Leaving Leica

sqjaw said:
yes walgreens Did all the developing and only the last roll did have them scan the negatives out of 24 got maybe 12 good ones and maybe 4-5 keepers I do better with my 6x9 folding camera ? : Lauren
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That is much better than my hit/miss ratio! I'm lucky to get one or two keepers from my usually 36-exp roll.
 
What can be worst than my eyesight nearsighted -1400 grade (right) -1200 (left). I've been a long time SLR user and shift to RF as it is much easier to focus. But I agree, it takes getting used to. I remember my 1st RF is a Bessa R3a, it's a great camera but I always lose the patch and can't read the shutter speed in the VF more often then not. I almost gave up until I tried the M2 and M3. I agree SLR will be more difficult to focus with a fledgling eyesight.
 
helenhill said:
The only thing that would TEMPT me into leaving 'Leica'
is a mamiya 6 & the 50mm

though I'm not sure I want the Hassle of less shots on a roll
and having to buy a scanner...:eek:
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I feel the same. And I've been trying to find one I can afford. A local lab, one of only two left hereabouts, will scan medium format at $2/neg. Not bad if I'm selective.

To the OP: sorry that RFs didn't work out for you, best of luck with whatever gear you choose. who knows? you may come back to RFs at some point. maybe keep one around with just a single lens in case the urge strikes.
 
CLE-RF said:
sqjaw,


If not willing to take a plunge financially, you can always have a look at this Zorki-3 from Fedka.com. Cameras sold there are in excellent condition, I can vouch for Yuri!
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Not necessarily. I paid top price for a Kiev from fedka some years ago. It turned out to have a defective shutter, but he refused to replace or repair it free. In my opinion the allegedly dodgy dealers in Ukraine etc are just as good for FSU stuff.
 
I had miserable processing / scan experiences with several cameras - Exakta VX II, Pentax SP-500, Minolta XG-1, and eventually my Leica... finally, a good friend suggested taking the next roll from any one of these cameras to the local PROFESSIONAL lab.

The images were perfect, at least in terms of exposure, focus, sharpness... won't talk about my arch-nemisis "Composition"...

I had been blaming my cameras when the issue actually was lousy processing...

It took me about six-months / a dozen rolls to start getting reliably good shots from my Leica;
now it's my go-to camera...

The only MF/LF camera that's given me consistently as good results is my ancient Zeiss "Donata" 9x12 plate camera with a RADA 6x9 roll-film back...

Have not had the results I was hoping for from my TLR YashicaMAT ( camera is working correctly)...

I think it is a matter of hanging in there until you master a given camera / format.

In the case of my screw-mount Leica, I made up my mind that the folks had been taking excellent pictures with them for eighty years, so I was going to learn how too ( dammit! ).

But wonky processing can definitely play merry hell with your mind !
 
I've never understood these "I'm leaving" types of posts. If you've made up your mind then just do it. If you were some famous photog whose name is closely associated with using Leica cameras then I might understand.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh it's not meant to.
 
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If it is worth shooting it's worth top quality development. I'd eliminate that from the equation first. I do find I can focus SLRs much more accurately as long as it's a nice big viewfinder like an OM1 or Contax Aria.

Still 4-5 keepers out of 24 is quite good, IMHO.
 
CLE-RF said:
what cameras did you shoot? I read about your recently acquired 1936 Leica III and it is by no means exemplary for the brilliant rangefinder cameras you can use. Using an M3 will be a completely different experience, for instance.
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Indeed...I wouldn't use a Barnack as representative of the Leica experience. Maybe try something a bit newer, maybe 50 years old or less. :)
 
I suspect her problems are including the wrong film processor is the lens. The Summar is soft and the Culminar's quality is iffy at best..
 
My eyes are what stops me going totally SLR ... I can focus my OM-1 in pretty low light with the f1.2 on it but it's hard work compared to a good rangefinder and a small percentage of shots from the OM combo will have missed correct focus by a small amount every time in these conditions.

I don't remember the last time I fluffed the focus with my Ikon in any light!

Get a decent modern rangefinder ... not some fifty plus year old piece of symbolism that probaly isn't as sharp as it used to be!

:)
 
Not to pile on, but the Leica III is going to be much more difficult to use than a M Leica. Also, the Summar and Russian glass isn't the best there is to offer.
 
Mr.Rose its not harsh just fact on which I say this Its all up for sale now:
thanks Lauren



eric rose said:
I've never understood these "I'm leaving" types of posts. If you've made up your mind then just do it. If you were some famous photog whose name is closely associated with using Leica cameras then I might understand.

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh it's not meant to.
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chris00nj said:
Not to pile on, but the Leica III is going to be much more difficult to use than a M Leica. Also, the Summar and Russian glass isn't the best there is to offer.
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The russian 135mm F-4 and the Industar 26m 52mm F-2.8 have given me some good fotos , will be keeping the FED-2 with a summarit lens 50mm F-1.5 taylor hobsen lens and the Industar 26m F-2.8 and the Tanaka Kogaku TELE-TANAR [C] F-3.5 135mm lens and thats all :
 
Don't let the door hit you on the way out :D. Just kidding. Thing is, you tried it and it didn't work out. Move forward and I hope you keep shooting.

Gregory
 
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Though, think if you keep shooting with the Leica, do you think it would be possible to learn from your compositional mistakes and thus become a better photographer?

At the end of the day, the camera can still put a picture on film the same as any SLR can. If the vision is lacking, then perhaps that is a good place to concentrate on improving you photography ability.

It may be hard to admit, but 6 bad rolls has very little to do with the type of camera. Indeed using a RF, I take a different sort of picture as opposed to my 6x6, but I don't think they are of any less quality. Yet every now and then I shoot a couple of bad rolls and think what was going through my head, I think on that and learn and note what I may have done wrong.

RF's have only served in making me more aware of the photographic opportunities out there. Selling the kit is at your disadvantage as it seems as if you're purposely avoiding an area of your ability that needs to be addressed.

Perhaps sell, but do buy a cheap RF and stick at it mate,
and I mean this sincerely and to no offense.
 
FWIW I just surfed thru your website and checked the images... I'd like to suggest something to think about prior to purchasing another camera.

You should take a small stick drive of these images to the camera store where you intend to buy a camera and show them your subject matter.

Your disenchantment is probably rooted in the "wrong tool for the job" syndrome. You shoot such a varied style that I don't really believe any single camera does a satisfactory job. You might consider purchasing a general purpose camera with a couple of lenses that compliment your style. The Leica III is a great camera but I'd never call it one of the must have cameras for macro flower photography or serious architectural and landscape work that I saw on your website.

Hope this helps
 
Thank you for taking the time renxddering a few thoughts on my work,Etc: thanks a Lot:





jan normandale said:
FWIW I just surfed thru your website and checked the images... I'd like to suggest something to think about prior to purchasing another camera.

You should take a small stick drive of these images to the camera store where you intend to buy a camera and show them your subject matter.

Your disenchantment is probably rooted in the "wrong tool for the job" syndrome. You shoot such a varied style that I don't really believe any single camera does a satisfactory job. You might consider purchasing a general purpose camera with a couple of lenses that compliment your style. The Leica III is a great camera but I'd never call it one of the must have cameras for macro flower photography or serious architectural and landscape work that I saw on your website.

Hope this helps
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Neare said:
Though, think if you keep shooting with the Leica, do you think it would be possible to learn from your compositional mistakes and thus become a better photographer?

At the end of the day, the camera can still put a picture on film the same as any SLR can. If the vision is lacking, then perhaps that is a good place to concentrate on improving you photography ability.

It may be hard to admit, but 6 bad rolls has very little to do with the type of camera. Indeed using a RF, I take a different sort of picture as opposed to my 6x6, but I don't think they are of any less quality. Yet every now and then I shoot a couple of bad rolls and think what was going through my head, I think on that and learn and note what I may have done wrong.

RF's have only served in making me more aware of the photographic opportunities out there. Selling the kit is at your disadvantage as it seems as if you're purposely avoiding an area of your ability that needs to be addressed.

Perhaps sell, but do buy a cheap RF and stick at it mate,
and I mean this sincerely and to no offense.
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I have a FED-2 camera and a 50mm F-1.5 taylor Hobson and 135mm Nice japaniess lens and Industar 26m 52mm F-2.8 swtill to play with ,thanks for your thoughts
 
I've been thinking about selling all my Leica stuff, because of the less expensive alternatives out there. It's hard to justify Leica when you have Voigtlander and Zeiss. If I was getting into film rangefinders today, I would probably never get to Leica. Paradoxically, it is now Leica bodies, and not their glass, that keeps me with them. M own experience with them over the last 15 years is that they are very durable and reliable.
 
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