From my last trip to your wonderful country (2003):
New from Germany
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Dear Markus,
I can best quote from a review in (I think) the British Journal of Photography, that if all three current systems were made by the same manufacturer under the same brand, their prices would roughly be the same, and reflect their market position.
Personally, I would recommend (a) the most expensive you can begin to afford and (b) new over used UNLESS you can find a recent (M6 or later) used Leica, or at the least, a used Bessa or ZI from a dealer willing to give a guarantee: many, but not all, defects are the result of user carelessness, so I would hesitate to buy from eBay. But if you don't mind having no meter, any M-serie is likely to prove an excellent camera though it may need a strip, clean and overhaul (CLA in American) if it is old and dried-up. I have 2x M2, which were backups to my M4-P until I got the MP. Bear in mind that the M3 has only 5cm, 9cm and 13,5cm finders, while the M2 has 3,5cm, 5cm and 9cm: if you like 35mm (which is my standard lens) then the simpler, cruder M2 is the easy winner. The M6ttl, M7 and M8 have 'backwards' (contra-rotating) speed dials as compared with all other Leicas. The MP is my favourite.
I have had R, T, R2, R2S and M4-P, MP, M8 (all right, irrelevant) from new and have had no trouble with any of them except the R2 where a fall damaged the rewind crank (easily repaired). That and the black chrome finish on the M4-P which wore so badly that a Leica dealer friend suggested that it should be repaired under warranty, 25 years ago. Now, the M4-P needs cleaning -- the frame selector is sticky, as it is on one of my M2s, almost twice its age -- but it is still more than usable.
Check 'books' on my web-site for the book my wife and I did a few years back on rangefinder cameras.
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Roger
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That is a wonderful picure Robert, thank you for sharing it. Where is it?
I'm sure Hawaii must be wonderful too. I've been in many US States, but unfortunately I've never been in Hawaii.
To your first post. I'm from Karlsruhe. To make a crosspoint, I'm around an hour away in the west from Stuttgart and one hour in south from Frankfurt and one hour away in the east of Ramstein.
Wertheim am Main, along the Tauber River.
I'm familiar with Karlsruhe, but I don't ever remember visiting it. Perhaps, on the next trip.
Oh yes it helps, thank you Roger! I will check your books on your website.
I fell in love with this one, but the price (!)
It would cost me one arm and one leg! http://shphoto.de/cgi-bin/shphotod.pl?f=NR&c=08915&t=temartic
Dear Markus,
Aaargh! Point taken! But my standard Leica is a well-worn black paint MP (with Leicavit, it's true) and 35/1,4 pre-aspheric Summilux bought about 25 years ago to replace my first 35/1.4 which was stolen in India. That is normally paired with the old M4-P and new 75/2 aspheric. I'm seriously thinking of selling the M4-P and both M2s to buy another MP. The drawback is that if I sell all three bodies, AND get a press discount, I'll still need to pay some more for the second MP. And my wife wants the 16-18-21 Tri-Elmar (and so do I).
Oh: and Robert: congratulations. Gorgeous pic.
Cheers,
Roger
Hallo Ansgar!
wo in den Midlands lebst du? Das nördlichste wo ich gewesen bin war Manchester. Wie weit ist es von dort zu dir? Und zu einem guten Bier sage ich nie nein ;-)
Gruß
Markus
Roger, I see you are a great fan of Leica
Seems to me I have to read some reviews and books to learn about all of those special Leica equipment. I grew up with Rolleiflex.
This one looks interesting.
http://shphoto.de/cgi-bin/shphotod.pl?f=NR&c=10595&t=temartic
Markus
Hello Walter,
you're close to Baltimore right? My first true love was from Baltimore, long ago
I loved the Harbor from Baltimore at night and of course "Crabs and Corn"
Just the large beer cans and lots of ice in the beer was very new to me.
Good old times...
Markus
Dear Markus,Roger, I see you are a great fan of Leica
I grew up with Rolleiflex.
This one looks interesting.
http://shphoto.de/cgi-bin/shphotod.pl?f=NR&c=10595&t=temartic
Markus
Quite honestly, I suspect that the M4-P might be the worst-built Leica ever, though there are several models I have never owned or in some cases even used. The viewfinder flares out badly in contrasty light: I used to prefer an M2 for folk concerts, for example, before I got the MP. The cranked rewind is quicker but also more fragile (I had to repair it once in Slovenia, and I've never had a problem with knob-rewind). The 75mm finder of the M4-P is VERY inferior to the MP (and M8) but of course the M2/M3 don't have 75mm built in at all.
If you can live without a meter, I'd go for M2 over an M4-P, and if you want a meter, M6 (pre-ttl, because the shutter speed dial goes in the right direction). The sweetest-moving Ms of all time are M3: I've had three (all bought used at the right price) but I sold them all in turn because of the lack of a 35mm frame. The last one went 10-15 years ago.
Of course I'll sell you either an M2 or an M4-P if you offer me enough money...
Cheers,
Roger
Grüezi Armin. Wo us de Schwitz kommscht au du her? ;-)
Roger, I really have to read about all the Leica models to find the one which is good for me. I did the same with Rolleiflex TLR. My Grandpa had some and played around with it when I was a young boy, but I couldn't remember them when I was on the point to buy one. There are so many different models. So I read a lot, asked users and at least I decided to get two of the latest models with Selen metering and automatic film loader. Also they have the best lenses. My budget is not too high, because I have to buy for my every day work a new high end digital SLR. The market out there has changed dramatically. When I shot a set, the client wants the images the next day.
The times where film was the first hand solution are over, unfortunately.
Markus
Hello Terence! How is the weather in New York?
I have good friends in Brooklyn and in Jersey.
Markus
Hello Gene,
I was in Boston and Worcester years ago. Friendly people there and a lovely nature.
Markus
Hallo Edwin,
vielen Dank für die Begrüßung. Fliegt ihr nach Hamburg? Die Alster ist sehr schön im Herbst und die Ostsee nicht weit. Meine Tante hatte in Pinneberg gelebt, ich habe gute Erinnerungen an diese Stadt.
Ich wünsche eine gute Reise.
Markus
Hello and thank you!
You are not far away from me. If time, let's meet for a coffee or a beer.
Markus
Welcome aboard Markus! (I won't try my schoolboy German: the last time I was in Bonn and tried ordering a beer I got a slice of cake instead (nice cake though)...
Have fun, Bob.
Hello Bob,
when was your the last time in Germany? During the Football World Championship? We had many people from England over here. It was fun.
Good to hear your cake was good, but I prefer a beer instead
When I'm in and around London, I stay with friends in Croydon or up north
in St. Albans. Unfortunately I don't know somebody in Central London.
I hope we can meet up when come over again.
Markus
Dear Markus,
It must have changed dramatically, if it has slowed down so much. When I started in advertising in the 70s -- with film, motorcycle couriers and 100-200% rush charges for E6 -- they wanted it YESTERDAY. As the old joke went, "I want it yesterday. If I wanted it today, I'd ask for it tomorrow!"
But yes, digital makes life easier for that sort of thing. Even when they'd signed the Polaroids, they'd crop the trannies a different way...
Cheers,
Roger
Hi Markus
I am a Dane Living in Denmark
Kind regards
Søren
Hallo Sören, i have to write it with an ö, which means the same like the ø.
I had the pleasure to salute to your Queen in 1995 in Denmark. I was in the military that time and Soldier of the MND (Multi National Division) We made an exercise with the British and Dutch Air Landing Forces. She showed up with a British and Danish Officer. The British Officer told me to explain our arms in English to her. (We had the US Anti Aircraft Missile Stinger). But I was so nervous i spoke anything in German. But she was nice and smiled. I don't forget that day my whole life
The people were very nice to us. They gave us place to sleep in barns and hot coffee. It was raining the whole exercise. We couldn't jump out from the planes because of the heavy rain, so we got carried around by British Helicopters. It was nice over there, except the rain.Markus
Trannies? Aren't those men dressed as girls? ;-)
haha, you make me laugh
Seems to me, clients were the same in the past like they are today.
I don't know if digital is so much easier today. Everyone and everything is in a hurry. Sitting for hours retouching the images in Photoshop etc. i don't like it, but I have to....
it is late now, time for bed and the dog wants to make his round around the house ;-)
good night
Markus
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