Dumped my M8. Back to my tru MP LuV

[LucyLeica]

My 1 year love affair with the M8 has come to an end. It was fun while it lasted, but the M8 could never give me the all manual satisfaction of my MP. With the M8 out of my life now, I can now make amends with my sleek and sexy MP loaded with Tri-X.

Just thought I'd like to share this with people who might understand.

My meatspace friends just don't get it.....

 

[Steve Smith]

Don't worry. We get it.

Where exactly is Leica Land?


Steve.

 

[LucyLeica]

Leica Land is a country that borders NikonManualia. We are a very conservative people who can appreciate the beauty of a black and white fiber print.

 

[keithwms]

Welcome back to the dark side.

 

[Fintan]

We get it, welcome to the party

 

[Donald Boyd]

Lucy, you will miss the magenta blacks.

 

[Lee Shively]

Except for the price, the horror stories of defective cameras and the fact that the M8 is about a decade behind Canon and Nikon technologically, I can't think of a single reason you might give up on this camera.:rolleyes:

 

[david b]

Leica Land is where Lucy Leica lives. Duh!

 

[eddym]

Welcome back, Lucy! I'm sticking with my M6, M4-2, and M3!

 

[Marc Akemann]

Hey, at least you can say you tried it. Your renewed life with your MP and Tri-X may take you to new heights now and in the future. Welcome back!

"NikonManualia",...that's funny. But I live there, too.

Marc

 

[joel dallenbach]

My leica digital is the New CL. It uses film and a collapsible summicron. I think they discontinued this camera because it might outsell the M8. The trouble is, There's no USB and the screen on the back stays black. The rangefinder isn't as good, but it's lighter and people don't say it's old school. Finally I'm up to date.

 

[copake_ham]

As a Nikonian and NYC'er - welcome to APUG - "All analog, all the time".

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Great choice..... I love the MP.... I think you can only love a film camera... a digital is something you own for a while before it becomes obsolete.
-Rob

 

[keithwms]

Rob, do you sell the M8 in your shop? I wonder how it's doing up there versus, say, the ZI.

 

[David Brown]

Welcome to APUG from Southern Minolta.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The Force of the Dark Side is strong. Only the strong and the smart can beat it, glasshopper.

Welcome back from the Dark Side!

May the Force of Film always be with you.

Steve

 

[Rob Skeoch]

Hi Keith,
No I don't sell the Leica line-up.... from most reports the M8 has been a good seller. Although I've only played with the camera a couple times I did like it... but the thing I like the best is how it's kept the interest of rangefinder cameras high... and is responsible for many shooters becoming interested in the cameras... film and digi.
-rob

 

[Uncle Bill]

Welcome back to the dark side, you are amoungst friends here (I hold dual citizenship in Leica Land and NikonManualia).

 

[zenrhino]

Not to threadjack, but if anyone here would know maybe you guys would --

I've been having Leica Lust for a while now. I don't care much about a meter (my sekonic L-308s is frighteningly accurate), but I've heard horror stories about loading III series Leicas (which I could go for since I have a couple of tack-sharp russian lenses with which Ive been suffering Fed horrors) and heard that M3s and M4's aren't much easier.

Suggestions? Any shortcuts to loading a III? I love rangefinders (My Kiev 4 with its Sonnar clone is just awesome) but would really love the bulletproof reliability and fit/finish of a Leica.

 

[keithwms]

Zenrhino, consider a Zeiss Ikon.

 

[donbga]

Not to threadjack, but if anyone here would know maybe you guys would --

I've been having Leica Lust for a while now. I don't care much about a meter (my sekonic L-308s is frighteningly accurate), but I've heard horror stories about loading III series Leicas (which I could go for since I have a couple of tack-sharp russian lenses with which Ive been suffering Fed horrors) and heard that M3s and M4's aren't much easier.

Suggestions? Any shortcuts to loading a III? I love rangefinders (My Kiev 4 with its Sonnar clone is just awesome) but would really love the bulletproof reliability and fit/finish of a Leica.

I think you may be quite happy with a Voightlander Bessa R-2.

 

[Woolliscroft]

The M8 might have been worth a place in the bag with a full frame sensor, but for an extreme wide angle user like me it's not even worth a look.

David.

 

[jolefler]

Suggestions? Any shortcuts to loading a III? I love rangefinders (My Kiev 4 with its Sonnar clone is just awesome) but would really love the bulletproof reliability and fit/finish of a Leica.[/QUOTE]

About two years ago, I left my Nikons and misc. 4X5 gear to venure into Barnacks. The whole loading thing is way overblown. I cut my leaders to the width of my hand with small scissors, no template. Since starting, and about 150' of film later, I've had one roll not load properly. That one just slipped off the take-up spool, the error detected a couple of frames later when the cassette side didn't rotate during winding.

A little patience and the price of two CLA's got two Leica LTM bodies, three lenses and six Leitz cassettes (worthwhile!) for less than $500.

Did I mention how sswwweeeet a CLA'd Barnack shutter sounds?

Jo

 

[David H. Bebbington]

Not to threadjack, but if anyone here would know maybe you guys would --

I've been having Leica Lust for a while now. I don't care much about a meter (my sekonic L-308s is frighteningly accurate), but I've heard horror stories about loading III series Leicas (which I could go for since I have a couple of tack-sharp russian lenses with which Ive been suffering Fed horrors) and heard that M3s and M4's aren't much easier.

Suggestions? Any shortcuts to loading a III? I love rangefinders (My Kiev 4 with its Sonnar clone is just awesome) but would really love the bulletproof reliability and fit/finish of a Leica.

As another posting notes, the trick is to trim the film leader back half-width 100 mm (absolutely no less, a few mm more won't hurt). There is a picture of how to do this inside the baseplate of every screw-thread Leica. You do need to take out the take-up spool, attach the film and then insert the film and spool together steadily and then wind one frame before replacing the baseplate to make sure that the film is engaged with the sprocket. You should have no trouble loading correctly and reliably on the right side of half a minute.

There's just one thing (or rather two): Firstly, screw-thread Leicas were designed to be as small (pocketable) as possible - so they have very small viewfinders! Secondly, screw-thread Leicas for many years were a cheap alternative to the M series (as a student in 1969, I bought a good Leica IIIa and Summar lens for £22.50). Nowadays, the more-fancied screw-thread Leicas (IIIc, IIIf) sell for little less than an M model of comparable quality - but they're still small and pocketable!

Regards,

David

 

[joel dallenbach]

1 year love affair with the M8 , I'm not going to take you back. MP is not a Leica. it's too big. Unless it was made in 1959!