back with a vengeance

[bizarrius]

Hello everyone.

a bit on my background, i used to shoot an M4 an M6 and an M9, then for some personal reasons i had to sell all my cameras and didn't shoot for 4 years now.

I am now back on my feet and ready to start taking pictures. for my own personal use ofcourse.
i still have a voigtlander bessa L with a voigtlander 25mm f4, a yashica 6x6 a mamiya645 and a canon eos 5D (...)
nothing compares to film, and nothing compares to the feeling of shooting a leica.
I dont wanna sell another piece of equipment in my life ever again so selling something i already have is a no-no. EXCEPT digital ****.
I dug up all my darkroom equipment and tanks and devs i am ready for my comeback.

My problem is that i want to settle with one body, one lens for street work. i think im ok with my medium format cameras but the bessa doesn't do it for me. i miss my M4 so much but i wouldn't be sad if i had an M3 or M6 (or even an MP, M7 but i would rather get a cheaper body and a more expensive wide angle lens)
looking at prices now i see that everything is really expensive compared to what it was. i live in Cyprus unfortunately and theres nothing around that sells old cameras or yard sales so i'll have to buy from the internet.
apart from whats on this website where do you suggest i look for second hand bodies and lenses? I am in europe so a european website for sure. i used to go to ffordes but now with all these brexit stuff i dont understand, i feel that its quite expensive and also lacks of bodies (only 3 M3 bodies at the moment and alot of expensive M7)
bare in mind that i am KIND OF in a poor position at the moment but it will come around for me. 🙂

thanks and good to be back

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I think on eBay M film bodies are less expensive comparing to what it was. Good deals on this site as well.
I took thousand or so of street pictures with M4-2 and 35 lens. Color Skopar 35 2.5 was one of them. Build for street use. Not expensive.

 

[philipus]

I am in europe so a european website for sure. i used to go to ffordes

Any of the many European dealers, including the UK ones, should do. Here are a few:

http://www.reddotcameras.co.uk/
http://www.apertureuk.com/leica.html#lms
http://www.leicashop.com/vintage/leica-c-1000.html
http://www.meister-camera.com/
http://www.photohaus.de/
http://www.ffordes.co.uk/
http://www.photografica.com/
http://www.peterloy.com/
http://www.newoldcamera.com/index.aspx
http://www.fotootticacavour.it/
http://www.fotoprisma.bo.it/
http://www.collectablecameras.com/cameralist.htm
http://vintageclassiccamera.com
http://www.collectcamera.com/
http://www.schouten-select.com/
http://www.fotohandeldelfshaven.nl/
http://www.secondhandcamera.nl/
http://www.classiccamera.se/

 

[Moto-Uno]

^ Not sure what good deals are ? The cheapest Leica on this site is over $1500 and doesn't have a lens . Peter

 

[johannielscom]

www.mkoptics.net
www.mwclassic.com although they never send tracking numbers and don't respond to requests regarding those, which gets me kinda nervous.
www.peterloy.com do respond when you ask for a tracking number, so they're preferred.
www.croydonphotocentre.co.uk

 

[Nyc Dito]

there's a recently CLA'd M4 in the classifieds for $975.

 

[bizarrius]

Thanks everyone for your answers!
Such a great response!

I just dug up my old cameras and found that i have bought a Leica iiic that i never got to use (because i had the M6) and now its in use. already shot a few rolls that will develop my self 🙂
it really feels good to be back
I just reserved a leica M3 on an online shop and crossing my fingers that everything will go well. Also my canon is for sale. i cant get a grip on digital. it just doesn't feel like photography at all.

Thanks everyone for your answers again 🙂

Demetris

 

[chrishayton]

There's The Real Camera Company in Manchester. Lots of Leica gear at sensible prices. Will always send you the tracking number too 🙂 Best to email for stock enquiries as there is no stock on the website at the moment. (sales@realcamera.co.uk)

Welcome back. We have done a couple of deals through RFF in the past together. Always a pleasant transaction

 

[MIkhail]

Just curious as to what's wrong with Bessa for street shooting?

 

[bizarrius]

There's The Real Camera Company in Manchester. Lots of Leica gear at sensible prices. Will always send you the tracking number too 🙂 Best to email for stock enquiries as there is no stock on the website at the moment. (sales@realcamera.co.uk)

Welcome back. We have done a couple of deals through RFF in the past together. Always a pleasant transaction

Well hello there 🙂 feels good that you remember me 😱

Just curious as to what's wrong with Bessa for street shooting?

its not just street shooting. but the plastic feel that the bessa has doesn't do it for me. it takes the exact same pictures as any other film camera.
the shutter release feels clumsy also. i think you will understand what i mean when you press the shutter release on a leica if you haven't already. 🙂

 

[emraphoto]

I think on eBay M film bodies are less expensive comparing to what it was. Good deals on this site as well.
I took thousand or so of street pictures with M4-2 and 35 lens. Color Skopar 35 2.5 was one of them. Build for street use. Not expensive.

Agree with the Color Skopar suggestion. On film you would have to look very hard to find any difference between it and something 5 times the price. Beyond lens speed and vanity plates of course.

 

[bizarrius]

i already have the skopar 25mm L39 silver which i am COMPLETELY inlove with acompanied with the viewfinder.

i might just go for a L39 to M mount adaptor and be happy for the rest of my "hopefuly not miserably away from photography again" life.

 

[MIkhail]

Well hello there 🙂 feels good that you remember me 😱



its not just street shooting. but the plastic feel that the bessa has doesn't do it for me. it takes the exact same pictures as any other film camera.
the shutter release feels clumsy also. i think you will understand what i mean when you press the shutter release on a leica if you haven't already. 🙂

I have. On multiple Leicas and Voigt cameras.
But I thought you want to get back into SHOOTING. "back on my feet and ready to start taking pictures." Or is it collecting?
Two different occupations...
As far as Bessa, if anything, my observations are that it's lighter (easier on your shoulders after a day of walking) and I did not notice any clumsiness. Shutter on my Bessa R3A was just fine, and viewfinder was nice and bright.

 

[bizarrius]

I have. On multiple Leicas and Voigt cameras.
But I thought you want to get back into SHOOTING. "back on my feet and ready to start taking pictures." Or is it collecting?
Two different occupations...
As far as Bessa, if anything, my observations are that it's lighter (easier on your shoulders after a day of walking) and I did not notice any clumsiness. Shutter on my Bessa R3A was just fine, and viewfinder was nice and bright.

thats because i only have a Bessa L which is really cheap and has no viewfinder 🙂
its all about shooting. i have developed 3 films with the bessa in a few days now. it doesn't mean i shouldn't aim for a camera that will inspire me to shoot. i wont buy an expensive body and i dont need to collect more cameras. i just want that one that will be my wife for eternity. the bessa L is surely not for that. its a fun camera though.

 

[presspass]

You could also mount the 25 on your IIIc and use it. That way you get the Leica body and a great lens.

 

[bizarrius]

You could also mount the 25 on your IIIc and use it. That way you get the Leica body and a great lens.

i already have and i had a great time today 🙂

 

[Phil_F_NM]

If you're not opposed to medium format, the Mamiya 6 with 50mm f/4 is tops. I'd say that nothing else aside from a Hasselblad SWC or Rolleiwide could touch it. Those three lenses happen to be very similar in design though the Mamiya benefits from the most modern coatings.That lens is simply amazing. The results astound me every time I see a photo made with it.
I bought a second Mamiya 6 body just to specifically pair with my 50mm.
Sorry to derail the conversation but that's what I shoot with and I still own an M4 but the extra acreage of the 6x6 image just kills any miniature format.
As for where to buy, I'm not sure about European sellers but in the US, Keh is great and I have used them for about 20+ years without any complaints.

Phil Forrest

 

[Robert Lai]

I can understand what your experience is. I had to sell a lot of nice cameras and lenses when I was unemployed 3 years ago. Once employed again, I had to get my Leica M7 back, and my Nikon F3.

In the interim, I was using a perfectly fine Bessa R. I've kept the R and added back my other cameras. Once you have to sell under duress, you never want to sell again.

 

[Tompas]

Over the years I bought a Leica M6 for 700 €, an M6 0.85 for 800 € and an MD-2 for 200 €, all via (German) eBay, all in good to excellent condition. You'll need to be patient to find such 'opportunities', though.

Until you find a nice camera for a good price -- enjoy what you have, make a lot of images and have fun!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Agree with the Color Skopar suggestion. On film you would have to look very hard to find any difference between it and something 5 times the price. Beyond lens speed and vanity plates of course.

Not really. On film I could clearly see the difference between 35 2.5 Skopar and Summarit-M 35 2.5. It is very obvious on BW film and on prints. Done it with both lenses for very many films and prints. Color, I guess, not so much difference. Color Skopar is great if not the best alternative, but not the same.