Leica M for Professional work

I shoot commercial architecture and panoramas / virtual tours for a living. There is also a bit of corporate portraiture, products, and events on occasion. I love the look I get from my Leica and try to use it whenever I can, but the current M8 and M9 just don't offer perspective control. That basically removes them as a main tool for me.

The NEW M however looks fantastic to me. AC input, USB tethering, and strobe jack all in one unit. Live view will allow me to use shift lenses as well! I already purchased the 28PC R lens of theirs, and will be picking up the fisheye lens Leica used to make. This will allow me to use the M for the majority of my income producing work. I can't wait. The M8 shots I use now on construction documentary projects always look better to me than my dslrs. I hope they release an S lens to M converter with shift as well with aperture control. That would be perfect.
 
My primary work cameras are 4x5s with scanbacks but my M9 is my primary field camera. Most of my Nikon cameras are gone but I did pick up another D2 with a 60 micro for down and dirty catalog work. The 4x5s are just too slow when you have dozens of sets to shoot and the M9 framing is not accurate enough. At $950, the Nikon paid for itself in one shoot.
 
I've been shooting professionally since 1991. I've always been a Nikon system shooter. Not always by choice. Initially I was using staff issued cameras and I stuck with them when freelance. However, I have always wanted to shoot Leica as I am that kind of photographer. I did use a fixed lens Hexar for a long, long time. In fact, I've had several over the years and they featured heavily in my assignment work.

With digital, not being able to afford a Leica system as I have two kids, but I do use a FujiFilm X100 and it gets more pro action than my Nikon stuff now.

But I'm currently trying very hard to figure out how to make the switch completely to Leica. Probably an M8 initially as the M9 and the rest are out of reach and I am just not interested in film anymore. Only digital.

I am selling off my Fuji and Nikon kit and will shoot exclusively Leica from about October, all things going to plan. I will use an Olympus Pen for video work with the M mount glass when required.

I've been at this for a long, long time and I know, for my work, that Leica will more than suffice.

Good luck.

- Paul.
 
I shoot with the M8 side by side with the X100 all the time. Selling the X100 for an M8 would be a hard decision now. The X100, even the original is extremely good. It depends what you shoot primarily, but a fantastic 35mm F2 lens and usable ISO up to 6400 makes the Fuji incredibly hard to resist for a lot of shots.
 
AncientCityPhoto said:
I shoot with the M8 side by side with the X100 all the time. Selling the X100 for an M8 would be a hard decision now. The X100, even the original is extremely good. It depends what you shoot primarily, but a fantastic 35mm F2 lens and usable ISO up to 6400 makes the Fuji incredibly hard to resist for a lot of shots.
Click to expand...
Which earns you more money? The X100 or the M8? And with what sort of shots?

Cheers,

R.
 
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126435

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126435

i am a retired photojournalist.
I preferred Leica because it focussed in dim light. i didn't need my glasses. I only need glasses now for reading! I used to be short sighted.The Leicas adjusted for all that..
The main reason was size. A Leica is small. The lenses are small.The quality of images very special.
I attended a Nikon Lecture at Contact 2013. It's largest photography happening in world, right here, Toronto, for month of May.
The pro's bag must have weighed 40 lbs. Another bag for laptop and spare drives, cables and chargers..
My rig, an M with 50mm collapsible and/or 35mm with goggles.
Why the goggles? Because i have one M3. A roll of film or 2,3,5,whatever.I am set.Passport, Master-card and Health Insurance.Ready to roll.Digital is a point and shoot.
icon10.gif
 
I have developed a niche as a "pro". I offer my services for free at events (this means they usually, but not always, have a DSLR pro there, too.) to shoot black and white film. I bring my M3 with a CV 50 mm and a Leica SA 21 mm. Then I present a digital contact sheet for them to choose from. They then can purchase an exposure for $250. I average $750 a shoot. This way there is no pressure. I can dart in and out. I'm happy because I have a good time and they can get some great extra "art" shoots of their wedding, etc.
 
kshapero said:
I have developed a niche as a "pro". I offer my services for free at events (this means they usually, but not always, have a DSLR pro there, too.) to shoot black and white film. I bring my M3 with a CV 50 mm and a Leica SA 21 mm. Then I present a digital contact sheet for them to choose from. They then can purchase an exposure for $250. I average $750 a shoot. This way there is no pressure. I can dart in and out. I'm happy because I have a good time and they can get some great extra "art" shoots of their wedding, etc.
Click to expand...

Very nice! And you get $250 for a print or a scanned image? Truly an awesome way to make money and having fun at the same time.
 
leicapixie said:
i am a retired photojournalist.
I preferred Leica because it focussed in dim light. i didn't need my glasses. I only need glasses now for reading! I used to be short sighted.The Leicas adjusted for all that..
The main reason was size. A Leica is small. The lenses are small.The quality of images very special.
I attended a Nikon Lecture at Contact 2013. It's largest photography happening in world, right here, Toronto, for month of May.
The pro's bag must have weighed 40 lbs. Another bag for laptop and spare drives, cables and chargers..
My rig, an M with 50mm collapsible and/or 35mm with goggles.
Why the goggles? Because i have one M3. A roll of film or 2,3,5,whatever.I am set.Passport, Master-card and Health Insurance.Ready to roll.Digital is a point and shoot.
icon10.gif
Click to expand...

Thats all fine if you have a two week deadline! My M2 is a point and shoot😉
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom