My new toy arrived today

foodpoison said:
Uh, it's a Leica!

But seriously I'm also interested as to why it's so good.
I've never felt one.
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Leicas are beautifully engineered to the highest standard, and that is instantly obvious the moment you pick one up. If you bought one today, it would easily last you your lifetime. Add in the fact that it takes Zeiss lenses - some of the most bitingly sharp lenses ever made, and it's easy to see why they're so revered. The shutter is whisper quiet compared to the thunder clap of your average SLR so they're the ideal candid camera when you want to keep a low profile.
 
blinkerz said:
I think leica's do feel nice and obviously known for being high quality in the feel and use and the lens selection is superb, but to be honest i think they are overhyped just like hasselblad are for 6x6.
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Where Leica went wrong is that they kept producing the same basic camera with only minor modifiications, model after model. Aperture Priority mode finally appeared in the M7 almost grudgingly, when it had been available for years in other cameras.

Rollei made the same mistake. They had the world at their feet with most of the worlds's togs using the Rolleiflex and refused to recognise the threat from the East with 35mm SLRs. The attiutude seemed to be "We're Rollei and we'll tell you what's good for you!" Rollei did start producing a few 35mm cameras in the end, but it was too little and too late, and a huge corporation went under.
 
blinkerz said:
i always thought the leica was quiet until i used them in real life, its certainly quieter than SLR but its not silent.. Rollei's are quiet:)
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Well Rolle's have a leaf shutter to be fair rather than a FP shutter. The FP shutter in my G2 is the most discreet of clicks compared to a DSLR
 
I agree about Rollei, but I don't agree about leica's and AE mode. Its probably personal, but I hate it on film cameras. Confuses me, and i find it quicker to just use cameras the old fasioned way, change apperture/shutter speed untill its "balanced". I dunno though! I might find it usefull one day...
 
What about if your moving around alot into different environment doing street photography, you dont really get much time to balance it out and get the shot. I know theres more than this type of photography, but its an area rangefinders are known for..
 
This might be the wrong thread to do it in but what do the other leica's feel like? older ones for example?
 
Gaz

I use a Leica IIIc ; pre war; with a summitar collapsible lens.

Fantastic camera; rock solid; will not fail. Small and pocketable.

Now, my eyesight not being what it was; I was feeling uncomfortable with the RF; so I thought I'll buy a modern Voigtlander Bessa for a clearer RF.

I went to a shop; and one look through the RF; and the Leica beat the CV hands down . I came back from the shop with a G1 instead.

Now with a new specs, the RF is as clear as before; and the IIIC lives on.

Now, trying to upgrade to a M3/M2 for a wider choice of lens ( Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander, Canon, Nikon, and the great Russian Copies of contax)
 
blinkerz said:
What about if your moving around alot into different environment doing street photography, you dont really get much time to balance it out and get the shot. I know theres more than this type of photography, but its an area rangefinders are known for..
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I don't find it a problem! Ive got an ancient praktica with 0, + and - with a needle for a lightmeter. I can do it real fast, and pick it up pretty quick with other cameras. Also, with street photography (dont want to start a flame war) it doesn't always need to be perfectly light-balanced, as long as you don't fully change the area you are photographing, you don't need to worry too much about the light. This is just me though! If i do still move about alot, I do still find it pretty easy to get the shot nicely. Having said that though, I only use that for manual/film cameras. I have a 40d and I do use AE/TV modes in some cases where I have to be quick. But I still use fully manual for everything else, technology confuses me lol:lol:
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
Gaz

I use a Leica IIIc ; pre war; with a summitar collapsible lens.

Fantastic camera; rock solid; will not fail. Small and pocketable.

Now, my eyesight not being what it was; I was feeling uncomfortable with the RF; so I thought I'll buy a modern Voigtlander Bessa for a clearer RF.

I went to a shop; and one look through the RF; and the Leica beat the CV hands down . I came back from the shop with a G1 instead.

Now with a new specs, the RF is as clear as before; and the IIIC lives on.

Now, trying to upgrade to a M3/M2 for a wider choice of lens ( Leica, Zeiss, Voigtlander, Canon, Nikon, and the great Russian Copies of contax)
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Hmm... I'll hae to have a go with one at some point!
 
CT said:
Leicas are beautifully engineered to the highest standard, and that is instantly obvious the moment you pick one up. If you bought one today, it would easily last you your lifetime. Add in the fact that it takes Zeiss lenses - some of the most bitingly sharp lenses ever made, and it's easy to see why they're so revered. The shutter is whisper quiet compared to the thunder clap of your average SLR so they're the ideal candid camera when you want to keep a low profile.
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Zeiss lenses??!! :p Dear me, no! Leica use Leica lenses, and they make what are arguably the best lenses for 35mm film cameras ever made. Zeiss make superb lenses for Hasselblad and Contax film cameras, and more recently in other mounts including Leica. They also somehow put their name to some of the lenses on digital compacts in the same way as Panasonic use Leica lenses on their digi cams.

The Leica M-series rangefinder cameras are very simple and basic, and that's part of the beauty. They don't put obstacles like technology between you and the photography-making process :D The view through an M rangefinder is very direct in a way that even the Contax G1/G2 cameras can't approach. The Contax G lenses are technically superb, but don't have the same feel as you get from a Leica lens.

As for cost, it's the same in any field. You can pay huge amounts for top-end HiFi that's as basic as a Leica M, but the end result is a more satisfying sound/image quality.
 
sidxms said:
Im going to get flamed for this, but what is the big deal about that camera. I know its a rangefinder but doesn't seem to have many features compared to a normal SLR?

sid
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I think it's fair to say that Leica bodies are indeed quite over rated and have a following beyond what the actual physical item deserves.

As cameras go, they are about as beautifully crafted and well engineered as anything ever made and I doubt there is a better bit of kit out there in that sphere, but....... it's still just a light tight box that brings the film, the lens and the eye together.

What leads people to this great reverence is that a Leica does do that in the nicest way possible and with the least interefence.
 
snowy said:
Zeiss lenses??!! :p Dear me, no! Leica use Leica lenses, and they make what are arguably the best lenses for 35mm film cameras ever made. Zeiss make superb lenses for Hasselblad and Contax film cameras, and more recently in other mounts including Leica. They also somehow put their name to some of the lenses on digital compacts in the same way as Panasonic use Leica lenses on their digi cams.
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Well they do take Zeiss and Leica lenses. People can and do argue about the relative merits of each , but in truth there's little if anything between them. With some designs Leica shades it, with others Zeiss has the edge.

The Leica M-series rangefinder cameras are very simple and basic, and that's part of the beauty. They don't put obstacles like technology between you and the photography-making process :D
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LOL. I bet I could load and shoot a 20exposure roll in the G2 and have it back in the can before you'd finisihed loading the Leica. :D What is that outmoded silly film loading system all about?

The view through an M rangefinder is very direct in a way that even the Contax G1/G2 cameras can't approach.
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Well it's brighter certainly, but those bright lines in the finder getting tinier and tinier as the focal length of the lens fitted increases, aren't exactly an aid to good composition to my mind. In contrast the size of the viewfinder in the G2 physically masks and changes with each lens and also changes again to compensate for parallax.

As for cost, it's the same in any field. You can pay huge amounts for top-end HiFi that's as basic as a Leica M, but the end result is a more satisfying sound/image quality.
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I do actually love Leicas and all they stand for but it's just not my camera of choice. If ever Leica had a wake up call it was the launch of the G1 and G2 -many Leica owners adopted the G1 and G2 - why would they do that if they didn't feel it gave them something the Leica didn't? Leica must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when the G2 went out of production. ;)
 
CT said:
I bet I could load and shoot a 20exposure roll in the G2 and have it back in the can before you'd finisihed loading the Leica. :D What is that outmoded silly film loading system all about?
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The film loading of a recent Leica M is no more difficult or outmoded than any other film camera (perhaps you're thinking of the earlier screw-mount Leicas where you had to trim the film leader with a special knife...?) The M's are bottom loaders which I agree is unusual but no more difficult than anything else, and gives the camera a lot more rigidity as most of the body is a single piece of solid metal.

Well it's brighter certainly, but those bright lines in the finder getting tinier and tinier as the focal length of the lens fitted increases, aren't exactly an aid to good composition to my mind. In contrast the size of the viewfinder in the G2 physically masks and changes with each lens and also changes again to compensate for parallax.
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Again, the Leica is different but not necessarily worse. It's often very helpful to be able to see what is outside the frame area so you can anticipate that decisive moment :D and look out for people or other moving objects that might be about to enter the frame where you don't want them.

I do actually love Leicas and all they stand for but it's just not my camera of choice. If ever Leica had a wake up call it was the launch of the G1 and G2 -many Leica owners adopted the G1 and G2 - why would they do that if they didn't feel it gave them something the Leica didn't? Leica must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when the G2 went out of production. ;)
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Well, I suppose I should confess I'm fortunate enough to own both an M-series Leica and a G-series Contax and I do like them both, so I'm not going to risk starting a holy war ;) However the Leica is a much less intrusive tool which makes you feel more in control of the picture-making process.
 
snowy said:
Well, I suppose I should confess I've got both an M-series Leica and a G-series Contax and I do like them both,
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I rest my case then - and I'm only slightly jealous! ;)
 
CT said:
I rest my case then - and I'm only slightly jealous! ;)
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Well, I've been out of work for a couple of months, so if you keep an eye on the Sales forum they might well be popping up over there sometime soon :'(
 
CT said:
Nooooo! Don't do it! :(
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I'd prefer not to obviously, but feeding two young children and paying the mortgage are rather higher priority. And anyway it would give someone else a chance to enjoy what are beautiful pieces of equipment, as long as there's enough people out there who still use film :geek:
 
Been there done that - sold gear in the past to pay the mortgage. :gag:
 
AleksanderLoesch said:
.......Confuses me, and i find it quicker to just use cameras the old fasioned way, change apperture/shutter speed untill its "balanced". I dunno though! I might find it usefull one day...
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Very true, I hate auto modes on film cameras. I always use manual as it's so much easier for me and gives more control over the final image.

*Thinks about starting an anti-auto movement...* ;)
 
Snowy

Been using both a Leica LTM and G1 over the last few months; and agree with your comments.

Interestingly, I took 2 rolls, one in the LTM ( summitar 50/f2) and one in G1 ( 50 mm) simultaneously, and similar shots; and at the same setting ( using the G1 lightmeter as the guide). The photrographs were printed in the same place ( Jessop hand corrected)

Almost everyone I showed liked the contax pictures more; sharper, vibrant colour etc. I wasn't so sure - to my eyes Leica was more muted and skin tones ( admittedly darker skin tones) came out better. I think I read something similar being said in one of the websites once

Ujjwal
 
Ben said:
Very true, I hate auto modes on film cameras. I always use manual as it's so much easier for me and gives more control over the final image.

*Thinks about starting an anti-auto movement...* ;)
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if you do, I will back you up all the way! it does REALLY help. especially when you begin/are learning from scratch. when I began my photography course, along with everyone else in my class I used fully manual, wheras everyone else used AE! for the first month they were all wondering how I got my pictures so well exposed! then we worked it out. sinne then they used manual too :lol:
 
ujjwaldey8165 said:
Snowy

Been using both a Leica LTM and G1 over the last few months; and agree with your comments.

Interestingly, I took 2 rolls, one in the LTM ( summitar 50/f2) and one in G1 ( 50 mm) simultaneously, and similar shots; and at the same setting ( using the G1 lightmeter as the guide). The photrographs were printed in the same place ( Jessop hand corrected)

Almost everyone I showed liked the contax pictures more; sharper, vibrant colour etc. I wasn't so sure - to my eyes Leica was more muted and skin tones ( admittedly darker skin tones) came out better. I think I read something similar being said in one of the websites once

Ujjwal
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Interesting. I've never done a direct comparison like that. The Zeiss lenses for the G1 are much newer designs than Leica LTM lenses such as your Summitar, so that may have been a factor. I would expect the more recent aspheric Leica lenses to be a better match for the Zeiss in terms of sharpness and resolving power. Some people go on about the Leica "glow" which appears to be little more than what would be described as an IQ fault in other circumstances! :D
 
Oh, I never really meant it as a comparison to judge whether one is better than the other. For sure the lens are of different times; the G lenses being the latest.

It was one of those days when I had taken both the camera out; so doing this was just fun.

Some say that even the Super Takumar lenses are as sharp as the Zeiss glass of the day.

While we are taking of 'glow', lets not forget the fascinating discussions on 'Bokeh'. ha ha ha
 
how do you find the "digitally connected" rangefinder focusing compared to the leicas mechanical one? ive heard people complain, and others loving it. personal taste i guess.
 
AleksanderLoesch said:
how do you find the "digitally connected" rangefinder focusing compared to the leicas mechanical one? ive heard people complain, and others loving it. personal taste i guess.
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For me it's probably the weak spot of the camera - it works, but it lacks resistance and it doesn't feel as though the focusing is moving proportionally to the movement on the focusing wheel.

What is cool though is that you can manually pre focus at a given distance, return to using AF, then recall that preset position at any time by switching back to manual focus.
 
well...for me, I use it on autofocus; so I dont have the tactile feeling of focusing. But I am careful of focusing on the key element and then recomposing ( if you see what I mean).

To me it isnt much of an issue; as all my other cameras are manual focus ( with no auto option); so in a sense I treat G1 as a very compact Point and Shoot with a very high quality interchangeable lens.

My daughter can also learn composition with this camera without having to worry about focusing.

So it does have its advantages.
 
CT said:
For me it's probably the weak spot of the camera - it works, but it lacks resistance and it doesn't feel as though the focusing is moving proportionally to the movement on the focusing wheel.

What is cool though is that you can manually pre focus at a given distance, return to using AF, then recall that preset position at any time by switching back to manual focus.
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I thought that that would be the case, with it not fealing as if it was corresponding. I do like the ability to switch between and for it to stay in the same place though, and auto focus (i usually shoot manual, but in some cases its usefull -fast pased street photography...)

The contax is definetly on my "ladder" of rangefinders I wish to climb.

1-cheap voigtlander(haha!)/zorki.
2-Contax g1/ better voigtlander
3-old leica (eventually!)

and finally, a leica m6 at the top! haha, if only! one day perhaps. i bet I will get to the top and get the m6, only to find that the ladder is falling over:lol:
 
Aleks, you may find that a CV + CV lens ( or a reasonable Leica lens) is more expensive that G1. So your ladder may look funny ...lol..
 
CV? sorry for my noobness, but what is CV an abbreviation for?

Looking around the world wide dusbin though, this seems to be the order of price they sell for (cheapest to most expensive) could be wrong though!
 
ah! all is understood now!

I should of put USED at the begining lol! i have seen a bessa R + a nice piece of glass go for £165! I am kicking myself that I missed out on it by a few hours!
 
Hooray, lenses have finally arrived, time to go and use it


and it starts to rain, heavily within 2 minutes of posting that :razz:
 
a 28mm Ultron, 50mm Nokton and 75mm Color Heliar

Saving up for a Leica 35mm, probably a Summarit
 
raathistle said:
Hooray, lenses have finally arrived, time to go and use it


and it starts to rain, heavily within 2 minutes of posting that :razz:
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Congrats!

If the rain is a bother, perhaps gather all your lights into one room and test it out there????
 
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