Re: [Leica] M3---6 upgrade?

["A.H.SCHMIDT" <horsts@primus.com.au>]

Alastair Firkin wrote:

> G'day Alan,
>
> You will get lots of opinions and comments on your request, but I'm going
> to go one better and predict the future. Firstly, you will get your M3's
> services by one of the recommended "big three", and when they return, you
> will wonder why you ever put them down.
>
> Reading the LUG, you will begin to experiment with your equipment, and when
> the results begin to improve, you will develop the urge to show off some of
> them to the group. BUTTTTTT, in the mean time there will have been an
> unsolicited discussion on the Noctilux, and you will visit some of the
> LUGGER sites that have images up for review. Of course you had heard about
> the world's fastest lens, but you would have dismissed it many times, but
> now the bug begins to bite. Ted starts talking available darkness, you
> subscribe to Leica Fotographie and see some of his images, and one day
> there it is on the shelf of your favourite dealer [or you keep noticing the
> weekly temptation of buy now pay in 3 installments thanks Pat]. Some
> comments have told you its too heavy, not M like at all, but compared with
> SLR lenses, it feel ---- well nice, and that BIG front element looks like
> the soulful eyes of your teenage fantasy. Some how the lens appears in your
> camera bag, your wife aghast at the expense [should you be silly enough to
> tell her] even though you have assured her that the dealer will take it
> back if it doesn't satisfy. Then it does ;-) You are hooked by the unique
> finger print of this lens as it peers into darkness and draws out shadows
> and detail unseen by you. Its magical soft colour renditions in the cool
> evening light. Youve never used Kodachrome at this time of day. BUTTTTT,
> occasionally you are getting into trouble with exposure. The MR meter is
> not quite up to f1, and you begin to listen to stories [from people like
> me] on how accurate the simple M6 meter is, and how sensitive it can be,
> and how I am planning to buy a high mag M6 just for my Nocti to sit on, and
> now you will not have to make a decision, because magically a new M6 [or
> used if you can stand waiting around long enought to find one --- I used to
> be sooooo patient ;-) ] will appear in your camera bag.
>
> If your wife loves images like mine, she will have been seduced by the
> Nocti already, and the M6 body will seem a trifle. Now you are set. Tina
> begins working on you and you buy the 75 lux [I'm desperately holding out
> against this at the moment] Ted keeps nagging and you own an R8 with 70-180
> zoom, and although you love using the Visoflex and 65 elmar, you begin to
> hear stories about the 100 apo-macro, and it is YOURS. Soon Henning is
> posting on wide angles again and you own the 21 asph, but not before Ted
> has convinced you to sell the car an buy the 15 super elmar.
>
> So sit back and relax, you do not need to do anything. The question is
> silly. You do not have to decide whether to upgrade, you only have to find
> out when. ;-)
>
> I should add, that you will not sell the M3's, and Alfred will soon have
> you experimenting with the f1.5 Summirex [the king] softer elmars, Dual
> range summicrons and Hectors, and a whole range of Visoflex stuff, and then
> you get really serious and buy that iiif RD and
> thennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
> nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
>
> Alastair Firkin
>
> http://users.netconnect.com.au/~firkin/AGFhmpg.html

Alastair, How right you are. I resisted the Noctilux. Boy did I resist it. But as
soon as I had the Money, it beat me. Its on my M3 and its going to stay there for my
upcoming trip in to the darkest Europe. (Germany actually).

You forgot to mention this fantastic 50mm Summar and the fantastic..................

Regards, Horst Schmidt