I'm running a fever

[anoldsock]

...so I mainly shoot digital, lemme rephrase, I used to shoot digital. About a month ago I thought I'd jump into the rangefinder world just for kicks and bought a Yashica 35 GSN for $30 off Craigslist.

...then the fever started, now I have 2 other rangefinders, a Leica IIIC currently getting a CLA, and now I'm shopping for an M series. All the while my 5D and the 4 other L lenses sits in the corner collecting dust. It's enough for me to consider selling it. I'm a self taught hobbyist that learned to shoot using digital, but I'm quickly falling in love with film.

Now all I gotta decide is whether or not I should get an M2/M3 or M6.

My wallet is bleeding out cash.

 

[tripod]

Another soul lost. (Or is that saved?)

 

[RF-Addict]

Don't sell your 5D or the lenses. It is normal to go through these phases where one camera will sit on the shelf for a while and then all of a sudden you use it again. Why not use both - there are many situations where a DSLR is much better suited than a RF camera (wildlife, sports, action photography or even landscapes)

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I found that digital did not provide the quality that I had in the film format. Even older cameras like the Yashica GSN had better performing lenses. The IIIc will be better with the newer CV lenses. If you go for an M. The difference between the M2 & M3 is the 35mm viewfincder lines. The M2 has them & the M3 does not. There are other differnces, of course, but that, for me, is the most significant. An M6 has a meter and one can buy it in black more easily than in the silver format. With the M series you bought a Leica, doesn't it deserve Leica glass? That will significantly increase the cost. Also, if you get more into the M's you will want the 35mm Summicron and that will be quite costly. You can go with the CV or Zeiss lensest...there are many articles floating around on the internet regarding the quality of not only the different lenses but also when the lens was produced. Good Luck and be prepared to read a lot on technical data.

 

[bmattock]

You are going to need a bigger house. Possibly two of them.

 

[anoldsock]

I probably will keep the 5D, but something has to give. The cost of going Leica can add up pretty quickly. 😉

I feel like that's all I do now is read and read and read some more. I read so much that my head starts to hurt and my vision goes blurry, and I end up staying on the computer all night and not getting enough sleep for work the next morning. Ha! It's actually kind of overwhelming.

Honestly, I like the feel of film a lot more than digital. The photos seem to have more character, which can't be recreated with a digital sensor. Also, with digital, I tend to over think my shots in trying to compose, recompose and reshoot my subjects. With film, you definitely have to put more thought into the shot, the composition and the lighting. In that sense, I would say that it's making me a better photographer.

Hopefully I can find a good deal on an M shooter pretty soon. I've been reading all week about the variations between the M3/M2 and M6 and honestly I haven't been swayed either way yet. I like the TTL on the M6, but it's almost 2x as much as the M3/M2, and honestly I don't really know if I need it as I can always use the Sunny 16 rule.

Besides the viewfinder frame, is there anything else I should take into consideration when deciding between the M3 or M2?

 

[infrequent]

do you really need multiple RF bodies?

 

[anoldsock]

you're right, probably not

 

[Avotius]

Get an M6 and stop thinking about it. Shoot more pictures. Though I do know where you are coming from, my gf has a 5D and this and that lens, but she has been using my Yashica GSN and has not touched her 5D in.....months?

 

[meven]

...so I mainly shoot digital, lemme rephrase, I used to shoot digital. About a month ago I thought I'd jump into the rangefinder world just for kicks and bought a Yashica 35 GSN for $30 off Craigslist.

...then the fever started, now I have 2 other rangefinders, a Leica IIIC currently getting a CLA, and now I'm shopping for an M series. All the while my 5D and the 4 other L lenses sits in the corner collecting dust. It's enough for me to consider selling it. I'm a self taught hobbyist that learned to shoot using digital, but I'm quickly falling in love with film.

Now all I gotta decide is whether or not I should get an M2/M3 or M6.

My wallet is bleeding out cash.

Hi,

I just sent you an email.

Cheers
Max

 

[shadowfox]

All the while my 5D and the 4 other L lenses sits in the corner collecting dust. It's enough for me to consider selling it. I'm a self taught hobbyist that learned to shoot using digital, but I'm quickly falling in love with film.

Your 5D is good for another thing; if you don't want to bleed more cash out, beware of the word "manual lens adapter" when it's associated with it 😉

Glad you found film photography.

 

[elude]

sell the 5D and the lenses, pickup an MP with your favorite focal length

 

[ferider]

Buy an M2, M4P or M6 and a couple of Voigtlander lenses and enjoy 🙂

They are chick magnets, too, you know ...

Roland.

 

[ibcrewin]

Wait... are yoiu souping your own?

Now that's some good crack.

 

[Arvay]

I probably will keep the 5D, but something has to give. The cost of going Leica can add up pretty quickly. 😉

Stop at Leica M and do not even try Rollei 6008...😀

 

[SolaresLarrave]

I'd stop here. Don't go on a buying spree yet. Simply go and get used to the cameras and their limitations. Before jumping into the M pond, keep using your RF cameras for a while. Once you feel you've achieved something, go Leica.

That, or take the plunge and don't look back.

I simply wouldn't part with my SLR, though. No matter how digital. You'll need it some day. In the meanwhile, enjoy film! 🙂

 

[anoldsock]

Stop at Leica M and do not even try Rollei 6008...😀

Oh man, I'm actually already looking at medium format. For the cheap I'm looking at the Yashica Mat 124 or the Rolleiflex. No where near the Rollei 6008, but it's a start.

 

[anoldsock]

Thanks Solares

I'm not actually going to sell the 5D, but I just wanted to show the enthusiasm that I have now for film.

 

[Arvay]

Oh man, I'm actually already looking at medium format. For the cheap I'm looking at the Yashica Mat 124 or the Rolleiflex. No where near the Rollei 6008, but it's a start.

Started like that. That's why I'm warning 😀

 

[rolo]

Thanks Solares

I'm not actually going to sell the 5D, but I just wanted to show the enthusiasm that I have now for film.

The cheapest way into film for you is a Canon film boy that will use your existing lens collection. Leica isn't a 'way into film' it's a 'way into range finders'.

Your already finding better ways into film with Rolleiflex etc....

Just be sure you want it before selling the kids. If your end result is prints, film can be easily justified, but the internet has driven a stake into the heart of photography because it's so much easier to communicate your output digitally. That can be a ball ache for film users, although worthwhile for many.

Rolo