Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Alex has some really good points. You may first want to first try an M camera on for size. It's not everyones cup of tea and they are very expensive. There are people on this list who wander around with nearly $7000 hanging around their neck. I came from an SLR background. The first day that I shot with my M I said to myself "WTF did I just spend $1800 bucks on?!?". It took me about a month of shooting to figure out how the thing worked and about a year and 200 rolls of film, for shooting with an M to become second nature. Now an SLR feels clunky. Keep in mind that the Noct may be the most demanding lens to use in the Leica line up. The 1.4/75 Summilux probably runs a dead heat. DOF is non-existent at f1, so forget about trying to track focus on someone who's moving and closer than 10 meters. I don't want to discourage you, but I would hate to see you get burned by a setup that is challenging to use, even for a seasoned M shooter and very expensive. Have you thought about starting with something like a 2/50 Summicron? Maybe the best standard speed 50 around and easily obtained used for around $500 bucks? That and a clean M body would certainly give you a feel for the system, for a more reasonable price. In any case I would try to find a shop that will let you handle one and hopefully rent it for a week. good luck F On Oct 27, 2004, at 10:47 PM, Alexander Glissan wrote: > 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 > ________________________________________________________ feli2@earthlink.net www.elanphotos.com