EUREKA! M2 newbie tames the wild Nikkor.

Hi Sanders,

Thanks for the info - I actually found that Retrophotographic over here has it in bulk, along with the 100asa version (different emulsion though - more like old FP3).

I have not tried Rodinal either - there seem to be many fans of it here at RFF, perhaps I will have to order that at the same time.

I would prefer the LTM version, but the last one I saw was over $900 (ouch!). I may bide my time - if I could get the LTM one, it would fit my II and IIIc which is probably more bang for the buck.
 
john neal said:
Hi Sanders,

Thanks for the info - I actually found that Retrophotographic over here has it in bulk, along with the 100asa version (different emulsion though - more like old FP3).

I have not tried Rodinal either - there seem to be many fans of it here at RFF, perhaps I will have to order that at the same time.

I would prefer the LTM version, but the last one I saw was over $900 (ouch!). I may bide my time - if I could get the LTM one, it would fit my II and IIIc which is probably more bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

John, $900 seems high. I bought mine for about half that on eBay from Kevin Cameras. He had a stash of them and has sold a number of them already but I just checked his eBay store and he still lists three for sale in the $450 - $550 range:

http://stores.ebay.com/goKevincameras_Leica-Copies-Lenses_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

The lens I bought from him was in great shape, and fairly described.

Sanders
 
john neal said:
Sanders,

You have done it again! I missed your earlier post, but would have been quite (i.e. more than) happy if that had been my own result - but I know you are a stickler for these things 😉

I see you are rapidly descending the slippery Leica slope with yet more classic kit! Would that I still had my M2, but I have some consolation in that I traded my M3 for a M6 classic last week, and it is nearly as easy to use. I dream of owning the Nikkor, but lack of funds prevents at the moment. I know where there is one that has been built into a Leica M focussing mount and correctly collimated down to 70cm. If I can find the funds I will buy that one just to get the sonnar signature in a quality lens.

Tell me, is that still Fomapan? I really must try that. I have been looking to find some in bulk, but failed. I know that Silverprint have 135 cassettes at a rasonable price, so will have to buy abrick from there.

Again,

Please stop showing the rest of us how average we really are 🙂

Thanks for some great shots.
Click to expand...



And how average our wives are. (There may be some exceptions I guess.)

Say the Man's Prayer with me now: I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.
 
tripod said:
And how average our wives are...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't know about other men's wives, but I
do know that I am blessed with an extraordinary
partner. Laying aside her more obvious charms,
Melanie is an incredible photographer in her own
right. You can see some of her work here:

www.mcnew.net/melanie

Melanie shoots a Leica IIIa and a 6x9 Agfa Record
folder. She shames me as a photographer.

Sanders
 
Nicely done photo Sanders. I think your reasoning is a bit off about rangefinder patches. I don't have an M3 but I believe it has a physically the same size rangefinder patch to the M2. Hence a larger frameline makes it easier to focus. You have more granularity.

It's the same reason a 135mm lens is hard to focus on a regular Leica, the patch is really large compared to the framelines.

The reason the M3 is better for focusing a 50mm lens is that it has the highest magnification of any M Leica. It is almost one to one (I seem to remember 90%).
 
Sanders McNew said:
At least I waited until Post # 25. :angel:
Click to expand...


Yes, that was very restrained of you.

I'm surprised you didn't entitle the thread: Na, na, na-na, na!

🙂

(Love your photography BTW.)
 
Sanders,

Thanks for that - I hope one of those lasts to payday!

$900 is about average for the UK on this, unfortunately - they seem to be very much in demand, particularly from collectors 🙁

Sanders McNew said:
John, $900 seems high. I bought mine for about half that on eBay from Kevin Cameras. He had a stash of them and has sold a number of them already but I just checked his eBay store and he still lists three for sale in the $450 - $550 range:

http://stores.ebay.com/goKevincameras_Leica-Copies-Lenses_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm

The lens I bought from him was in great shape, and fairly described.

Sanders
Click to expand...
 
Here in the U.S., the price is around US $350-500 on eBay.

john neal said:
Sanders,

Thanks for that - I hope one of those lasts to payday!

$900 is about average for the UK on this, unfortunately - they seem to be very much in demand, particularly from collectors 🙁
Click to expand...
 
Sanders McNew said:
Melanie is an incredible photographer in her own
right. You can see some of her work here:

www.mcnew.net/melanie

Melanie shoots a Leica IIIa and a 6x9 Agfa Record
folder. She shames me as a photographer.

Sanders
Click to expand...

Bummer! From work, I can't get to see any of that - Websense spots the word "nudity" and kicks it into touch.

I'll have to take a look from home, but make sure my wife is asleep first 😱
 
A new body?! Oh no, an M3!!!

A new body?! Oh no, an M3!!!

After feeling vaguely as if I had chosen the wrong M,
I was offered an M3 ... and took it. It's scruffier than
my M2, but the M3 seems easier to focus with the
50mm lens as compared to the M2. I took it out this
weekend with the 50/1.5 Nikkor and shot my mother.
Twice. (She deserves to be shot.)

2397257689_9a3b06e5b6_o.jpg


2397305939_2e0c83bd5e_o.jpg


All of this farfelling about with M-series bodies is fine.
But still I wonder whether I oughtn't go back to my old
IIIa with this Nikkor. Or even ... a 5cm SM collapsible
Summicron? My 50/1.5 Nikkor ... collapsible Summicron
... or a new Zeiss Sonnar ... or the old 3.5 Elmar? Too
many choices! Which one? 😱

Sanders
 
Sanders, you crack me up. Five years ago, I told you to get an M3 (remember that?) and now you have found your way to one all on your own.

I still love your work. Keep doing what you are doing!
 
Stay with what you have, you seem to do great stuff with it!

BTW, FTIW (For What It's Worth), IMHO, there is no perfect camera. There are cameras that are the great for any given situation. There are cameras that feel great in your hands and that can inspire you to do great thing. And of course, no free lunch (as you have learned many times it appears).

B2 (;->
 
The fast lens is best on the M3. Moving across the eyepieces with a wide-open F1.4 lens can be tough.
 
drewbarb said:
Sanders, you crack me up. Five years ago, I told you to get an M3 (remember that?) and now you have found your way to one all on your own.

I still love your work. Keep doing what you are doing!
Click to expand...

Andrew! I learn slow sometimes. 🙂

How are you doing down there in the land
of fast horses and easy photographers?

Sanders
 
[hijack]

Andrew, since you tuned into this thread,
I had a photo to share with you. It has
nothing to do with this topic, although
posting it shouldn't offend the RFF Gods
as I shot it with a Balda RF folder:

medium.jpg


I shot this sometime in February 2006,
before the first heart attack. I miss
Milton -- he was a good man.

[/hijack]

Sanders
 
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