Needing a rangefinder

[Sweetlou42]

What film are you shooting? Highly recommend shooting a 400 speed film at 1/250 or 1/125 and f/8 or f/11 tomorrow... Just saying you don't know if the new camera can handle 1/1000 and don't want to find out on this roll... p.s. you should get some sleep busy day tomorrow.

I have some 400 so will use and take your advice, thx

 

[Sweetlou42]

You're never done.

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best place to buy Leica M3?

 

[Theo Sulphate]

best place to buy Leica M3?

Maybe KEH. Have you used your other rangefinders yet?



The very process of researching, buying, anticipating, is so enjoyable that it's easy to get into the buying cycle - with cameras, mechanical watches, guns, ham radios... almost any device. Stay away from camera shows!!! ...at least for now.

Anyway, I edited my prior post regarding the prices.

Keep in mind these screw-mount Barnack Leicas are small. The M3 and M6 are a bit too small for me. I've handled M5's and they seem perfect. I've yet to own an M5 - can't find one and I don't buy online.

 

[Huss]

I very strongly recommend The Darkroom (https://thedarkroom.com/) or Swan Photo Lab (https://www.swanphotolabs.com) - both in San Clemente
I think the two labs are affiliated if not the very same company.

I do not recommend them at all. They have twice screwed up my film, offered no recourse. Never again. I know a few other people who had similar experiences.
I do recommend northcoastphoto.com and thefindlab.com

I also notice that the OP has a dslr. I highly recommend just getting the film developed and scanning it yourself with the DSLR. For the 810 get a Nikon 60mm macro lens and the Nikon ES-2 film scanning kit.
Samys camera in LA offers dev/scan. I use them to dev and scan with my digicam myself.

 

[Sweetlou42]

Ditto. Now that you have achieved ownership of the ultimate rf camera, any other rf acquisition would be a step down. Learn all about the potentials of your new camera with one lens. The best choice would be a 50 mm lens. Recently made Summicron lenses are ridiculously expensive. Early Summicrons are very, very good. If you don’t need f2 , the 2.8 or 3.5 Elmer lenses are excellent. Beware! The Leica philosophy for faster lenses is that they will be used primarily wide open and are not best when stopped down.
The modern fast lenses made by Voightlander and Zeiss are quite good.
Do get a set of screw mount to M mount adapters from CameraQuest. There are a lot of screw mount lenses available that can be bargains.
Have fun!

Ok thx

 

[Sweetlou42]

I do not recommend them at all. They have twice screwed up my film, offered no recourse. Never again. I know a few other people who had similar experiences.
I do recommend northcoastphoto.com and thefindlab.com

I also notice that the OP has a dslr. I highly recommend just getting the film developed and scanning it yourself with the DSLR. For the 810 get a Nikon 60mm macro lens and the Nikon ES-2 film scanning kit.
Samys camera in LA offers dev/scan. I use them to dev and scan with my digicam myself.

Good advice, will have to study up on how to scan like you are talking about, sounds a bit over my head as of right now

 

[Sweetlou42]

Ok thx

What’s a “Zorki” copy Leica ?

 

[guangong]

After the Bolsheviks took power and the disastrous consequences of civil war, the Soviet government set up orphanages for the hordes of homeless children. The director of one of theses camps (later became the Soviet Dr. Spock, but can’t recall his name) decided that instead of inmates undertaking unchallenging tasks such as making brooms, his camp would make a copy of a Leica camera. The camera eventually became the FED, a Leica clone. However, Sweetlou, the quality of the steels, etc used in making these cameras are usually very inferior to a real Leica. In terms of quality of workmanship, socialism does not reward quality work, as exemplified by shredding Cuban cigars.

 

[Sweetlou42]

After the Bolsheviks took power and the disastrous consequences of civil war, the Soviet government set up orphanages for the hordes of homeless children. The director of one of theses camps (later became the Soviet Dr. Spock, but can’t recall his name) decided that instead of inmates undertaking unchallenging tasks such as making brooms, his camp would make a copy of a Leica camera. The camera eventually became the FED, a Leica clone. However, Sweetlou, the quality of the steels, etc used in making these cameras are usually very inferior to a real Leica. In terms of quality of workmanship, socialism does not reward quality work, as exemplified by shredding Cuban cigars.

Thanks for the info, I’m going to stay away from those, at least some of them are labeled as such , but I can see a dummy like me buying one thinking it was a real Leica

 

[Sweetlou42]

Thanks for the info, I’m going to stay away from those, at least some of them are labeled as such , but I can see a dummy like me buying one thinking it was a real Leica

Best place to buy lenses for Leica m6? I don’t mind spending , but I want mint condition if possible. What I mean about spending is no more than 2k

 

[Sweetlou42]

I will have to check my receipts when I return home later this evening. The black Leica III was serviced before I bought it, so the shutter speeds are accurate and sound good. The rangefinder and diopter correction work remarkably well. Focusing is a bit jerky, but not stiff. It's the original nickle-finish lens for this model. The photos have seemed soft, but I'm too much of a grain peeper.

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Ok. The IIIf RD ST with 50/3.5 lens was $600. Was serviced before I bought it.

The III, from 1934, with nickel 50/3.5 lens was $900. Also was serviced. Was sold to me by camera-repair friend.

What is best place to but used lense for the M6, I can spend up to 2k max but really want goo

Ok thx

Ditto. Now that you have achieved ownership of the ultimate rf camera, any other rf acquisition would be a step down. Learn all about the potentials of your new camera with one lens. The best choice would be a 50 mm lens. Recently made Summicron lenses are ridiculously expensive. Early Summicrons are very, very good. If you don’t need f2 , the 2.8 or 3.5 Elmer lenses are excellent. Beware! The Leica philosophy for faster lenses is that they will be used primarily wide open and are not best when stopped down.
The modern fast lenses made by Voightlander and Zeiss are quite good.
Do get a set of screw mount to M mount adapters from CameraQuest. There are a lot of screw mount lenses available that can be bargains.
Have fun!

i saw and read about the Zeiss 50mm about1k new, seems people think it’s better than the Voigtländer?

 

[Sweetlou42]

What film are you shooting? Highly recommend shooting a 400 speed film at 1/250 or 1/125 and f/8 or f/11 tomorrow... Just saying you don't know if the new camera can handle 1/1000 and don't want to find out on this roll... p.s. you should get some sleep busy day tomorrow.

I choked on the rangefinder photos, ran late. I used my Contax G2 for the first time instead. Nikon d810 had no memory card.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

What is best place to but used lense for the M6 ...

'round these parts, safe buyers like KEH for used equipment that's graded reasonably and has a warranty and good return policy.

I'm not the best to ask, since I buy things in person.

What piqued your interest and desire for rangefinders? I think you've set a Guinness record for going from zero to six rangefinders.

 

[film_man]

I think I went in with an overkill. Bought six rangefinders at once
Leica M6 ttl
Mamiya 7ii
Canonet gs III (need battery)
Olympus 35 sp
Yashika
And not sure if it’s a rangefinder Contax G2 (played with today)

I’m still looking at others but need to settle down a bit
Taking my Nikon d810 and Contax to daughters graduation tomorrow!

So since you can buy all that just because it sounds like you've got the cash. I'd say the most important thing for you now getting into film is to use a proper lab that does a good job vs trying to skimp and penny pinch. I'd start with some Portra 400 which is the most forgiving in both 35mm and 120 and choose a decent lab. I've seen great results from the likes of Richards Photo Lab in LA, TheFINDLAB in Utah and Indie Film Lab. I'm in the UK so never used those (I send my stuff to Carmencita in Spain) but I would say pick one, send a couple of rolls, get the feedback, give *THEM* feedback on the look you got vs what you expected and repeat 3-4 times. After a handful of orders they should have nailed the look you want and you will have a proper working relationship with them. All these places are not cheap, you're looking at $15-20/roll for dev and high quality scans but after you've worked out the look you want the only editing you'll do any crop/straighten and you can spend your time shooting vs in front of a computer or messing with checmicals in a bathtub (unless that's your thing of course).

 

[StepheKoontz]

'round these parts, safe buyers like KEH for used equipment that's graded reasonably and has a warranty and good return policy.

KEH is awesome. Never had a problem with them and I've done a lot of business with them over the past 25+ years.

 

[Huss]

Best place to buy lenses for Leica m6? I don’t mind spending , but I want mint condition if possible. What I mean about spending is no more than 2k

I have have great luck buying on fredmiranda.com and rangefinderforum.com

 

[Huss]

Nikon S2. Wasn't planning on getting one, as I'd handled an SP before and didn't like it. Two guys on this site started chatting about their S2's a few years ago, posted videos, I got hooked....

I just picked one up and love it!

 

[Huss]

What’s a “Zorki” copy Leica ?

It's not really a copy, as it is made by Zorki. The thing to watch out for a counterfeits - but those will be labelled as Leicas..
I use Leicas (and others) and still really enjoy using Russian rf cameras like my Zorki 4 and Fed 2:






And don't limit yourself to 35mm, as you already have a Mam & I recommend a Mockba 5 aka The White Russian!



And here is my blue M3..

 

[Huss]

Of course seeing you like RFs, you need to get a Fuji GW690III

 

[Huss]

Good advice, will have to study up on how to scan like you are talking about, sounds a bit over my head as of right now

Super easy. You already have your D810, just add the Nikon 60mm macro lens and the Nikon ES-2 film copier.

My set up:

 

[Sweetlou42]

'round these parts, safe buyers like KEH for used equipment that's graded reasonably and has a warranty and good return policy.

I'm not the best to ask, since I buy things in person.

What piqued your interest and desire for rangefinders? I think you've set a Guinness record for going from zero to six rangefinders.

OCD or shopaholics I think it’s whats is called
I just like the purity of film vs digital
I took lessons with digital and I didn’t like how images were changed so much after the shot,
Instructor couldn’t understand how I didn’t like that but I just couldn’t get past that

 

[Sweetlou42]

Super easy. You already have your D810, just add the Nikon 60mm macro lens and the Nikon ES-2 film copier.

My set up:

What do you do with it, take a picture of film?

 

[Sweetlou42]

Of course seeing you like RFs, you need to get a Fuji GW690III

Damn those are beautiful!, I really want an M3 now!

 

[Sweetlou42]

It's not really a copy, as it is made by Zorki. The thing to watch out for a counterfeits - but those will be labelled as Leicas..
I use Leicas (and others) and still really enjoy using Russian rf cameras like my Zorki 4 and Fed 2:






And don't limit yourself to 35mm, as you already have a Mam & I recommend a Mockba 5 aka The White Russian!



And here is my blue M3..

Those are really nice looking, so Zorki are ok, just not Leicas called Zorki , what lense is that on the Leica m3

 

[Sweetlou42]

I just picked one up and love it!

It’s a beautiful looking camera