Palaeoboy
Joel Matherson
I never lusted after Leica cameras. I had always used their microscopes and projectors though. I had an M3 with a 50mm lens in my camera collection but it barely got a look at. I was more into my Nikon rangefinders having a nice S, S2, S3 kit with a number of lenses. I dont use 50mm lenses much so the M3 hardly saw the light of day.
The thing that got me more into the Leica system was a particular lens not so much a camera. Strangely people get put off by the price of Leicas but the lens that got me in was one of the cheapest lenses bearing their name. I happened to get a CL on the cheap with a 40mm Summicron. The focal length just grabbed me in, I found I could use it for many things and was just far enough apart from another focal length I like the 28mm. I was astonished by the quality of this little lens. So I decided to get more lenses but I made one mistake and that was I assumed that the 40mm was a cheap CL lens that their other lenses (in pre-ASPH days) must be better. They were as good as the CL lens but not better until Leica started their latest generation of lenses. I even dug out the M3 but I preferred the compact nature of the CL. Then when I found the CLE, I could use my 40mm and 28mm and I havent ever seriously considered getting another M. The old M3 still in with a mix of other cameras in my collection.
I know many people who lusted after M and then were disappointed wth the reality of owning them. Rangefinders just arent for everyone and difficult for some SLR users to adjust to. Some expect miracle photos from Leicas only to find they dont deliver. You either see the subtle differences in your photos or you dont. Often its not even something you can put into words that you like about the look the lenses give you. THis is where friction is created between those that can see a subtle difference and those that dont and go forth and battle each other over the Leica myth.
I think waiting for your first M is a good thing. You can decide if its really for you. I would never recomend people buying a kit as I have seen many do. Just buy one lens and use it for a year and see what you think first before buying anymore stuff. Maybe even buy beat up but clean because I have seen the expense of buyers remorse of new stuff spoil their first Leica experience. The high cost doesnt always deliver high results. For me rather than be put off by the expense it was one of their cheapest lenses that drew me in. Still my favourite lens to this day.
The thing that got me more into the Leica system was a particular lens not so much a camera. Strangely people get put off by the price of Leicas but the lens that got me in was one of the cheapest lenses bearing their name. I happened to get a CL on the cheap with a 40mm Summicron. The focal length just grabbed me in, I found I could use it for many things and was just far enough apart from another focal length I like the 28mm. I was astonished by the quality of this little lens. So I decided to get more lenses but I made one mistake and that was I assumed that the 40mm was a cheap CL lens that their other lenses (in pre-ASPH days) must be better. They were as good as the CL lens but not better until Leica started their latest generation of lenses. I even dug out the M3 but I preferred the compact nature of the CL. Then when I found the CLE, I could use my 40mm and 28mm and I havent ever seriously considered getting another M. The old M3 still in with a mix of other cameras in my collection.
I know many people who lusted after M and then were disappointed wth the reality of owning them. Rangefinders just arent for everyone and difficult for some SLR users to adjust to. Some expect miracle photos from Leicas only to find they dont deliver. You either see the subtle differences in your photos or you dont. Often its not even something you can put into words that you like about the look the lenses give you. THis is where friction is created between those that can see a subtle difference and those that dont and go forth and battle each other over the Leica myth.
I think waiting for your first M is a good thing. You can decide if its really for you. I would never recomend people buying a kit as I have seen many do. Just buy one lens and use it for a year and see what you think first before buying anymore stuff. Maybe even buy beat up but clean because I have seen the expense of buyers remorse of new stuff spoil their first Leica experience. The high cost doesnt always deliver high results. For me rather than be put off by the expense it was one of their cheapest lenses that drew me in. Still my favourite lens to this day.
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