Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/27

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Subject: [Leica] Newbie wades in, lured by the Noctilux
From: alexglissan at hotmail.com (Alexander Glissan)
Date: Wed Oct 27 22:48:04 2004

First things first.

You should (as suggested previously) RENT the equipment, and use it for at 
least a week.
May cost you short term but save you long term.

I did not know of anyone who rented Leica equipment in Sydney (where I live) 
so I bought an M6 + 35 f2 'cron. I love it. Not all do. I have friends who 
hate RF systems no matter who they are made by. Even though you can get your 
cash back, can you really be ARSED to sell something two months after you 
bought it? I can't it ends up cluttering up my room(s) ie my subminiature 
camera phase.

Second:

Even a week may not be long enough. Look at your prints/negs. See if you 
like 'em. Keep in mind that if you have been using AUTO SLR systems you may 
have trouble changing to an RF system. The only SLR i have owned has been 
the perrenial K1000. I had few problems in the change over as it (K 1000) is 
manual everything like the Leica. A friend of mine who is a pro and has used 
SL systems for years forgets to do fundamental things, like focus, or expose 
correctly or obscures the RF window etc.....

Third:

Leica glass is beautiful (an F*#king expensive even for old stuff, 
contradict me I dare you), but you may hate the way YOUR stuff looks when 
using a Noctilux. ie I love Larry Burrows' work and I do not use the same 
lenses 'cause I just can't seem to use it the same way he does. Don't get me 
wrong one day I may adopt similar sizes/techniques whatever. But start easy 
else you may be dissuaded before you get a chance to have real fun with it  
>From my limited experience I can tell you that a VERY shallow DOF lens ie 
>50 
f1 @ f1 is far more difficulty to focuss (on your subject) than others which 
have more "Give" in em. By no means are any of my photos perfect but my 
50/f2 and 35/f2 at f4-f2 give me the benfit of the doubt anyway. They are 
nice to me.

Fourth:

BY NO MEANS sell your other entire system. You may want it/need it/prefer 
it.

Fifth:

Shoot Heaps of celluloid. Cartons of the stuff. Carry the camera, USE it, at 
lunch at home on the way to work. See if it fits you if it doesn't, who 
cares. Plenty of great photos have been taken with cameras that cost a shit 
load less.

ALex

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Replies: Reply from feli2 at earthlink.net (feli) ([Leica] Newbie wades in, lured by the Noctilux)