uv/ir filters which are a great help. The IR sensitivity is actually a bit of a boon. Whack an IR72 filter on it and you can do this...

[/QUOTE]

Personally I think it is horribly overpriced and will beocme "obsolete" too quickly (as with nearly all digi equipment).

Really? I paid about the same for my M8 as I would for a Canon 1D mark 2. Both 1.33x cropped sensors. The M8 is still a predominantly mechanical camera. Exquisitely made to very tight tolerances. As far as obsolescence is concerned, if a camera is producing images that are 'good enough' then why change for change's sake?
It has a good sensor, the firmware is improving all of the time and combined with Leica (or CV/Zeiss for that matter) glass, the results are stunning.

Funny how people who have never used a Leica, be it film or digital always say they are overpriced. But how many cameras will still be working properly in 40 years time? But then, you are entitled to your opinion. We could have the same conversation about all sorts of things, cameras, watches, cars, hi fi etc.

If you havent used RFs before maybe try the RD but that's not exactly cheap either. If you are ok with the crop sensor and have some lenses already it might be worth a go? Personally I would just but a film M (and infact am trying to source a used M2 atm).

Good advice. You pay your money and you take your choice. The OP was asking about film cameras and I mentioned in my earlier post about the Voigtlander Bessa cameras. Don't forget that the RD is basically a digital Bessa, has been discontinued and if it goes wrong, it's unlikely that you would be able to get the thing fixed.