Got my first Leica!

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

This has been a good month, have sold several photos, so I took the plunge. I bought a Leica M4 from an RFF member and a 50mm Summicron from KEH! I LOVE IT. I went out this weekend and shot some photos of people during a festival here in Ft. Wayne.

 

[__hh]

Chris,

congrats... nice to see you being able to afford the nice things in life. You deserve it.

Hung

 

[Pickett Wilson]

Congratulations on getting the M4, but I gotta tell you, man. They look just like Chris Crawford photos. (And that a good thing!) 🙂

 

[robklurfield]

Chris, very nice shots. Enjoy your new tool.

 

[robklurfield]

that's a high compliment!

Congratulations on getting the M4, but I gotta tell you, man. They look just like Chris Crawford photos. (And that a good thing!) 🙂

 

[marcr1230]

Enjoy it Chris!

 

[jonmanjiro]

congrats, chris! the m4 is in good hands 🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Congratulations on getting the M4, but I gotta tell you, man. They look just like Chris Crawford photos. (And that a good thing!) 🙂

Thanks 😀 What is different for me is I am having a much easier time catching fleeting expressions than I did with my Olympus SLRs. I love the OM system and the OM-4T bodies I have, but they have a lot more time-lag between pushing the button and the shutter opening than some other SLRs (my old Nikon F4 has very little), and they are A LOT LOT worse in that regard than the M-Leica. I can push the shutter release on the M4 and catch the exact expression that I saw, with the OM-4T, I often missed it.

I'm not giving up my OM gear, I have a wide collection of OM lenses and they can focus closer, but for general everyday work I think the M4 is my new friend

 

[Tuolumne]

All that said about the decisive moment, I really like the tree and sun photo!

/T

 

[Chuck Albertson]

God help you, Chris. You're doomed.

 

[dcsang]

Congrats Chris !!

Could it be that the "lag" that you're talking about is the blackout one experiences when using an SLR? I mean, you don't have to take your eye off of the scene with the M (or any RF camera) but you lose that split second with the SLR and as such, you wait for the moment and then when you hit the button, for maybe 1/125 or such of a second that brief moment may have changed or disappeared?

Just thinking out loud (in type form of course) 🙂

Can't wait to see what more you're able to do with that M4!

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Bingley]

Beautifully exposed and developed. Those photos show what quality gear can do in expert hands.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Beautifully exposed and developed. Those photos show what quality gear can do in expert hands.

Thanks 🙂 I'm having fun with it.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Congrats Chris !!

Could it be that the "lag" that you're talking about is the blackout one experiences when using an SLR? I mean, you don't have to take your eye off of the scene with the M (or any RF camera) but you lose that split second with the SLR and as such, you wait for the moment and then when you hit the button, for maybe 1/125 or such of a second that brief moment may have changed or disappeared?

Just thinking out loud (in type form of course) 🙂

Can't wait to see what more you're able to do with that M4!

Cheers,
Dave

No, the OM-4 series cameras really have horrid time lag. The older OM-1 and OM-2 do not suffer from this. I deal with it because I love the built in spotmeter system of those bodies, and that is something I truly miss on the Leica. A handheld meter is not as easy to use for candid work as a built in meter. I've gotten good at metering fast and getting the shot though.

 

[coelacanth]

Great shots! M4 is such a smooth performer. I can't put mine down. Are you going to share some shots with that CV 35mm soon? 😉

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

All that said about the decisive moment, I really like the tree and sun photo!

/T

Thanks, i like it too. When I scanned it and began working the curves in Photoshop I was amazed at the Tonality, which just seemed too good for 35mm! It looks like medium format, tonally, but doesn't have the fine detail.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Great shots! M4 is such a smooth performer. I can't put mine down. Are you going to share some shots with that CV 35mm soon? 😉

Yeah, I haven't used it as much yet, but I did do a few pics on Sunday with it that I need to scan still. Maybe I'll get one up tomorrow. For everyone else, I have a 35/2.5 PII VC lens from Coelacanth that I got a week or so before the M4.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I am mighty glad you finally got one... but I'm gladder that you sold some photographs. That's the best news! Take care and don't forget this forum when cure your show in NY.

 

[thomasw_]

Hey Chris --- I am so happy you sold some prints and that you now own a very versatile M kit!

Sincerely, TW.

 

[Chris101]

Very cool beans Chris! I'm glad that you finally caught the disease, er, wave!