Going Digital to Film - M6 Advice

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Cabron

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I'm selling my Nikon D60, lenses, and everything else.

I plan on getting a Leica M6 (EX+), along with a Voigtlander f/1.5 Nokton 50mm, and an Epson V500. Note, that I haven't used film extensively, though any time I've shot with my father's Minolta, I have enjoyed the experience.

My reasoning is that while I enjoy photography a lot, I find the shooting experience with the Nikon to be a bit stoic. I want a bit of involvement with my camera.

Also, while I accept that there is often some degree of post-processing work needed on images, I honestly don't enjoy sitting at my computer and working on each raw file for 20 minutes. It takes away from it.

I know that Leicas are known to be ultra-reliable, but my question is more specific. Can I rely on the M6 to last me up to 5 years or so, shooting around 20-30 rolls a month?

I'm a college student, so basically, I'm shelling out my entire savings that I've allocated for camera gear. If the camera malfunctions, there won't be anything left to repair it with.

Thanks.
 
Look for an M6 Classic 0.72 "clean user" from a known party, not some odd eBay know-nothing. A CLA service is a couple of hundred extra bucks -- so it is worth paying a bit more for a camera that you know is working perfectly.

The VC lenses are fine, the 50/1.5 might be good for portraits, a lot of people also like the 35/2.5 PII. Don't forget an adapter if you buy a screw-mount lens.

Another good value is almost any of the 40mm lenses -- the Minolta Rokkor 40/2 is the same as the 40/2 Summicron, mine was great, about $275 -300.

If you can, try to find a $250-300 used Minolta DualScan IV rather than the Epson flatbed. Scanning 35mm film on a flatbed isn't going to be very satisfying, you might just as well get scans at the drugstore.

If you shoot 30 rolls per month for five years the camera may need service towards the end of that, but probably not, unless you spill beer on it or wack somebody in the head with it.
 
First: 20-30 rolls per month is quite a bit of film. With film as opposed to digital you will compose more & think before pressing the button. Unless the camera has something wrong to begin with or is mistreated 5 years is very low estimate.
 
Agreed, agreed, and agreed.

With that kind of load you would have no worries shooting with a Leica. The Voigtlander lenses are a very good quality lens for less than the Leica lenses...
 
You won't likely regret your decision....

You won't likely regret your decision....

Hmm. I'm surprised on one has commented on your inquiry. Especially since you mention "Leica" and "M6", and, "is it reliable?" in the text.

First, congrats for your decision! One more film user means one more reason for film to stick around awhile longer...so that's good.

As to the Leica M6, I don't think you can find a more reliable camera on the market, new used, vintage, or otherwise. You do need to consider the possibility of CLA, Clean, Lubricate and Adjust into your budget as it is a possibility, depending on the age and history of the camera you find. Chances are, you won't be in immediate need of this, but again, you never know how the previous owner treated the camera. If needed, this can run you $250 or so, and afterward, you should get 2-3000 rolls, or 15 years out of the camera before investing another $250 for CLA again.

To get to the point here - I don't think you will ever regret buying a Leica, especially if you do intent to stick to film photography. I know that I will never regret mine. You do, however, need to be aware that there will be severe bouts of GAS once you start shooting and thinking "oh boy, I'll just never be completely satisfied until I get that 35 Summilux", or "I REALLY need to have an M4-P to go with my M6" or whatever the next most desireable lens/ body on your list is. Have fun! Be warned!
 
The camera should last a long, long time assuming you don't abuse it too much and take it for the very occasional CLA
 
Frank Petronio said:
If you can, try to find a $250-300 used Minolta DualScan IV rather than the Epson flatbed. Scanning 35mm film on a flatbed isn't going to be very satisfying, you might just as well get scans at the drugstore.
Click to expand...

People keep saying this but I just don't find it to be true. My Epson 4990 flat bed makes great scans of 35mm negs. So much better than any film processor I have ever used, that I never get scans when having my color negs developed. YMMV, of course, but that's what I have found from my own experience.

/T
 
just one tip

just one tip

When rewinding the film, take it easy and slow, if you've previously used SLR's and just cranked as fast as possible.

Cabron said:
I'm selling my Nikon D60, lenses, and everything else.

I plan on getting a Leica M6 (EX+), along with a Voigtlander f/1.5 Nokton 50mm, and an Epson V500. Note, that I haven't used film extensively, though any time I've shot with my father's Minolta, I have enjoyed the experience.

My reasoning is that while I enjoy photography a lot, I find the shooting experience with the Nikon to be a bit stoic. I want a bit of involvement with my camera.

Also, while I accept that there is often some degree of post-processing work needed on images, I honestly don't enjoy sitting at my computer and working on each raw file for 20 minutes. It takes away from it.

I know that Leicas are known to be ultra-reliable, but my question is more specific. Can I rely on the M6 to last me up to 5 years or so, shooting around 20-30 rolls a month?

I'm a college student, so basically, I'm shelling out my entire savings that I've allocated for camera gear. If the camera malfunctions, there won't be anything left to repair it with.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Get the best scanner you can afford first, the best lens you can afford second and the body comes last. Also, start developing your own film right away, this way you will have the best results with the lowest cost and loss of time. If you plan to shoot only 5 years, you might as well get a Bessa, a Leica will last you a lifetime.
 
Get a dedicated film scanner Nikon V or Nikon 5000, night and day difference from a flatbed scanner. A CLA'd M6 is as smooth as butter! I just got mine worked on and it better than when I first got it, it was barely used. Yeah, find a good user M6 get it CLA'd and your good for a very very long time!
 
I do more digital now because I abhor scanning. You may find you spend more time at the computer, not less.

My thoughts would be to buy a good user M6 (but CLA'd) to save money so you can spend on better glass. Zeiss glass is excellent and IMHO well worth the premium over Voigtlander.
 
I appreciate the responses from everyone; a lot of it has been helpful.

While I’d love to get a Coolscan, I just can’t afford it – funds are limited when in school.

I’m planning on getting the M6 from KEH, which has an EX+ for just under $1500. Add to that the Voigtlander 50mm and adapter for around $450, film, along with the V500, and it totals well above $2,000.

The Dual Scan IV looks like an interesting option, but it’s twice the price of the V500.

Does anyone here have the V500? I’m not looking to get professional level scans from it, but I still want quality from the images. From what I’ve read, it seems to work well for the price.

I’ve realized that, for me, photography isn’t strictly about the end product – I think many of you would be using the latest Canon or Nikon if you wanted that (I’m sure some of you probably do that too). It’s about the shooting. I don’t want to go out for two hours and feel like I’ve been using someone else’s camera, which is how I have always felt when shooting with my Nikon.
 
If you're buying from KEH save some money and get a bargain condition body. Their ratings refer to cosmetics only. A KEH bargain body will in no way be an unusable beater.
 
Does anyone here have the V500? I’m not looking to get professional level scans from it, but I still want quality from the images. From what I’ve read, it seems to work well for the price.
Click to expand...

Perfectly usable for web-use, I didn't print off of any v500 scans but I assume that's what people mean when they claim the Epson isn't really all that good.

martin
 
If you're shooting B&W film I think that you'll spend a lot less time at the computer if you learn how to print the old fashioned way. Take a basic course at school. As for the life of a Leica? The first time that I saw my M2 body it was already used, about ten years old, and being purchased by a friend who was going to cover the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He sold it to another photographer that I knew back then. She used it to shoot both the Democratic and Republican conventions in Miami Beach in 1972. A few years later I bought the camera from her and about 1980 my local repair guy put in modern M4 style synch contacts and checked everything out, made sure that the shutter speeds were within tolerance. I've been using it week after week ever since and it still works great at age 51. At some point I put a new Cameraleather skin on it since the vulcanite was starting to chip off. The meter in an M6 might not last that long but the mechanics should hold up OK.

When I got the camera it was far from pristine looking on the outside. It had seen heavy use already. Now it has even more dings, dents, and scratches, but it still works to perfection.
 
The M6 was my real intro to film and RF photography. I never looked back. One trap I fell into when starting out early was to get all the lenses that I thought I needed.

I think you have done well to focus on one body and one lens. Try to hold out on getting that second lens for as long as you can.

I have the V700, and it serves me well - beyond my expectations. I assume that the V500 will be similar.

Good luck with your journey. Keep us informed of your travels.
 
Just print. Almost any cheap scanner is good enough for the web. Going from Nikon D60 to Leica is like going from a Toyota to a Mercedes. Enjoy.
 
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