Cameras that are more expensive than a Leica

[benjiboy]

. Well put Frank!

True but there a many of them about.

 

[baachitraka]

All I need is a lens that can resolve a bit more detail than Zuiko 35mm or 28mm and compact as well.
Cameras that take that kind of lenses is another story.

 

[baachitraka]

All it matters are for me are the prints...

 

[MattKing]

All I need is a lens that can resolve a bit more detail than Zuiko 35mm or 28mm and compact as well.
Cameras that take that kind of lenses is another story.

If you were shooting "street", I would assume the camera was hand held. If so, I wouldn't count on achieving meaningfully improved resolution from a change of lenses.

 

[baachitraka]

I have come to the same conclusion, I think.

 

[Pioneer]

In reality, everyone has an opinion. They come to forums like this so they can express those opinions. If the opinion is counter to your own opinion, or your own actions, then it is human nature to try and justify those actions and explain them.

Leica, because of its position in the market, both currently and in the past, and it advertising which occasionally rubs people the wrong way, has become a natural magnet for some very strong opinions.

I am like others, I try to rationalize my own opinions and explain them. But in reality, the only opinion that truly matters to me is the one my wife has, and to a lesser extent, my friends. So, the crux of the matter is this. I know what I like to use for photography and Leica is one of those things I like to use. I do have my reasons but most of those that are anti-Leica do not care about my reasons. Arguments around bias, for or against, are actually relatively useless and are mostly a waste of time.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

Rationalize? How does one rationalize lust? It is what it is and it's darned hard to keep under reasonable control. Ohhh... thank goodness I'm not attracted to Leica because satisfaction would only come every several years.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

In regards to leica prices in particular.. I don't think the prices are out of line with the cost of producing the cameras. In fact I would say that the most mass produced cameras are more a product of corporate greed and stupid consumerism than leica or Ferrari.

Mass-produced consumer products:
Built in poor countries.
Quantity over quality.
Planned obsolescence.
High markup.
Look-alike copies.

-if those are not qualities of corporate greed and general assholeism , I don't know what is. -and it is not just coming from the usa. This is world wide now and many other countries are hotbeds for this behavior.

Fast food mentality, it's become cultural. May folks can't even recognize a superior product if it doesn't have a brand name. There used to be 'makes", now there are "brands". Folks want fast, cheap, convenient. A Leica is none of these, but it is extraordinarily well made - and I'm thinking here of Leicaflexen, M3s, examples from that era - they lost it starting with the R3 and M5 as far as I am interested.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

There are none.

No cameras more expensive than a Leica? The most expensive Leica I ever owned cost me $200. My 4x5 Linhof STIV three lens factory matched outfit cost me $1500.

 

[frank]

"But in reality, the only opinion that truly matters to me is the one my wife has"

Good one!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Rationalize? How does one rationalize lust? It is what it is and it's darned hard to keep under reasonable control. Ohhh... thank goodness I'm not attracted to Leica because satisfaction would only come every several years.

O-n-F, we're meant to love people and use objects. The inversion of that is the perversion known as Leicaphile (correctly spelt "Leicaphool").

 

[baachitraka]

One of print, where I like to have some detail is on left side of the print on the name board.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

One of print, where I like to have some detail is on left side of the print on the name board.

OK.
Did you focus on the name board? If not, where?
Have you checked the alignment of your enlarger?
What aperture was the enlarging lens at? I have an stunningly sharp old Wollensak I use for 6x6; when I go smaller than f:8 I can watch things turn to mush in the grain focusser.
When I lose detail in prints it's only very rarely the fault of the taking equipment.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

O-n-F, we're meant to love people and use objects. The inversion of that is the perversion known as Leicaphile (correctly spelt "Leicaphool").

Oh, c'mon... stop lying. You use your Leica beech like she's a cheap hoe but treat her like a princess.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Oh, c'mon... stop lying. You use your Leica beech like she's a cheap hoe but treat her like a princess.

I don't own any Leicas these days, I converted to the darkside just this year - a complete 35 - 50 - 85 Kiev 4 outfit.
No, I wouldn't trade it for an M3 Leica. Figger that one out.

 

[baachitraka]

I do not remember where I focused but I'm sure the focus was close to infinity.

Camera lens was 35mm f/2.8 Zuiko @f/8.0

Waited a bit for the tram to arrive but that gentleman jaywalked and the car came into frame.

Enlarger lens is Focotar @f/8.

Printed using Grade 2 filter.

I burned a bit on left side to see whether I can get something with grade 0 with an another print but lost the brilliance a bit.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

I don't own any Leicas these days, I converted to the darkside just this year - a complete 35 - 50 - 85 Kiev 4 outfit.
No, I wouldn't trade it for an M3 Leica. Figger that one out.

Oh... so you used your Leica beech like she's a cheap hoe then traded her for a younger Russian nym-film-aniac. User... you're a USER!!

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Oh... so you used your Leica beech like she's a cheap hoe then traded her for a younger Russian slot. User... you're a USER!!

Bingo. Also, I can afford the Kiev; a similar three lens setup for a Leica would cost how much?? And while I really like screwmounts, you can have most of the Leica prewar SM lenses. The lenses for the Kiev have nicer contrast, are coated, and are cheap. My street photos do not lack for detail when I do my part.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

Bingo. Also, I can afford the Kiev; a similar three lens setup for a Leica would cost how much?? And while I really like screwmounts, you can have most of the Leica prewar SM lenses. The lenses for the Kiev have nicer contrast, are coated, and are cheap. My street photos do not lack for detail when I do my part.

Good point... we all like screwmounts... but, in the end, they all give us the bayonet.

 

[miha]

No cameras more expensive than a Leica? The most expensive Leica I ever owned cost me $200. My 4x5 Linhof STIV three lens factory matched outfit cost me $1500.

My brand new Linhof Kardan re, plus an apo Schneider lens, plus the Linhof head, plus a carbon tripod was less money than the Leica M7 Einsteigerset goes for. (And since I quit smoking 3 years ago it practically came for free. But this is another story)

 

[MattKing]

Printed using Grade 2 filter.

I burned a bit on left side to see whether I can get something with grade 0 with an another print but lost the brilliance a bit.

Try burning the sign with a grade 4 or 5.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

My brand new Linhof Kardan re, plus an apo Schneider lens, plus the Linhof head, plus a carbon tripod was less money than the Leica M7 Einsteigerset goes for. (And since I quit smoking 3 years ago it practically came for free. But this is another story)

Good for you! That's exactly how I bought my Deardorff V-8.

 

[miha]

Good for you! That's exactly how I bought my Deardorff V-8.

True. I wish I had been wiser years ago.

 

[georg16nik]

The 1:4.5/50 Focotar? f/5,6 to f/8 are the sweet spots, thou I also like it wide open. Especially with Adox CMS20.
This lens should not be the bottleneck in your case, unless your focotar was frankensteined.

I do not remember where I focused but I'm sure the focus was close to infinity.

Camera lens was 35mm f/2.8 Zuiko @f/8.0

Waited a bit for the tram to arrive but that gentleman jaywalked and the car came into frame.

Enlarger lens is Focotar @f/8.

Printed using Grade 2 filter.

I burned a bit on left side to see whether I can get something with grade 0 with an another print but lost the brilliance a bit.

 

[cliveh]

Shooting with a LEICA is like a long tender kiss, like firing an automatic pistol, like an hour on the analyist's couch. - Henri Cartier-Bresson