[Leica] A tale of return

[khmiska <khmiska@umich.edu>]

A tale of return
by Kurt
My first exposure, pardon the pun, to cameras was in May ’53 when my
mother permitted me to take her fixed focus twin lens reflex of now
unknown make to the sports car races at Bridgehampton, New York. For
graduation from high school a month later, my parents gave a folding
Voigtländer 35 mm. By then I knew that a Leica was the ultimate with a
Rolleiflex not far behind. My dream had started.

The limitations imposed by a lack of a darkroom as well as money
prevented me from fully exploiting the little Voigtländer but if I had a
Rollei, I would at least be able to make contact prints. I forget the
year but a Rolleicord entered my life soon and I felt more comfortable
with the larger format. But, it still wasn’t a good motor racing camera.
About the mid-1950s, the Hexacon came on the market. The Hexacon was an
East German version of the Contax S or D. I forget which one and,
besides, it doesn’t matter for this tale. Wow, two cameras now. I was
even able to add a 135 mm lens to the Hexacon. The net results were some
pretty decent slides of the then infant sports car racing scene in the
Northeast.

Came ’58 and I was drafted. I spent my second eight weeks at Fort
Gordon, Georgia. I had taken my Rolleicord with me and at some point
during those eight weeks, I traded up to a Rolleiflex which then
accompanied me to France; Orleans to be specific. Our Signal Corps site
was small but did feature a Special Services darkroom. My duties gave me
a great deal of free time and I took full advantage of it. I even
managed to get the job of running the darkroom. Pay was $1/hr. Not bad
for 1959. Much Rollei photography and much darkroom printing, especially
since I had the key to the place. The darkroom featured four Leitz
enlargers; one for 35 and the other three for both 35 and 6x6 cm.
Everything else was first class too.

As I recall, the PX (post exchange) offered a wide range of cameras and
related equipment at prices so low that even a low ranking Pfc or
Corporal could afford just about anything. The Leica dream was beginning
to emerge again. Motor racing photography still interested me. A few of
my fellow GIs sported Leica M3s as casually as you might a
point-and-shoot today. Then one day in the fall of ’59, the M2 appeared
in the PX. I checked my bank account what there was of it and I found I
could swing it. So, for $160 and no sales tax, I became the proud owner
of an M2 with 50/2.8 collapsible Elmar and leather case. I must say felt
pretty damn good.

I took to shooting countless rolls of Ektachrome, processing and
mounting it myself. What the hell, I had the time. Came Feb ’60, I
convinced my CO that I should attend the Leica School in Wetzlar. I did.
Much good fun and being fluent in German did have its advantages. Being
very low on funds, the only thing I could purchase was a Leicavit MP. In
all the years I had it (the Leicavit) never gave me any grief.

Well time marches on. I returned to the states after deciding not to go
to OCS (Officer Candidate School). On return I went back to my old job.
Being single, I rapidly expanded my Leica inventory to include an M3 and
I forget how many more lenses. By ‘63/’64 I had three Ms (2, 3 and 4), a
Visoflex and everything from the 21 Super Angulon to a 280 mm for more
motor racing photography. The Visoflex was just fine for motor racing
photography. I never gave a second thought to the fact that it might be
cumbersome. All of my Ms proved perfectly reliable. I don’t think I ever
had one of them give me grief. I seem to recall that I had Leitz (then
on Hudson Street in NYC) check the shutter speeds. They were right on
give or take a little.

My father, God rest his soul, had a passing acquaintance at Leitz New
York and by that connection I was able to borrow a motorized M2 to
photograph landings and take-offs on the aircraft carrier USS America
(CV 66) off the coast of Norfolk, VA. Much good fun, I assure you.

So far so good, right? Yes. What happened then I’m not sure off but the
N**** F reared its head. I was still single and to make a long story
short, I abandoned Wetzlar. Hang my head in shame. The F gave way to two
motor-driven F2s. In retrospect, slowly but surely my interest in
photography waned. It waned for a long, long time until our son
expressed an interest in my two FEs. For Christmas ’98 we gave him an
N70. With that my own interest revived. I went into a state of shock
when I learned Leica prices. But, the road back was paved. March ’99, I
bought a Rollei TLR (3.5 Tessar) mint restoration by Heinz via Studio
Center in Ann Arbor.

That summer a friend alerted me to an M2 with four lenses. The price
seemed OK but when you have two kids in college, even an OK price is not
OK. The M2 was local and I almost shed a tear when I handled it. Man, I
had to have it but then our kids also needed their college money. A few
months later my friend told me that the M2 package was still available
but the price had dropped a few hundred. Another consultation with the
finance minister and she said do it. I did it. Its serial number is
967xxx and it was built in June ’59, the very time I was stationed in
Orleans, France. It’s almost a full circle. This M2 isn’t flawless. It’s
in excellent condition, quiet as a mouse and gets a good bit of use. I
already upgraded from 35/3.5 to 35/2 and 90/4 to 90/2. If I can sell the
slower ones, I have my eye on a 135/2.8.

My M2 is a treasure. Once again, I know I have the best no matter what
is being produced by Leica Solms and Portugal right now. The smoothness
and precision of that humble M2 with its working MR4 meter never fails
to astound me. It’s the Märklin trains and Omega watch of cameras. It is
wonderful to have returned to the fold. Gotta run, the weather is
beautiful and the sunshine on the snow is beckoning. In retirement I can
play with my cameras and trains all the time.

Kurt Miska
German Business Translations
Ann Arbor, MI