what a beauty;all th best to you two.
what a beauty;all th best to you two.I've fought the urge to buy a Leica, mostly because of the insane prices the M models sell for. A couple of M4's I have handled at used camera stores had a weak focus patch and I wasn't very impressed.
I broke down last week when I saw this M2 in mechanically great shape, super clear finder with a really strong focus patch. It has frame lines for 35, 50 and 90 and only pulls up one at a time keeping the finder from being busy. It's kinda scuffed up on top and looks like a dent on a corner was repaired at one point in its life but mechanically it is super smooth and whisper quiet.
I picked up a couple of voigtlander lenses for it, the 35mm f1.4 and the 50mm f1.5, both are compact, fairly light and have a "classic" rendering while still having modern multi-coatings.
After shooting with it today, I think I have found my holy grail camera. It just disappears in my hand and the finder fits my photographic vision perfectly. I ordered a diopter for it so I can use it without my glasses and I think it will be perfection.
It's just rough enough shape where I won't be obsessed with keeping it scratchless and can just use it. I'll probably send it off to Youxin Ye for a good tune up and I should be good for the rest of my life.
View attachment 253481
Congratulations! I think those old Leicas (M2, M3) have something inspiring. Love those rolls of Panatomic and Plus-X on your pictureAfter shooting with it today, I think I have found my holy grail camera. It just disappears in my hand and the finder fits my photographic vision perfectly. I ordered a diopter for it so I can use it without my glasses and I think it will be perfection.
It's just rough enough shape where I won't be obsessed with keeping it scratchless and can just use it. I'll probably send it off to Youxin Ye for a good tune up and I should be good for the rest of my life.
View attachment 253481
If the goal is to buy all lenses, it is easier and more cost effective (although by no means cheap) to start with the Hasselblad. Less lenses to covet.Congratulations! Once you have bought all the lenses for the Leica you can step forward and buy a Hasselblad, then more Hasselblad lenses, and finally the Hasselblad SWC. Enjoy your addiction.
If the goal is to buy all lenses, it is easier and more cost effective (although by no means cheap) to start with the Hasselblad. Less lenses to covet.
There was a time I thought "every Hassy owner will end up owning them all eventually", now that Hassy prices have skyrocketed I am revising my position. Fortunately I bought mine before the price hike!
Glad you could get those, they are indeed missing in my "collection" (I am not a collector, despite what my partner thinks ha ha)Me too! I was even forced to buy the 500mm and the 30mm Fisheye because I was offered such a low price I could not refuse. Life is tough but someone has to live it.
Similar case here, but with an M-A and an M4. Thinking about picking up an M3 too.95% of my images are captured using a Leica M2 and I think it is superb.
what a beauty!I've fought the urge to buy a Leica, mostly because of the insane prices the M models sell for. A couple of M4's I have handled at used camera stores had a weak focus patch and I wasn't very impressed.
I broke down last week when I saw this M2 in mechanically great shape, super clear finder with a really strong focus patch. It has frame lines for 35, 50 and 90 and only pulls up one at a time keeping the finder from being busy. It's kinda scuffed up on top and looks like a dent on a corner was repaired at one point in its life but mechanically it is super smooth and whisper quiet.
I picked up a couple of voigtlander lenses for it, the 35mm f1.4 and the 50mm f1.5, both are compact, fairly light and have a "classic" rendering while still having modern multi-coatings.
After shooting with it today, I think I have found my holy grail camera. It just disappears in my hand and the finder fits my photographic vision perfectly. I ordered a diopter for it so I can use it without my glasses and I think it will be perfection.
It's just rough enough shape where I won't be obsessed with keeping it scratchless and can just use it. I'll probably send it off to Youxin Ye for a good tune up and I should be good for the rest of my life.
View attachment 253481
Congratulations on your purchase. I hope you end up making countless wonderful images with it. I'm almost on the opposite end of the spectrum. Back in 2000 I bought a new M6 TTL. and before the year's end I had a trio of new Summicron lenses to go with it. My purchase was fueled more by a love of cameras (that began when I was in grade school) than any else really. In college I even snagged a job selling cameras (although not Leica's). In 2000 I was at a place in life that I could afford the Leica purchase so I went for it. At the time no one in my circle of friends, or most anyone else for that matter, had any idea what a Leica camera was, to them it just looked like a nice vintage camera. Those that did know it was a new camera thought it a strange purchase at a time when others were just contemplating going the digital route for the very first time. The only thing that bothered me about the Leica purchase was that my photography skills didn't really justify the expense (now two decades later that thought still runs through my mind).
After a number of years had passed I suddenly lost my passion for photography along with a number of other things in life thanks to an ongoing battle with depression. The M6 would sit idle for many years, although I did make sure to thoroughly exercise the shutter a few times every year. For whatever reason I just couldn't bring myself to sell the camera. Three years ago I finally decided that I should let the M6 go, but then I began using the camera instead. I'm now enjoying photography as much as I have at any other time in my life. But watching the escalating prices for this gear and M6 TTL's in particular has me questioning the sanity of hanging on to it (knowing that I am the weak link in my photography chain). I started to ponder what I'd replace the Leica with and ended up buying a Minolta CLE to see how I would get along with it. So far I've enjoyed the CLE, but I've yet to reach a conclusion as to what to do. In the meantime I just keep shooting with both cameras, enjoying the experience for what it is. I'm not a Leicaphile by any means, but whether I sell it or keep it, when all is said and done I'll have no regrets for having owned a Leica camera during my lifetime. I'm sure that yours will bring you much joy.
Did you look into having either repaired? My CLE was not working upon arrival so I disassembled it to the point where I could clean up the metering contacts and then it worked like new, not that I'm doubting the possibility that it could still give up the ghost at some point in the future. I have read many times over that you should never sell a Leica. In my case it's not like there is much else out there that is tempting to me other than the CLE.Welcome back. Don't sell off the M6 because you have the CLE. I have had two perfect condition CLEs, and they both suffered from electronic failure. One day fine - next day, zip.
Did you look into having either repaired? My CLE was not working upon arrival so I disassembled it to the point where I could clean up the metering contacts and then it worked like new, not that I'm doubting the possibility that it could still give up the ghost at some point in the future. I have read many times over that you should never sell a Leica. In my case it's not like there is much else out there that is tempting to me other than the CLE.
I recently took the plunge with an M3 after starting film photography with a 4x5 Graflex Speed Graphic three years ago. I enjoy both cameras but was finding the burden of lugging around the Graflex and setting up each shot caused me to miss too many photos (and wear on my family's patience!).
I enjoy both cameras greatly and find that the M3 is the one that is used far more often, although I also enjoy the "ritual" (i.e., slow set up, at least for me) of the Graflex when time permits.
The Speed Graphic was meant to be used hand held and not set up on a tripod for field work although it is very capable on a tripod. Shooting hand held helps one learn to work very quickly. Thus the name Speed.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?