GAS troubles

[ecowarrior]

I'm not sure if this post is just a life story more than a question, but anyway... y'know, it's a forum, people post stuff, I'm posting stuff. I usually lurked on here anyway.

Having sold a few things, I have money burning a hole. About £700. Queen's sterling. A nice problem to have!

I'm an enthusiastic amateur. I do the odd "studio" shoot.

Currently my digital gear is my Fuji XE2 with four prime lenses. I do love my prime lenses...

However I have got into black and white film this year, self-developing and scanning at home. Love doing it, no master by any means but it's all good fun.

Primary film cameras are currently:

- a Pentax MX with a SMC 50mm 1.4. Lovely camera, lovely lens.
- an Olympus XA. Love it.

I did want to get into medium format, but my first purchase of a Yashica Mat was a disappointment.

I'm currently borrowing a Hasselblad 500cm off a friend. What a beautiful camera, but y'know I reckon it's a bit big for my tastes. I'm sure in the right hands it would throw out some beautiful photos but I'm also sure it would sit on my shelf most of the time.

So I think I'll stick with 35mm. I'm more your "wander around streets taking photos of 'stuff'" kind of guy. At least, that's what I enjoy. Portraits, my kids, probably the same stuff a lot of you do.

I quite like the idea of a rangefinder. In fact I do have one, a Mamiya 35mm RF with fixed 40mm 2.8. Doesn't have a working meter. My Oly XA also has a rangefinder - not the clearest of RF patches to look at in that thing but the output of the camera is good.

Something (probably just a bad case of GAS) says I want a Leica. I do. I know I do. If I won the lottery tomorrow I know I'd buy a Leica. Thing is, I don't have the lottery ticket. Didn't buy one.

For the first time I picked up a Leica M240 at a photo show last year and I was kinda disappointed in the feel of it. Weird.

A film Leica on the other hand, well, I like those. M2, M3, M4... None come with a built-in meter though (?) and frankly I'm not hot on sunny 16 even if I can remember the basic rule. And I want to travel light, not carry half of Sekonic's stock around with me. The M6 and M7 are out of my bracket. Shame.

And even if I could buy the body, the lenses are what (I think) really make Leica stand out. So maybe I could just about afford a lens.

Wondering if Voigtlander's Bessa range would be anything like as close to the feel of a Leica. I started to investigate those the other night and then Voigtlander obviously knew I was doing so and discontinued them out of spite. Not a big issue, I'd buy secondhand anyway.

So really I'm wondering.

Do I get a Bessa R3M with that Voigtlander 40mm 1.4SC? Is it a good close match for the Leica experience?

Should I just buy another lens for my Pentax? Maybe that 135 2.5 would be a nice lens and just put the rest of the money away for a rainy day. Or something dull.

Do I just stick with the Pentax I've got for film, and wait for the next Fuji digital body to come along?

Should I buy something else that I've not even thought of? I do like those Zeiss Ikon ZM's....

Do I have a serious mental breakdown caused by GAS? :bang: 😀

 

[kram]

Buy a M6 or Zeiss ZM, add a vioghtlander lens, and enjoy. If you buy a Bessa, you would still hanker after a Leica.

 

[Godfrey]

First, settle down until you are not thinking all over the map.

Second, if you want to get into medium format, there are other ways besides the Hasselblad. I have a Hassy 500CM and SWC, they're wonderful, but if you're into walking around making photos a Voigtländer Perkeo II is a superb 6x6 film camera that's barely larger than a Leica CL ... Folded, it will fit beautifully into a jacket pocket. Add a small light meter (Sekonic 308 will do nicely), go out, make photos.

Third, if you want to buy a Leica film camera, you can likely afford the aforementioned CL easily. An M6 body if you want the meter in the camera is likely around triple the price of a CL body; a CL with Summicron-C 40mm f/2 lens in excellent working shape is often still less expensive than an M6 body. One of my favorite Leicas. 🙂

But you know that, in the end, the most sensible thing to do is to put the money away for when you really know what you want and just keep shooting with the Mamiya you have in the mean time.

G

 

[ecowarrior]

"First, settle down until you are not thinking all over the map. "

Ah, you noticed that 🙂

 

[ecowarrior]

I think what I REALLY need to do is sit on my hands. And then find somewhere where I can go and actually look at and have a play with some of these cameras.

Just not obvious where to go, the local camera shops shut down years ago....!

 

[mfogiel]

For the type of photography you have described, a rangefinder trumps the SLR in my opinion. You could either try one of the cheaper fixed lens rangefinders like a Canonet,
or a Bessa. The R3A with a 40 or 50mm lens will not set you back so much, providing you will get a cheaper lens. The photos you will get will be "as good as made with a Leica" (with the same lens). As far as the experience goes, no, there is nothing that gives the experience of shooting with a Leica apart from shooting with a Leica.

 

[Huss]

I have a Bessa R3A, use it some of the time with the CV 40 (but really it is better with a 50mm lens due to the 1:1 VF). A really nice camera that can take great pics if you can take great pics.
But it feels nothing like a Leica.

So the question is, do you want a really nice RF camera? Or do you want one that also is a Leica?

 

[ecowarrior]

I don't actually know. Thing is, I've never used a Leica. So I'm kind of falling for the dream, without really knowing if it is for me.

I'm sure I'm not alone in doing that though.

I also bought an Apple Mac a few years ago and hated that, so y'know, lessons learnt etc...

I do rather like the Voigtlander, and I'm not a rich man by any means so, dunno.

 

[it'sawhat?]

GAS and spare money are a dangerous combo. wait and settle down is sound advice,I will say the mx is a great little camera and would suggest if you decide to get a lens for it instead give the 100/2.8 m macro a close look.Pricier than the 135 but I think could be more suited for what you shoot This comes from a 135 owner I love it but it's a big jump from the 50.

 

[Steve Bellayr]

IMHO: Wait until you have enough money for an M6 and a 50mm Summicron then decide. If you do buy it and do not like it you can always resell them.

 

[maxmadco]

If you have GAS be careful for Leica can quickly become an addiction : )

 

[kehng]

take your film cameras down to mw classic and part ex for a nice m2 and leica lens. would make a nice partner to your fuji and use your iphone as a meter until sunny 16 is instinct.

 

[dtcls100]

Sounds like you need a Mamiya 6 medium format rangefinder. Portable, quiet and with absolutely superb image quality.

 

[lynnb]

What was it about the M240 that felt weird? Was it too big? The film M Leicas are a bit smaller. Barnacks are much smaller again. I have small hands and I find a Barnack (IIIc) much easier to carry around, although it's slower to operate - but not if you pre-set exposure and zone focus; apart from when you really need to use the RF. You can always use LTM lenses on an M body with an adapter if you decide on an M later.

Godfrey's suggestion of a Perkeo II is worth considering if you want medium format in your pocket. It's one of the smallest MF cameras you can carry (folded) - about the same size as my IIIc. Not suitable for action/moving children though (scale focus). Great for static portraits and other subjects.

 

[Bill Clark]

There is no known cure for GAS.

The closet to a cure is to have a way of displaying your cameras so when you catch GAS, you may decide to pass when looking at your collection.

I have a library bookshelf system with glass fronts to store my stuff. It still hasn't prevented me from buying!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have cheap, but Seconic 208L, "cheap" but Leica M4-2 and it works if I can't figure it out by S16. Every time I use it, GAS stops.

Do I get a Bessa R3M with that Voigtlander 40mm 1.4SC? Is it a good close match for the Leica experience?

No it is very different to Leica and true modern RF experience.

Cheers, Ko.

 

[gustavoAvila]

I only have two comments:

1) Once you get the Leica itch, only a Leica will scratch it!

2) Meters are hugely over-rated; as others have mentioned, S16 and a cheap light meter/app will do the trick. (Plus, C41 and B&W emulsions are not very fussy regarding exposure in any case.)

 

[FrankS]

Leicas are very nice. Everyone should have one, but ... Medium format quality will make your eyes pop. So, something smaller than a Hasselblad and with a built in meter is required. Some suggestions: Mamiya 6 new version, Bronica 645, Fuji gs645 or an autofocus version, Plaubel Makina.

 

[f16sunshine]

Close to what Frank above suggests... Fuji gf670.
It's a brilliant camera. Quietest ever shutter.
You can choose 6x7 or 6x6 frame mask.
Mine has displaced my Rollieflex 2.8D for 6x6 work.
I still love the Rollie but the Fuji GF670 offers AE and rangefinder focus accuracy plus, you can choose that 6x7 format when the itch needs scratching 🙂

Fits your budget too 🙂

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

Or you could buy Helen's M5 from the classifieds! Metered, and less expensive, generally, than the traditional film M's.

I'm kind of in favor of spending money impulsively on old Leica stuff...if you get a decent deal, you can generally sell for the same price later, if it doesn't work out. And when I lose a bit of money on a deal I just think of it as a rental fee. This has allowed me to try out a lot of stuff and find the things I like best.