Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/10/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Mason Resnick, founder of Black and White World is a street photographer who will prowl the streets of Manhattan every chance he can get, armed with nothing more than a Leica M3 equipped with a 35mm f/3.5 Summaron lens, or a Konica Hexar, loaded with Ilford HP5 Plus. Gerry Walden (UK) .................................... How synchronistic! In August I was visiting a friend in Burlington, VT who pointed out an add in the local paper for a Leica with 35mm lens for $800. It turned out to be a young freelancer who wanted to sell it to get more modern gear. I bought the combo with right of return and spent a day shooting a test roll.The M3 was a DS model and seemed really smooth but the 35/3.5 Summaron lens had a stiff binding spot in the focus helical so I returned the package to the seller. A week ago I got around to developing that Summaron test roll of TMX I shot back in Burlington. I was surprised how beautiful the images are with that lens. They have the"classic Leica glow" to a high degree. Also, the 35/3.5 Summaron is the most compact lens, I have ever used on a M body. Next time I get a chance at one I'll take it more seriously. The story has a happy ending anyway. The repair guy I asked to check out the Summaron focus (LeZot camera repair) had a near mint high number M3, converted to rapid load, with a Mint 35/2 Canada Summicron, 1204 hood, and a Leitz 35mm viewfinder. He "wouldn't take less than $1000 and told me old leicas hare hard to sell. (I'm loving that camera a lot.) Then as I was walking down the street with my new M3 an old guy spots the camera and I end up with his mint 135/2.8 Elmarit with "eyes". My wife won't let me go back to Burlington again. Now if I can just get street shots like Resnick.... Bill Lawlor