I no longer own an LTM Leica

[kehng]

I sold my II and IIIF recently. Loved them but an M3 performs much better for me. If my coat pocket isn't big enough I either bring my D-Lux 6 or a small Domke bag. LTMs are wonderful but I promised the wife that I would thin out the herd this year.

 

[oftheherd]

Just sold my LTM as well. Was a beautiful iiif that Leica Solms had completely rebuilt. Just had too much difficulty with the focus. The last time I used it was at a dance performance and I just guest focused it as it was too dark for the rangefinder. Beautiful mechanical pieces though.

Best,
-Tim

My first rangefinder was an Olympus P&S of some sort. In really dark areas that I was going to photograph by flash caused me the same problems. For me at least, I found I could actually focus better with an SLR, doing just what some early autofocus cameras did, going from out of focus areas on each side, until was was in acceptable focus. DOF took care of the rest. Sad to part with a mechanical tool one likes though.

 

[Red Robin]

All my lenses are LTM. Both affordable Leica body deals fell apart at the last min. So I am quite content now with my two Canon barnacks, (3)Canon p's, and when I go modern, a Bessa R. They have everything I need . .. ... except an engraving on top that starts with a "L". or a red dot in the front.

 

[dave lackey]

Shame! 😉

I like the smaller body for certain times and/or moods.

Everyone should have an M body and a ltm body, IMO.

+1 on that!🙂

 

[fotomeow]

The LTM bodies I have (IIIa & IIIf) are so small and light, they are unbeatable in some respects. Talk about a pocketable camera with options. Just have to learn how to use a small Gossen 6 light meter, and you are golden.

I also try to buy the LTM version of M lenses b/c of this, rather than only bayonet mounts, so that I can use the LTM lenses on either my IIIs or my M7.

 

[Godfrey]

I haven't had a Barnack in many years. For compact and film, the CL does me fine. For more compact, the X2.

G

 

[furcafe]

Just keep the body & lens in different pockets, then reassemble at the show. I've done that to sneak both M & LTM cameras into concerts.

Vick, last night I easily put in a coat pocket a IIIf with collapsible lens to carry to a concert. My M3 would not have quite fit, so I disagree that the M is always best. ;-)

Randy

 

[Platinum RF]

Play LTM is for fun, for its craftsmanship. For speedy and convening, we have digital. I bet you will get a copy some day late on.

 

[goamules]

Both Barnacks and Ms seem to be slow to rewind, they require turning a knob, instead of winding a fast crank like the screwmount Canons. Both have cloth shutters, no meters, and deteriorating glass in their rangefinders (unless you mean the more modern Ms). So using either is an exercise in history reenactment. I see no reason to claim one is "better". They both are obsolete...and fun if you like quality equipment at the expense of not having modern, fast, plastic, autoeverything.

I'm shooting a 1930 Leica II, a Tower 5L lever wind, a Canon IVSB, and a Canon P. I interchange them all depending on my mood. If I wanted to take a serious, commercial photography gig, I'd be shooting something made in the past 10 years. Probably. But for enjoying photography, give me antiques.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

my iiif is one of the finest things I've ever held in my hands

 

[peterm1]

Last Thursday I went along to our local Leica user group and one of the guys had a 111f. God it is beautiful. That model must have a modified shutter mechanism compared to older camera versions as it had that wonderful soft "shnik'" sound more like an M3 than any other LTM camera I have used. It truly was beautiful and makes me want to buy one again. They are gorgeous to look at too.

 

[John Shriver]

Going traveling tomorrow, and taking the Leica IIIa instead of the much nicer Canon 7s for straightforward reasons of weight. Don't want to be bogged down with a heavy camera walking around New York City. Using the Summar instead of Summicron or Canon 50mm lens for same reason, weight.

 

[thegman]

Hope you're wrong, as I just sold off my last M camera, hoping to focus only on medium format cameras. However, I didn't last long and jumped on a good deal on a IIIf and Elmar, hope it will be the only 35mm camera I need.