Leica

KeithR

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May 7, 2010
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Do folks here use Leicas at all? I was perusing Jeff Day's blog and he's still a die hard Leica guy---and Ken Rockwell says with 2k budget that he would still just buy an M3, 50mm lens, and copy of the Art of Photography.

The glass looks mega-expensive though, even used.

Thoughts?

KeithR
 

JackD201

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Apr 20, 2010
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I've long lusted for a great rangefinder but no longer have the nerve for shooting on film. Alas, the prices for the M7 and M9 are way out of my budget already taxed by my other pursuits being travel, golf, and (here's a shocker) audio.
 

Andre Marc

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Jeez, reminds me...I have my dads Zeiss Super Contarex he bought iin 1966 in perfect, I mean perfect condition with a few Zeiss lenses.

I am considering selling as I went 100% digital.
 

Keith_W

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IMO the best reason to buy Leica is for the lenses! I don't care too much for the bodies, although I know many who love the solid all metal construction. I suppose I could love it as well, but I would much prefer to shoot with an SLR. The sensors aren't that great, and for me is a strong disincentive. Why spend so much when the sensor is outperformed by a middle of the road Canon or Nikon? But the lenses are another thing entirely. Sure they are expensive - probably more than 3 times the price the equivalent Canon and Nikon. But the pictures you get out of them are simply amazing. In fact they are so distinctive, that I am sure I can pick out a picture taken by a Leica. No other lens can do what Leica lenses do.
 

JackD201

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There are many advantages of not having a mirror thus being able to have the lenses closer to the sensor, this coming from a fellow DSLR guy.
 

FrantzM

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There are many advantages of not having a mirror thus being able to have the lenses closer to the sensor, this coming from a fellow DSLR guy.

Agreed here... Plus the absence of shock from the mirror flips ... But isn't it possible to lock the mirror in some DSLR and use their LCD?

About Leica lenses, i think it is more mystique than anything else. I would like someone to convince me they are inherently superior to what Canon or Nikon produce . I have used Leica lenses in the past and they were good but often surpassed by what Nikon Canon and IME Olympus were doing... I have experienced Leica lenses with the CL and another M body I think it was an M3 ... I love the smooth, silky feel of the manual focusing of the leica lenses but in term of picture quality ... Nothing aside from the mystique and in these days of sublime and extremely advanced autofocus .. I don't care much about manual focusing ..
Taking picture through a rangefinder is a much different experience however .. seems more immediate .. Wonder why Canon or Nikon haven't tried their "hands" at RF?
 

Keith_W

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About Leica lenses, i think it is more mystique than anything else. I would like someone to convince me they are inherently superior to what Canon or Nikon produce .

Camera version of objectivist vs. subjectivist debate. Canon and Nikon lenses do measure better, but Leica lenses have a certain look. Call it what you will - distortion or whatever - but there is a way the image melts from focus to out of focus which is pure art.
 

JackD201

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Camera version of objectivist vs. subjectivist debate. Canon and Nikon lenses do measure better, but Leica lenses have a certain look. Call it what you will - distortion or whatever - but there is a way the image melts from focus to out of focus which is pure art.

Agreed. Horses for courses. Not going to be able to get a decent shot of my kids playing football (Soccer for my American friends) with a foot zoom but oh, what pretty bokeh. :D

Price is still too high for this Jockey though.
 

FrantzM

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Camera version of objectivist vs. subjectivist debate. Canon and Nikon lenses do measure better, but Leica lenses have a certain look. Call it what you will - distortion or whatever - but there is a way the image melts from focus to out of focus which is pure art.

Too far back to tell you the specifics.. I loked at the pictures and preferred what I saw from the more or less equivalent Nikkor (not Nikon mind you) lenses. Not a measurement thing here ... For example .. I had the CL with the 90 mm lens .. I by far preferred the look of the 105 F2.5 Nikkor lens .. Same with the Summicron 1.4 I preferred the look of the 50 mm 3.5 micro-Nikkor or the regular 50 mm f 1.4 Nikkor to it .. By the way my then favorite 50 mm lens was the 50 mm 1.8 Zuiko lens (Olympus) I liked the OM-2 a lot, but used Nikkon F2 and later F3 ...
 

Keith_W

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Well, after years of admiring Leica lenses I finally decided to switch to a Leica. What prompted me was the release of the M10, a Leica body which STILL has an inferior sensor to Sony and Nikon, but is good enough for my needs. I am rocking two lenses now - the Summilux 50mm f/1.4, and the Summilux 28mm f/1.4. Saving up for the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 FLE :)
 

rockitman

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Sep 20, 2011
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Well, after years of admiring Leica lenses I finally decided to switch to a Leica. What prompted me was the release of the M10, a Leica body which STILL has an inferior sensor to Sony and Nikon, but is good enough for my needs. I am rocking two lenses now - the Summilux 50mm f/1.4, and the Summilux 28mm f/1.4. Saving up for the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 FLE :)

Congrats. Sweet kit !
 

Folsom

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Leica may use smaller sensors but the picture is on par with competition. They aren't idiots or unable to buy sensors, they actually have figured out how to resolve better pictures without excess megapixels. Everyone else sells megapixels like they are the answer to quality, and it isn't true.

I'm about 60 years behind you, Keith. I'm stilling using an M2. I'm jealous you're getting a 35mm f1.4 at some point.... I don't have a 35mm lens right now.

There is just something pleasurable using a rangefinder, isn't there? I even had a Leica IIIa... You can't see JACK **** through the peep holes - the rangerfinder is separate from the viewer btw, and is itty bitty. And yet somehow I still had a lot of fun and got good pictures with it.
 

BruceD

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Leica may use smaller sensors but the picture is on par with competition. They aren't idiots or unable to buy sensors, they actually have figured out how to resolve better pictures without excess megapixels. Everyone else sells megapixels like they are the answer to quality, and it isn't true.

I'm about 60 years behind you, Keith. I'm stilling using an M2. I'm jealous you're getting a 35mm f1.4 at some point.... I don't have a 35mm lens right now.

There is just something pleasurable using a rangefinder, isn't there? I even had a Leica IIIa... You can't see JACK **** through the peep holes - the rangerfinder is separate from the viewer btw, and is itty bitty. And yet somehow I still had a lot of fun and got good pictures with it.

Hi Yes great cameras--the times I've used the M2 they were devoid of inbuilt Focus adjustment---still current I wonder ?

BruceD
 

Folsom

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I have no idea what you mean. Mine focuses like every other Leica rangerfinder ever made... you turn the lens to align the two images.

My camera I believe is 1956, so, also, define current...
 
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Mike Lavigne

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Well, after years of admiring Leica lenses I finally decided to switch to a Leica. What prompted me was the release of the M10, a Leica body which STILL has an inferior sensor to Sony and Nikon, but is good enough for my needs. I am rocking two lenses now - the Summilux 50mm f/1.4, and the Summilux 28mm f/1.4. Saving up for the Summilux 35mm f/1.4 FLE :)

I have the M240 and Monochrome M bodies. the Monochrome has such detail and sexy rendering.

did sell my Noct 0.95 50mm and my APO 50mm (did not use enough to justify the investment in either of those amazing lenses), but still mainly use my 35mm FLE f/1.4 as it's the perfect available light lens (use it with a monopod at audio shows). also really like my 28mm f2 Summmicron as it's a great sized outdoor traveling lens.
 

Keith_W

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Thanks Northstar, i've been good :) The good news is that I took a break from WBF because I had a few too many forums to follow, so I stopped following WBF. I didn't get annoyed and leave, like I have with a few other forums (notably the "competitor" to WBF formed by ex members). I won't go back to that one.
 

BruceD

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I have no idea what you mean. Mine focuses like every other Leica rangerfinder ever made... you turn the lens to align the two images.

Oh sorry F--- What I enquired was, in 1960 I worked for commercial Photo company in the UK--we basically travelled the Northern areas covering Clubs/ Promenades/Holiday camps /etc

We were called "Smudgers " our cameras were Leica M2 bodies single strokers with the Summaron 28 or 35mm WA lenses--( sorry bit hazy cannot recall exactly which Focal length) they were fixed focus and preset aperture

same for ASA-by the company they were given to us this way --sort of Preset/snap ready.

the Lens focus was always set on midway between Infinity and F11 for max depth of field- sometimes we had to snap in Clubs pitch black no way for focus just point and Flash --ha!.

My apologies guess I was mistaken into believing the M2 did not Focus in the viewfinder with those lenses as the couple of occasions

I "fiddled" with the settings I cannot recall any Focus framing ,coming together of the images, when the lens was focused manually.

Sorry for the confusion I must have been mistaken--enjoy the brand they are superb--Good Shooting:D !

BruceD
 

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