Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/12/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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