bumgardner
Newbie
It sounds to me like you are also haveing problems with tonality. To cope with this I would suggest do a grey card test on the camera to make sure the meter is working accuratley and then if you find that it is off for one reason or another compensate for it approperatley. I have found that you sometimes do et a roll back from the shop and it is over or under developed the film, but you can easiley tell if this is the case by examining the film.
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
Those are the herdest, frankly.St3v3 said:
Looks like you want "the sharpest"; I don't think that's something inherent in either technology, but exploring is one of the best ways of learning. Best of luck.
edodo
Well-known
My advice for RF newbies: get a cheap fixed lens RF (but good)
I think St3v3 should try a little rangefinder like the olympus 35rc, its 50 bux you can't regret it! And if you like the way of discreet shooting with it and would die for an interchangeable lens system then opt for the Leica CL system wich is great and compact. And if you feel like you want an M then...
I think St3v3 should try a little rangefinder like the olympus 35rc, its 50 bux you can't regret it! And if you like the way of discreet shooting with it and would die for an interchangeable lens system then opt for the Leica CL system wich is great and compact. And if you feel like you want an M then...
St3v3
Newbie
Well I 've done another film and gonna take it to the shop tomorrow maybe somthing might be good enough to post here. I will also try the grey card technique. I've had a look at quite a few leica M6s on ebay some going for 800 euros. But I think I will see what I can get out of the II first and take a real close look at all the options available on market.
ywenz
Veteran
If you're tight on budget, then not need to get a new MP.. any used Leica modern M or another modern M RF will give you the same experience. The MP just gives you some additional intangible qualities, the rule of diminishing return applies very much so here.
colinh
Well-known
I love all these posts by students and 19 year olds 
As you may have noticed, Steve, you'll get lots of good, boring advice here. From the others, that is
Now, if you have that sort of money lying around, how much fun would it be to start a pension scheme or life insurance? You'd get excellent conditions now - but would it be fun? What's the point of buying an MP when you're so old that you're half blind, hey? And if you intend ever to get married / have kids: get it before! For some inexplicable reason wives seem to think there are more important things you can do with x thousand dollars.
You had a look at an MP. But did you touch it? Hold it? Caress it? Hear the shutter? Wind it on? Which owner of a poxy digital camera can wind it on a frame? Hah! If you have done these things, the memory will not let you go, until you acquire an MP.
You will take it to bed, to breakfast and to work. Don't load any film for the first week - then you can listen to the shutter and wind on hundreds of times a day...
If you do get one, the mere act of holding it will prompt you to take better, more thoughtful pictures. You will aspire to the greatness of the Leica Gods. HCB, Capa et al. Even Ansel Adams shot a Leica a couple of times.
If you get one, you'll probably need a lens. You can do most of the above without one - but having a lens lets you take pictures too. The lens should be a good one, of course. Leica would be happy to sell you a 28/2.0 Summicron or a 28/2.8 Elmarit ASPH, but as some will tell you, the significantly cheaper Zeiss ZM Biogons are extremely good. At least the ZM 25/2.8 and ZM 35/2.0 are. I assume the ZM 28/2.8 is too. Any of these lenses will give you stunningly sharp (and contrasty) pictures - compared to an uncoated pre-war lens.
The 350D does feel a bit tacky - I let my kids use it (just turned 7). It's ideal for them: light, zoom, auto-everything and they can take 20 shots of a passing dog without annoying me. (It's also interesting to see things from their perspective, in both senses).
The 5D is surely much better. I would have got one, but the full-frame premium over the 30D just annoyed me. As you say, it's much bigger. You just don't take the same sort of pictures with a DSLR as you do with a Leica.
Regarding darkroom equipment. Yes, it should be good. But, luckily for you, everyone is throwing away their excellent equipment for nearly nothing on eBay these days. You should be able to get everything for, say, USD 500?
OK, seriously now, you could take all of the above as proper advice. I haven't lied anywhere. You *would* enjoy it. It *does* feel nice. It *is* fun. It will also hold it's value better than any digital, and it will still be the same MP in 10 years. Anyone still using their 640x480 digital camera?
But, you don't actually need an MP to do RF photography. Also, you should make sure you're not going to miss the benefits of a DSLR.
colin
As you may have noticed, Steve, you'll get lots of good, boring advice here. From the others, that is
Now, if you have that sort of money lying around, how much fun would it be to start a pension scheme or life insurance? You'd get excellent conditions now - but would it be fun? What's the point of buying an MP when you're so old that you're half blind, hey? And if you intend ever to get married / have kids: get it before! For some inexplicable reason wives seem to think there are more important things you can do with x thousand dollars.
You had a look at an MP. But did you touch it? Hold it? Caress it? Hear the shutter? Wind it on? Which owner of a poxy digital camera can wind it on a frame? Hah! If you have done these things, the memory will not let you go, until you acquire an MP.
You will take it to bed, to breakfast and to work. Don't load any film for the first week - then you can listen to the shutter and wind on hundreds of times a day...
If you do get one, the mere act of holding it will prompt you to take better, more thoughtful pictures. You will aspire to the greatness of the Leica Gods. HCB, Capa et al. Even Ansel Adams shot a Leica a couple of times.
If you get one, you'll probably need a lens. You can do most of the above without one - but having a lens lets you take pictures too. The lens should be a good one, of course. Leica would be happy to sell you a 28/2.0 Summicron or a 28/2.8 Elmarit ASPH, but as some will tell you, the significantly cheaper Zeiss ZM Biogons are extremely good. At least the ZM 25/2.8 and ZM 35/2.0 are. I assume the ZM 28/2.8 is too. Any of these lenses will give you stunningly sharp (and contrasty) pictures - compared to an uncoated pre-war lens.
The 350D does feel a bit tacky - I let my kids use it (just turned 7). It's ideal for them: light, zoom, auto-everything and they can take 20 shots of a passing dog without annoying me. (It's also interesting to see things from their perspective, in both senses).
The 5D is surely much better. I would have got one, but the full-frame premium over the 30D just annoyed me. As you say, it's much bigger. You just don't take the same sort of pictures with a DSLR as you do with a Leica.
Regarding darkroom equipment. Yes, it should be good. But, luckily for you, everyone is throwing away their excellent equipment for nearly nothing on eBay these days. You should be able to get everything for, say, USD 500?
OK, seriously now, you could take all of the above as proper advice. I haven't lied anywhere. You *would* enjoy it. It *does* feel nice. It *is* fun. It will also hold it's value better than any digital, and it will still be the same MP in 10 years. Anyone still using their 640x480 digital camera?
But, you don't actually need an MP to do RF photography. Also, you should make sure you're not going to miss the benefits of a DSLR.
colin
M
mad_boy
Guest
You do not need extra cash to develop your own B&W.
The masses move to digital, and at least here in Holland there are many who are
happy to give a complete system away (or sell it for peanuts like 25 Euro).
mad_boy
The masses move to digital, and at least here in Holland there are many who are
happy to give a complete system away (or sell it for peanuts like 25 Euro).
mad_boy
St3v3
Newbie
Well colinh, thanks for the advice you pretty much got me there. Part of the cash is actually supposed to go towards a pension, but hey!
Yes listened to MP quite thoughtfully in the shop, it just got me in the moment theres nothing quit like it. But it is way to expensive and the prices M6s on ebay are good, but I just cant fathom not holding one, and having to wire money over ebay without physically seeing it. Its not like a CD or toaster....I guess I'll bide my time and have a look if I can find one locally or till I'm confident enough to bid high amounts on ebay.
Yes listened to MP quite thoughtfully in the shop, it just got me in the moment theres nothing quit like it. But it is way to expensive and the prices M6s on ebay are good, but I just cant fathom not holding one, and having to wire money over ebay without physically seeing it. Its not like a CD or toaster....I guess I'll bide my time and have a look if I can find one locally or till I'm confident enough to bid high amounts on ebay.
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colinh
Well-known
St3v3 said:
Ah, you listened to the voice of reason then? Well done! An M6 is a good choice. I haven't had any problems buying (expensive) cameras on eBay. You have to read the description carefully. I suppose you know to avoid like plague comments like "I don't know anything about cameras, but it seems to work" don't you? It should also state explicitly that the VF is clear and bright etc etc.colin
keithwms
Established
St3v3 said:
That might be nice. I am not such a huge fan of TLRs, personally, but they are very nice for some things like street and concert shooting. As a journalist, my father strongly favoured his yashica TLR.
Let me suggest that you also look at the 120 rangefinders. They are about as compact as a 35mm SLR and offer ~2x larger frame size than 35mm. Look at robertwhite, for 1400 euros you can get a *brand new* mamiya 7ii and 80mm lens. If necessary, you should be able to find a used mamiya 6, 7, or 7ii for under 1000 euros. There are many other really wonderful and less expensive options in the MF area; have a look around Dante Stella's site if you are interested.
Bottom line for me: for scenic / landscape stuff, a MF RF is great. For available light street work requiring fast lenses, a 35mm RF is way better. The larger frame size of ~6x6cm MF is great for wide work, but the MF lenses are just too slow for some shooting styles. For me, f/4 is plenty fast.
P.S. Colin, I was just almost snagged by a very expensive scam on ebay, someone in the UK was allegedly selling a fuji gsw690. It took me several days to clear up the mess with ebay and paypal. Do be careful, semi-intelligent thieves can copy and paste credible looking camera information and have your money in hours and then disappear. I never would have believed that somebody would base a scam on a fuji gsw!!! In the end it was a personal email replete with grammatical inconsistencies that was his undoing....
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colinh
Well-known
keithwms said:
Let's hope the intelligent criminals are out hatching incredibly fiendish plots to grab millions from the banks, rather than a couple of hundred on eBay. The level of English these perps employ is truly atrocious.
I can hear English teachers the world over exhorting their students: "Look doods, if you wanna pull a decent scam on eBay, you'll have to improve your English."
colin
demian
Established
Colin:
Your'e a man after my own heart.
great post.
...and fwiw, I have purchased items for tens of thousands of dollars on ebay without problem..
It is nothing more than a worldwide calssifieds ad.
The same sense is used.
Best,
D
PS: Off topic, see your in Munich. Great city. I too live in Europe for several years now. Spent New Year in Berlin...differnt world from Munich of course.
Imagine this..my beloved MP (yes I forwent pensions and the like..) LOST while pushing through the crowd at celebration at Brandenburg Gate.
Backpack pulled right off of my d@mn shoulder...1million plus people...Insane becasue I am incredibly experienced/secure/protective while travelling.
EXACTLY at midnight...2minutes before cooutdown I tell my wife..."I lost my backpack!!"
We are digging searching all night until 4am..girls on their knees, couples on the ground and I am searching around through people's legs with a lighter!
I goto the police station, wife returns to hostel...
I return to search..everyone gone...empty backpacks along the roads/park..
...long to short, I return to the hostel at 9am and the guy there tells me..."hey, the cops called, they said they found your backpack."
I goto the station...everything, passport, camera, 35 ASPH, everything...is there, untouched.
Only in Germany man..
True story...
Find the Germans rather obnoxious at times, but I will never say a cross word about them as long as I live.
And needless to say...another reason why my MP is special. Need the funds now as the euro is a kller, but d@mn if I could part with it.
Your'e a man after my own heart.
great post.
...and fwiw, I have purchased items for tens of thousands of dollars on ebay without problem..
It is nothing more than a worldwide calssifieds ad.
The same sense is used.
Best,
D
PS: Off topic, see your in Munich. Great city. I too live in Europe for several years now. Spent New Year in Berlin...differnt world from Munich of course.
Imagine this..my beloved MP (yes I forwent pensions and the like..) LOST while pushing through the crowd at celebration at Brandenburg Gate.
Backpack pulled right off of my d@mn shoulder...1million plus people...Insane becasue I am incredibly experienced/secure/protective while travelling.
EXACTLY at midnight...2minutes before cooutdown I tell my wife..."I lost my backpack!!"
We are digging searching all night until 4am..girls on their knees, couples on the ground and I am searching around through people's legs with a lighter!
I goto the police station, wife returns to hostel...
I return to search..everyone gone...empty backpacks along the roads/park..
...long to short, I return to the hostel at 9am and the guy there tells me..."hey, the cops called, they said they found your backpack."
I goto the station...everything, passport, camera, 35 ASPH, everything...is there, untouched.
Only in Germany man..
True story...
Find the Germans rather obnoxious at times, but I will never say a cross word about them as long as I live.
And needless to say...another reason why my MP is special. Need the funds now as the euro is a kller, but d@mn if I could part with it.