Leica LTM My Summar has been tested on the field of [faux] battle...

Leica M39 screw mount bodies/lenses
landsknechte

landsknechte

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Took the 1937 Summar that I bought from LeicaTom out to a WWII living history event recently, and thought I'd share some of the results. I had some bad luck out there on this trip, and ended up with half the film that I shot being destroyed...
 

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I'll be testing out soon in more normal "real world" situations, but so far I'm quite impressed. The results look vintage, which was exactly what I was shooting for.
 

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Very nice work; I'll second your assessment of the "vintage" look - bravo. The Summar performs very nicely. Very appropriate subject, quite interesting and well-outfitted in its own right.

May I inquire as to the film/dev?


Cheers,
--joe.
 
I don’t have the negatives with me at the moment, but I think almost all of these were taken with T-Max 100. The one with all the soldiers lined up was on a roll of Foma 200 that I started the day with. Not really sure on the developing, as I had to farm it out to a commercial outlab.

The event prior to this one was the first that I had photographed. I took out the IIIc (my first Barnack Leica) that I had only bought a couple of weeks prior, with a 50/3.5 uncoated Elmar also from 1937. That lens works quite well, and is a fantastic all around lens. There's a lot to be said for really familiarizing ones self with photo gear before the fake bullets start flying though. *twitch*


The quirks of the Summar are a little more suited to the general “look” that I’m going for. I’m probably one of the few people that gets excited when they see vignetting. :rolleyes: The ability to really get a narrow depth of field helps greatly as well.

Here are a couple from that earlier event:
 

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So, do you have your "Signal Corps" Uniform on?

These are very "alive" ... Nice shooting.
 
Very nice work. I like the way you exposed the first and the fourth one. Well done.
Sorry that half of the film has been destroyed; it's frustating.
Best, Marc
 
You really nailed it! :)

Looks like straight out of Italy 1943 or something

.........I told you that Summar would really work well!

The next mint Summar I get.......I`m keeping! ;)

I want one with in the post #492000 serial number series, even better one made after #500000 (1939 PRODUCTION)

I really like that Elmar shot too with the US Army Dodge Powerwagon - looks like it`s in Siclly

I have a nice "uncoated" 1940 Summitar now, that I`ll be posting color pics from in here a few hours (from my Flapper pics with Emily)

I`m still interested in finding an "uncoated 1938 to 43 Elmar 50mm, that will be just right for my pre-war Retro artistic nudes I`m planning......Summar, Elmar and Xenon would work well and maybe a "uncoated" 90 Elmar, all of them are`nt rare or hard lenses to find, outside of the Xenon

The Xenon is as ever still elusive....but someday...someday

Happy Shooting!

Tom

attachment.php


PS: The uniform is perfect......but where`s your sidearm?
I`d carry a 45.cal despite any regulations ;)
 
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Wonderful pictures. I've not yet gotten round to taking pictures in the thick of it with my Leica during our living history battles...I'm stuck covering Historical Walks and Museum re-openings with mine ;)
 
LeicaTom said:
You really nailed it! :)

Looks like straight out of Italy 1943 or something
Click to expand...

...and the ironic thing is that, with reenactor politics being what they are, the official scenario for this event was Carentan. Yep. Normandy. We play soldier in an area that looks just like the outskirts of Rome, and yet with the sheer number of reenactors inspired by the "Bandwagon of Brothers", most of our events are centered on the timeline of the 101st Airborne.

LeicaTom said:
PS: The uniform is perfect......but where`s your sidearm?
I`d carry a 45.cal despite any regulations ;)
Click to expand...

It was regulation, and in fact it was the norm. It's there, just tucked back slightly out of sight on the right side of my belt.
 
Great shots

I wonder if you would be even more pleased if you run a roll of Plus-X through that body

just a feeling ;p

but you are spot in with your uniform, boy I really need to try that out some day
 
Good job, some splendid photos!

The formation shot ruins the mood a bit though.. were beards allowed for U.S. servicemen? Also, no sane soldier would wear a shiny mug like that :)
 
varjag said:
Also, no sane soldier would wear a shiny mug like that :)
Click to expand...

Confirmed. That was the first that jumped out of the othervise very attractive image.
Many of us here in Israel experienced the realilty here on our mandatoryduty service and/or annual duty, keeping a bright shiny thingy on the body gets the first bullet (while also exposed the general unit deployment).
I believe the regulations and just a wise logic are remain the same regardless of time..
;)
 
varjag said:
Good job, some splendid photos!

The formation shot ruins the mood a bit though.. were beards allowed for U.S. servicemen? Also, no sane soldier would wear a shiny mug like that :)
Click to expand...

There are plenty of pictures of US soldiers looking rather scruffy, but those were ususally guys that had been out in the field for an extended period. In this case, those reenactors aren't portraying americans. The guy with the mug is a Brit, and most of the guys behind him are a mix (I believe) of British and Free French. I know the guy with the beard is 13e Demi-Brigade de Légion Étrangère. The guys on the right side of the photo with the taller leggings, are Americans.
 
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Like with the British army the men were supposed to shave every day if the situation permitted it. Thin moustaches were allowed, as long as they did not pass the corners of the mouth. Hair was to be worn short. As long as it did not reach your shirt collar at the back it was short enough.

In "The Point of No Return" by De Trez, there are a number of pictures of men who have been stuck behind the enemy lines for more then 30 days, sporting some very scruffy beards. And I doubt that out on patrol man did find the time to shave.

Beards were not allowed in general, as they prevent the gasmask from fitting properly to the face during a gas attack.
 
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landsknechte said:
The quirks of the Summar are a little more suited to the general “look” that I’m going for. I’m probably one of the few people that gets excited when they see vignetting. :rolleyes: The ability to really get a narrow depth of field helps greatly as well.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to comment again on this nice work; and thanks for your feedback on the film/dev info. Time to start looking for a nice Summar, again.

My grand-dad was a Master Sergeant in the Signal Corps during WWII; it's nice to see how well folks remember. Thanks for documenting this.


Cheers,
--joe.
 
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