wakarimasen
Well-known
Thanks for all of the comments......where to source a used Leica in the UK for good value?
BillBingham2
Registered User
Best place to get things are good prices is here. Lots of folks in from around the world (EU). Robert White is a name I've seen around here a bit but I have now dealings with him. Do some searching for here for good camera stores in the UK.
B2 (;->
B2 (;->
Erik L
Well-known
a lot of people have spoken already but i think it sepends on what focal length you like best. the 35 framelines on a canon are all but invisible compared to the M2 im sure is worse if you wear glasses. and if you shoot with a 28mm the .72 viewfinders in the leicas are pretty useless, and the .58 ones are super expensive. you would pretty much be stuck with a bessa.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Late again...
Late again...
Hi,
I think I ought to warn you that it just ain't that simple to buy a Leica. The reason being that it's a system you're buying into and it won't stop with just one body and one lens.
So if you can, stop and look in ebay at the "completed listing" that will give the price of bodies and so on. Then tot up the cost of the body, two or three lenses, two or three lens hoods, two or three lens caps and so on. Then think about cases, meters, shoulder straps etc. And add about £10 or £20 for an instruction book with the wrap round guide in good condition. (And the flash socket adapter, the flash socket cover and so on.. )
If talking say M2 then work out how easy it will be to get the right vintage of lens with it and in the same condition. Because sooner or later you'll be saying that the lens should be the right vintage for the body (that means a year or so older).
The same applies to say a model II and there you'll really be up against it because pre-war stuff is dear and not too good for the price you pay. And bitter experience tells me that a major overhaul of all of it will soon be on the cards. It can and does cost you. It's best to go to a dealer and get some sort of gaurantee and be able to send it back if not honestly described.
As for the Fed 2, I think they are pleasant cameras. Nicely developed from the Leica II and you can get well made copies of the pre-war Zeiss lenses for them. That's something they could only dream about in the 30's although there seem to have been a lot of adapted Zeiss and Meyer lenses about for the 39mm screw thread cameras. And good lenses and overhauls for Fed's don't cost an arm and a leg.
Then there's the extra viewfinders for the pre-war Leica's which are (I'm being very polite) weird if we are talking the universal one and dear if we mean the van Albada individual ones. The old USSR made universal finder is very good and designed for the Fed 2: what more could you want?
Something no one seems to have mentioned is the Leica CL, which is a very nice camera in a sensible package. Or the range of Olympus cameras, like the XA for a P&S RF and so on.
Sorry if this is a bit of a downer. I've far to many Leicas, Fed's etc in the collection and wouldn't want anyone to jump in without some idea of what's involved.
Regards, David
Late again...
Hi,
I think I ought to warn you that it just ain't that simple to buy a Leica. The reason being that it's a system you're buying into and it won't stop with just one body and one lens.
So if you can, stop and look in ebay at the "completed listing" that will give the price of bodies and so on. Then tot up the cost of the body, two or three lenses, two or three lens hoods, two or three lens caps and so on. Then think about cases, meters, shoulder straps etc. And add about £10 or £20 for an instruction book with the wrap round guide in good condition. (And the flash socket adapter, the flash socket cover and so on.. )
If talking say M2 then work out how easy it will be to get the right vintage of lens with it and in the same condition. Because sooner or later you'll be saying that the lens should be the right vintage for the body (that means a year or so older).
The same applies to say a model II and there you'll really be up against it because pre-war stuff is dear and not too good for the price you pay. And bitter experience tells me that a major overhaul of all of it will soon be on the cards. It can and does cost you. It's best to go to a dealer and get some sort of gaurantee and be able to send it back if not honestly described.
As for the Fed 2, I think they are pleasant cameras. Nicely developed from the Leica II and you can get well made copies of the pre-war Zeiss lenses for them. That's something they could only dream about in the 30's although there seem to have been a lot of adapted Zeiss and Meyer lenses about for the 39mm screw thread cameras. And good lenses and overhauls for Fed's don't cost an arm and a leg.
Then there's the extra viewfinders for the pre-war Leica's which are (I'm being very polite) weird if we are talking the universal one and dear if we mean the van Albada individual ones. The old USSR made universal finder is very good and designed for the Fed 2: what more could you want?
Something no one seems to have mentioned is the Leica CL, which is a very nice camera in a sensible package. Or the range of Olympus cameras, like the XA for a P&S RF and so on.
Sorry if this is a bit of a downer. I've far to many Leicas, Fed's etc in the collection and wouldn't want anyone to jump in without some idea of what's involved.
Regards, David
ClaremontPhoto
Jon Claremont
Camera or lens?
I'd go for film
And art exhibitions.
I'd go for film
And art exhibitions.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
There's IMHO no LTM Leica body that offers anything substantial over a good FED 2, for a beginner and for the money even less so. Not worth it if your main interest is producing pictures. M Leicas are nice but expensive.
Lenses are tricky. In LTM there aren't that many Leica-branded lenses that are actually interesting from a photographic point of view, in that they offer anything superior over a good non-Leica lens (such as a Canon 50/1,5, a good Industar-61, and so on), and the non-Leica lens may cost less. Not worth going into IMHO unless you're interested in the gear collection aspect. On the other hand if it doesn't have to be Leica-branded, and if it can be a modern as opposed to a classic lens, there are quite some Voigtländer lenses that offer a unique chance to broaden your photographic viewpoint. I assume you have a 50mm lens on your FED. All you get from Leica is other 50mm lenses, or maybe something in 35 to 135mm that will be old and overpriced. A Voigtländer 21/f4 for the same money, for example, will allow you to explore quite a bit of a different photographic view. That's what I would get if you wanted something new gear-wise.
Don't get lured too far into the gear trap. Collecting gear is a legitimate hobby (as is tinkering with old cars, as opposed to driving around in the countryside with a girl). It is usually difficult to do both, though. So if you become too preoccupied with gear, it may be a wee bit difficult to get good at taking pictures.
Lenses are tricky. In LTM there aren't that many Leica-branded lenses that are actually interesting from a photographic point of view, in that they offer anything superior over a good non-Leica lens (such as a Canon 50/1,5, a good Industar-61, and so on), and the non-Leica lens may cost less. Not worth going into IMHO unless you're interested in the gear collection aspect. On the other hand if it doesn't have to be Leica-branded, and if it can be a modern as opposed to a classic lens, there are quite some Voigtländer lenses that offer a unique chance to broaden your photographic viewpoint. I assume you have a 50mm lens on your FED. All you get from Leica is other 50mm lenses, or maybe something in 35 to 135mm that will be old and overpriced. A Voigtländer 21/f4 for the same money, for example, will allow you to explore quite a bit of a different photographic view. That's what I would get if you wanted something new gear-wise.
Don't get lured too far into the gear trap. Collecting gear is a legitimate hobby (as is tinkering with old cars, as opposed to driving around in the countryside with a girl). It is usually difficult to do both, though. So if you become too preoccupied with gear, it may be a wee bit difficult to get good at taking pictures.
Ronald M
Veteran
All DSLR cameras have a manual mode. Use it just like a rangefinder.
The only thing different will be you need to select a white balance and ISO instead of picking a film for condition at hand. Of course you can cheat and use Auto WB instead of sun or tungsten or black and white.
Make the file as large as the camera is capable of doing and you can select any size print later. RAW is better as there is a little lattitude in exposure and a lot of lattitude in WB. Sharpen and adjust saturation later in the computer.
Most of the time I run my digi cams on manual with old manual focus Nikkor lenses on a D700. If I am doing kids that move fast, I will put on auto focus lenses.
The learning cure for Leica lenses is very expensive unless you have access to them to try.
The only thing different will be you need to select a white balance and ISO instead of picking a film for condition at hand. Of course you can cheat and use Auto WB instead of sun or tungsten or black and white.
Make the file as large as the camera is capable of doing and you can select any size print later. RAW is better as there is a little lattitude in exposure and a lot of lattitude in WB. Sharpen and adjust saturation later in the computer.
Most of the time I run my digi cams on manual with old manual focus Nikkor lenses on a D700. If I am doing kids that move fast, I will put on auto focus lenses.
The learning cure for Leica lenses is very expensive unless you have access to them to try.
Merkin
For the Weekend
I went through a relatively similar process lately, and the best piece of advice I can give you is to not rush. Weigh every option, and every option on every option. There are a lot of choices out there, all with their various pros and cons. Personally, I wouldn't go with an FSU camera in this situation. It sounds like your current FED is in pretty good shape, and I would therefore worry about the law of averages in getting a new one. If you don't do much in the way of low light photography, or you don't have a need for a lens faster than F2, either the Leica CL or any of the voigtlanders are excellent choices. If you want something similar to your FED, but something more reliable, you can pick up a LTM leica that has been recently CLA'ed for a surprisingly good price. The LTM leica and the CL are your best bets if small size is a crucial factor. If you have a bit more money to spend, it is really difficult to beat the gestalt of the Leica M cameras. Obviously, each is different, and prices vary widely. If you won the lottery, you could always go with a black Nikon SP 2005. These are certainly not all of the options (Canon, Ikon, Hexar, etc), but my basic point is to take a long time to weigh through the options, every tiny detail of each camera, and at least get your hands on, if not test, as many of the cameras as you can. Stepping up from a FSU camera can be quite expensive, at least comparatively. The more you do your due dilligence, ask any and every stupid question you can think of, and learn about the various products, the happier and more confident you will be in your decision in the long run. Remember that most of these cameras can last the rest of your life, so purchase one as if you will be using it every day for the rest of your life, and then do use it every day for the rest of your life (or until you decide to upgrade again 
)
)
wakarimasen
Well-known
Thanks for all of the responses - they've given me a lot to think about.
In the end a friend reminded me of what I set out to acheive in getting back into film: great quality of image without great expense! As such I've decided to keep the Fed (I may look for a 3B with the lower speeds) and get a few other lenses. In this way, I may opt for a Bessa R - in time - for something a little more polished.....
To aid in this, I've just bought a turret finder from ebay (£25) and am watching a few other goodies!
In addition I am planning to buy a Yashicamat to dip my toes in the MF world, plus buy a film scanner ....
Best regards,
RoyM
In the end a friend reminded me of what I set out to acheive in getting back into film: great quality of image without great expense! As such I've decided to keep the Fed (I may look for a 3B with the lower speeds) and get a few other lenses. In this way, I may opt for a Bessa R - in time - for something a little more polished.....
To aid in this, I've just bought a turret finder from ebay (£25) and am watching a few other goodies!
In addition I am planning to buy a Yashicamat to dip my toes in the MF world, plus buy a film scanner ....
Best regards,
RoyM
colker
Well-known
if your passion is about cameras fine. if it's about photography then that's silly.
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
Now I'm one of the first to praise Leica and their lenses but someone ought to point out that to get the best out of them you need to carry around a tripod and cable release. For normal, everyday shooting there's little point in spending large amounts on a lens that will seldom be used properly (meaning doing what it's best at).
It's like buying a car that will do 149mph when the speed limit is 60mph or whatever you like to compare.
But - this is a big but, btw - we are talking about coupled range-finders (CRF) and their one huge advantage is that you are in charge of an incredibly well made device for focusing very, very accurately. My opinion, fwiw, is that a medium quality lens plus a decent crf means good quality pictures. And, of course, there's no mirror bounce/slap with a CRF so even less chance of camera shake and, most important, you can chose whatever you want to focus on.
Hence my vote for the Fed 2 and it's got a good view-finder too. More than can be said about the pre-war stuff; good fun that it is...
Regards, David
Now I'm one of the first to praise Leica and their lenses but someone ought to point out that to get the best out of them you need to carry around a tripod and cable release. For normal, everyday shooting there's little point in spending large amounts on a lens that will seldom be used properly (meaning doing what it's best at).
It's like buying a car that will do 149mph when the speed limit is 60mph or whatever you like to compare.
But - this is a big but, btw - we are talking about coupled range-finders (CRF) and their one huge advantage is that you are in charge of an incredibly well made device for focusing very, very accurately. My opinion, fwiw, is that a medium quality lens plus a decent crf means good quality pictures. And, of course, there's no mirror bounce/slap with a CRF so even less chance of camera shake and, most important, you can chose whatever you want to focus on.
Hence my vote for the Fed 2 and it's got a good view-finder too. More than can be said about the pre-war stuff; good fun that it is...
Regards, David
Melvin
Flim Forever!
I say if you have to choose, go with a Leica body. Read the "BIOS" report:http://www.imx.nl/photo/downloads/page70.html
There's a lot of QC that went into those old Barnacks, shimming the flange, squaring the focal plane, shooting test film...There's all kinds of good glass to put on them.
There's a lot of QC that went into those old Barnacks, shimming the flange, squaring the focal plane, shooting test film...There's all kinds of good glass to put on them.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Yeah, and then, if you are unlucky, yours got used in a war, stored in a damp cardboard box and repaired by incompetent repairmen for sixty-odd years. QC in the 1930s is not necessarily worth something in 2009.
Yes, and quite a portion of it doesn't have Leica written on it.
Philipp
wakarimasen
Well-known
I have followed the poor mans route and now have a Fed 2e (Industar 26m), a Fed 4 (Industar 61) a Zorki 4 (Jupiter 8) a Zorki 4K (Jupiter 8) and a Jupiter 12 on the way. The Zorkis to me are the nicer cameras - certainly where the viewfinder is concerned - and I love the slow shutter speeds!
Some intensive testing (and a few rolls of film) is now called for.
One question: on one thread I found the name of a guy from the Midlands here in the UK that carries out repairs. He has a Polish sounding surname, but I cannont find it now - can anyone help?
Best regards,
RoyM
Some intensive testing (and a few rolls of film) is now called for.
One question: on one thread I found the name of a guy from the Midlands here in the UK that carries out repairs. He has a Polish sounding surname, but I cannont find it now - can anyone help?
Best regards,
RoyM
Dralowid
Michael
Might be this one? I know he does Kiev/Contax at least...
Ed Troszka/Euro Photographic Services
150 Harrowgate Drive,
Birstall,
Leicester LE4 3GP.
tel:- 0116 2674247.
Best
Michael
(who reckons there is more 'soul' in a battered old Leica than you would ever find in a Russian camera..but what that means in terms of taking pictures is a tad intangible at best)
Ed Troszka/Euro Photographic Services
150 Harrowgate Drive,
Birstall,
Leicester LE4 3GP.
tel:- 0116 2674247.
Best
Michael
(who reckons there is more 'soul' in a battered old Leica than you would ever find in a Russian camera..but what that means in terms of taking pictures is a tad intangible at best)
wakarimasen
Well-known
That's the man - thanks!