How did you come to use Leicas?

[robbeiflex]

Today I walked into a local camera shop that has a decent used selection, and there it was: a black M6 0.72 classic in great condition for a price I couldn't resist! 🙂🙂🙂

It was a surprisingly easy decision to make. It just felt right in the hand, has only minor wear on the leather and no scratches otherwise, everything runs smoothly, one month warranty included, and the price was a good 200+ less than I would have expected. I'm already running a first test roll in it, great camera!

It took me a couple of Zorkis, a Rollei 35RF (Bessa based), and a Zeiss Ikon ZM to get here. I might still keep the ZM though. 😉

Cheers,
Rob

 

[filmtwit]

High School: Minolta XGA - decent camera and no one cared that I always had it on me since I worked on year book.

College - Canon 650 (still have it) - lenses were expense as hell, didn't get a lot of use, but I really liked it.

Film school - Arri-S, Eclair ACL & couple of Bolex cameras.

Early 2000's - picked up my first digital P&S, which quickly led to me getting a Canon D60 (hunk of junk) and then onto a Digital Rebel. Slowly building up lens collection along the way.
Jump forward to two years ago, Canon 50D and always lugging it and 3-5 lenses around or I could carry around a P&S. I was also finding my skills with the camera getting lazy, I could shoot 300+ photos, like 10 of them and wonder why my skills weren't progressing. Plus, I hate digital color for B&W and would break out the 650 or one of my Fuji medium format cameras from time to time just to shoot proper B&W. Hated lugging it around though on a daily basis. So started looking at rangefinders and specifically film cameras. Looked at Contacts if I remember right, but didn't see a big range of lenses so I started looking at M mounts. Found a CLE for a decent price and loved it, but wanted more versatility and of course had wanted an M Leica since I was teenager.

 

[wjlapier]

It started while I was in highschool. My mom's college senior thesis was about native american pow-wows and how the indians travelled around. The school bought her a camera and lens and she had an account with a camera store to receive and develop film. Kodachrome was reccommended and away we went. I did most of the shooting as she would prefer to enjoy the pow-wow and I would take photos. The camera was a Fujica something or other SLR and a 50mm lens. That was 1976-78

Fast forward to 1992. My wife to be's grandpa gave us a Nikon FM and 50mm lens. I shot with that combo for years. We lived in Cincinnati while she worked on her MD degree. I was still using the FM and would go down to Providence Camera to have film developed and occasionally enlarge.

We moved back to Washington state and while downtown sending off some film there was a F2AS in the display for sale. I bought it and sold the FM ( regret that sale to this day. ). Then came DSLRs; D70, D200, D1h, D300, D2Hs, D700, and each purchase resulting in me selling my older camera. I did find another D1h and kept it--love the files and the film look. Recently I sold my D700 and decided for SLR work I would use a F6. But, saw Dante Stella's F3 for sale and bought it.

OK, so while shooting with the D300, I found out about rangefinders. Bought a Nikon S2 and 50/1.4 lens. I was hooked. The small size of the bodies and lens was new to me. I really liked the feel of the camera and took to the Rfer way of focusing. Then purchased several lenses as is commom. Sold the S2, bought a S3 with Mill Nikkor. Started wondering what all the fuss was about Leicas--lenses were outragiously expensive as were their bodies. Sold the S3, but kept the lens. Found a very nice M3 on ebay. Bought more lenses. I still have the M3 I think mainly because of some wierd emotional attachment--you know, first M camera. I've owned the MP, a M6 classic, and recently purchased a black chrome M7. And now I'm awaiting an ala carte black paint M7--made especially for me.

So, that's where I am now. It's interesting to read how some of you have been shooting Leicas for 30-40 years. But I can see why, as they are fantastic cameras and the lenses are some of the best I've ever used.

 

[drew.saunders]

My Dad had an Olympus XA which I borrowed for my trip to France the summer after I graduated high school ('85). I didn't really understand why to choose one aperture over another, but I figured out the rangefinder focusing well enough and got some great pics. In college, I bought a Canon T70 with a crappy Kalimar lens, then added a Canon 50/1.8 before I started taking some photo classes through the art department. The professors and grad students were all Leica RF users, so I learned a bit about them, and that put the bug in my ear, so to speak, about Leica. About a year after graduation, I "upgraded" to a used Canon F-1 original, and added a variety of used Canon FD prime lenses (35/2.8, 100/4 macro, 24/2.8, 300/5.6) over the years. I really preferred the manual exposure to the program-only or shutter-priority of the T70 (yes, it had a manual mode, but it was a pain to use). I wondered if I wanted to get back into RF cameras, so got a Canonet 2.8 and enjoyed it.

In March of 2000, I bit the bullet and bought a used M6 and 50/2 from Don Chatterton, and that was the beginning of the end of 35mm SLR for me. I did add an F1-N to my Canon collection, but a couple years ago traded the whole Canon FD collection to Keh for a large format lens. I did get a Mamiya 645E in 2002, so I still have a film SLR, just not a particularly petite one.

In December 2002 I picked up a new (grey market) M6TTL 0.58, right when the Dollar/Euro was very favorable for the dollar and before they did the "last M6" stuff and jacked up the price, so it only cost me $1800 new! By then, I had added a few lenses, a couple "unused in sealed box" lenses from Don (I think that was his code for "grey market), the 35/2 ASPH and 24/2.8 ASPH (also for a fraction of what they go for new now). I re-sold the M6 classic back to Don for about what I had paid for it. Since then, the exchange rate has made new or grey market lenses from Leica out of my range, so I've added used 90/2.8 "fat," 135/2.8, plus new CV 50/1.5 and 15/4.5.

The M9 beckons. It has been a wee over 8 years since I got the TTL, I suppose I'm due...

Drew

 

[DavidC]

Started with an old Canon 7 in college in the early 70s when everyone was using slrs. Got a Canon FTb later and enjoyed the precise framing. Although the rig was reliable and indestructible, I found it just weighed too much, especially with a telephoto lens like the canon 200mm fd lens. 6 years ago my brother in law asked if I would like to have a Leica M7 for my birthday. After seeing the results of the 50 mm summicron f2 I have become a Leica fan and will probably hold out until film goes out of business.

 

[LateStart]

Priests and Jimmy Carter

Priests and Jimmy Carter

I got the photography bug from a class in 5th grade. A few years later I used a full summer's earnings to buy a nikon F2 new. I worked for the high school year book at a catholic school and a Jesuit priest approached me suggesting I buy his M2. I really didn't know what it was but I thought it looked cool and the price was right -- around $250 with a 50mm 'cron.

The first roll of film I put in the camera was used to take pictures of Jimmy Carter when he visited our part of LA. The film came back blank because the shutter was stuck! After a CLA the camera worked fine and I have used it off and on over the years. In the last couple of years I have expanded my small leica collection adding an M6, and a few lenses. I find the feel of the camera a nice alternative to using my canon DSLR, especially for social, non-sports situations.

 

[Roger Warren]

the talk of Leica ate and ate at me until I could not hold out. Leica MP was the snake that finally bit me.

 

[Roger Hicks]

. . . Within the last three months I trimmed my camera stash down (I haven't mentioned the MF cameras...) and received a bonus from work. With the words of Roger Hicks ringing in my ears (paraphrasing: 'why waste a lot of money on a lot of mediocre fixed-lens rangefinders, when you could have one good Leica?') I bought (surprisingly) my M4-P. It arrived this week, and I finally understand why people have a very certain affection for these cameras: they feel 'substantial' and very high quality. . .

Dear Roy,

To quote (from memory) the late Hunter S. Thompson, "I hesitate to recommend drugs, alcohol and insanity, but they've always worked for me."

Or to stretch the imagery still further, I'm glad you found my advice useful.

Cheers,

R.

 

[damien.murphy]

Only started really photographing about 7 years ago, in my mid twenties, after being camera-scarred as the child of snap-happy parents.

Started digitally, no film, and after shooting a lot on a month long trip around Europe, upgraded and moved onto the dslr path. Reached critical mass after a few years spent shooting dslr's which were just too bulky for my taste.

Drew up the courage to try film two years ago, upon discovering a Leica M might just be the camera I sought all those years, and haven't looked back since. An M6 has since been replaced by an M3 & M4. Love going out with just the M3 & a 50mm lens, which for me is perfection itself.

 

[wakarimasen]

Dear Roy,

To quote (from memory) the late Hunter S. Thompson, "I hesitate to recommend drugs, alcohol and insanity, but they've always worked for me."

Or to stretch the imagery still further, I'm glad you found my advice useful.

Cheers,

R.

Hello Roger,
I think I'm still a partial lost cause, so far as some fixed lens rangefinders are concerned. I put my two remaining models - an Olympus 35RC and a Konica Auto S3 - on ebay this evening, only to withdraw them an hour later. Sometimes, I just 'like' a camera too much - if that doesn't sound too weird!

Best regards,
RoyM

 

[lagrassa]

Being a traditional type of person, I fit right into the Leica mold. Tradition, along with build quality, quietness and discreetness of operation, and seemingly timeless lens choices. One of the benefits of a RF camera over an SLR (not unique to Leica of course) is that you can instantly see outside the frame and alter your composition on the fly.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hello Roger,
I think I'm still a partial lost cause, so far as some fixed lens rangefinders are concerned. I put my two remaining models - an Olympus 35RC and a Konica Auto S3 - on ebay this evening, only to withdraw them an hour later. Sometimes, I just 'like' a camera too much - if that doesn't sound too weird!

Best regards,
RoyM

Dear Roy,

Absolvo te. I still have a Retina IIa and an Olympus Pen W.

Cheers,

R.

 

[bhop73]

I wanted to try Rangefinders, so I bought a Canonet. I liked it, so then I bought a Yashica Electro GS. I liked that too, but then I wanted a rangefinder with interchangeable lenses, so I thought about getting a Voigtlander, but then I started reading about people having problems with them jamming and other such things, so I decided just to splurge and got my M6. That's pretty much it..

 

[Pastor Chris]

quality, I love quality
history behind it
its a piece of art

I had a congregation member tall me about a box of cameras that he inherited from his father-in-law at his passing. Actually, he picked them up at the door to the garage as his relatives were about to take them to the dump; a WWII IIIC with the full leather case with 3 lenses, filters, and all of the fun gizmos, oh yes, and a Contax TLR. He brought them in for me to see and I fell in love with the size and quality of the Leica. He let me borrow it and I ran a few rolls of film through it, slowly and deeply falling in love. His IIIC is back in his collection, but I am fully hooked. Photography is a joy in itself, but using wonderfully made equipment, with so much history behind it, is even better.

 

[rsosa]

quality, I love quality
history behind it
its a piece of art

Photography is a joy in itself, but using wonderfully made equipment, with so much history behind it, is even better.

ahhh... amen!

 

[Turtle]

I picked one up.

 

[mfunnell]

The short version of the story is that digital brought me back to semi-serious photography. When that happened, I began to get interested in exploring different types of camera, as well as different makes and models, just to see what they were like to use. That wasn't (in relative terms) all that expensive as the popular move to digital had made old film cameras a bit of a glut on the 2nd hand market (at least at the time).

I'd not looked into Leica gear, however, as there weren't a lot of cheap Leicas floating around! However, I'd been reading some of Sean Reid's stuff about the different "way of seeing" allowed by a rangefinder and the marked differences between them and the view through an SLR. That piqued my interest and I started thinking about how I might check this out without breaking the bank. As it happened, a local camera store (Foto Reisel in Sydney) had a Hexar RF boxed set at an affordable(-ish) price. So I bought it, used it and loved it.

And there started the rot (and the GAS). I own and regularly use two Hexar RFs (in case one breaks, I want a spare), an M3 and a Canon P (less regularly used, I must admit), a fine bunch of lenses (Konica, Leica, ZM and CV) and other RFs as well. I love 'em all.

...Mike

 

[Haigh]

Simple:I'd been earning pocket money with an SLR and had the sudden realization that I was gradually losing interest in photography. I wandered into a shop and asked about a Leica, heaven knows why. Went to another shop, sold evey bit of my equipment and walked away with an old Leica M4-P and 35 and 50 Summicrons. I have been a Leica devotee ever since.

 

[chrismoret]

Stumbled in photography after 16 years of absence. Bought a D300, used F3's 16 years ago, but felt to bulky on the streets. Wanted a M9, but I fond it to expensive for hobby-use. Now ever so happy with my '86 M4p. 😀

 

[Treb]

Minolta X-700 > Canon T90 > M4 > M6

The T90 was my dream camera, but it's big and heavy. Carrying it around together with its lenses is quite a workout. I discovered I hardly used all of its fancy bells and whistles. Got a very nice M4 with 35mm Summaron instead. Couldn't live without a built-in light meter though. Bought a new M6 in 1992 that I still have. My wife has a Nikon D40 that I also use.