One has to go, Leica MP or Nikon FM3a

nobbylon said:
One can always buy another MP ! There are now 2 on here now and judgeing by the prices of them they are depreciating.
The days of increasing prices for Leica gear have gone for a while unless it's something rare. An MP isn't.

Gil says never sell a Leica lens? Why not? You can always buy another when the situation changes. I've bought and sold tons of bodies and lenses in the last 8 years.

Shooting 12-15 rolls a week my thoughts may be different but 12-15 a year and an old K1000 with a Pentax 50 would be my choice if I was cutting back.
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John,

Were the MP's with 0.85 VF'ers?

Cal
 
Gil says never sell a Leica lens? Why not? You can always buy another when the situation changes.
Click to expand...

I once had an Angenieux 180mm f2.3, Nikon mount. I stupidly sold it for a song. Now they go for $3500 and I certainly can't afford one... So, no, you can't always buy another one... Not all Leica lenses will increase in price, but I bet something like a Summicron will.
Sometimes you go through hard times and can't buy a new lens anymore at all, especially an expensive Leica. Even if I was broke, I'd try to keep my most valuable gear. I've sold tons of stuff before and re-bought a lot later too (I've owned three Nikon F3s). It's a waste of money. It's not always possible to keep everything, but I'd try. Even if I was pennyless, I would try to keep one body and my best lens. If only to photograph other bums under my bridge...

Gil.
 
gilgsn said:
I once had an Angenieux 180mm f2.3, Nikon mount. I stupidly sold it for a song. Now they go for $3500 and I certainly can't afford one... So, no, you can't always buy another one... Not all Leica lenses will increase in price, but I bet something like a Summicron will.
Sometimes you go through hard times and can't buy a new lens anymore at all, especially an expensive Leica. Even if I was broke, I'd try to keep my most valuable gear. I've sold tons of stuff before and re-bought a lot later too (I've owned three Nikon F3s). It's a waste of money. It's not always possible to keep everything, but I'd try. Even if I was pennyless, I would try to keep one body and my best lens. If only to photograph other bums under my bridge...

Gil.
Click to expand...

Gil,
I agree with your first point and did say in my earlier post re rare stuff but a 50 summicron? They are easy to find and probably Leica's most made lens.
J
 
Colleagues, fellow RFF comrades,

68 replies WOW, it was good reading indeed read all comments twice.
Just a little clarification in this posting - rather than separate replies;

I am pretty good a living frugally, well practised, so selling one or other is not about the profit motive at all. It would simply be to ring-fence any proceeds specifically for Photo Related needs - film, developing, maybe a scanner etc.

In other words my manual focus 35mm film photo hobby is my ONE VICE that I allow myself and plan to continue that way as long as I can.

Both cameras were acquired in past and long since paid for.
To answer Calzone - it is a 0.85 mag VF - and believe it or not I was looking for such a viewfinder for 2 years before I found this. It was an ex-demo model for the a-la-carte that a shop had and I was simply in right place right time to buy it there and then!

To those that say the FM3a is a heck of a camera - true very true, I've no doubts.

I liked when I saw some comments that are along the lines I had been thinking and so I remain open to the suggestion that I keep the MP and maybe get a CV40mm f1.4 to go along with the 75mm f2.5 summitar. (1 Leica body x 2 lens)

For the SLR, a refurbished FE and keep the CV 75mm f2.5 SL1 (1 SLR x 1 lens).

That way then the FM3a, 40mm f2 go along with 90mm f2,8 and 50mm f2 RF lenses.

Some day when I get a loan of a digital I will take a photo or two of my MP and put it up on the "show us your Leica M" thread.

For now, thanks guys, it was a great & refreshing read & got me thinking.
 
f16sunshine said:
A short tangent for a moment please..
...For 50mm, how is an MP .85 better than an M3 other than the meter?
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I recently sold a M3-DS (1956) that had a brand new "L" seal because was factory serviced by Leica Germany. The prism was resilvered by leica, and the VF'er was the best M3 VF'er I have ever seen (factory fresh).

I comparing the VF'ers here are the advantages of the M3: first oversized RF patch that is larger than M6, M4 and MP; uncluttered 50mm framelines; and the 0.92 magnification remains signifigantly more than the 0.85 VF'er. The disadvantages of the M3 finder is the rounded corners of the 50mm frames which I don't like; and the blue tint that lowers contrast to the extent that in low light the MP is easier to focus than the M3 even though the M3 has more magnification.

My MP has 75mm framelines that add clutter and also the framelines are of the style of a M9 in that the bottom horizontal is open which is not really good if you shoot verticals with a 50 like me a lot. The Rf patch is smaller than the M3's, but the VF'er is brighter. Understand that my 0.85 Mp is from 2005 and the Vf'er displays obvious haze, but it is still brighter than the M3 with basically a brand new factory fresh VF'er.

Later this week when I empty my MP of film I will be shipping my MP to Sherry for an overhaul, and I will get the mask changed to 50mm only to rid the clutter of the 75mm frames. I'm hoping that this frameline mod will be just like the mod that Sherry performed on my 0.72 Wetzlar M6 in that it is a simple rectangle with slightly open corners and is not open on the bottom horizontal like on my Monochrom. Sherry charged me about $150.00 to strip out the 75mm frames on my M6, and I expect a similar price for my MP or slightly less because I'm also getting an overhaul and the camera will already apart.

Understand that the meter in my MP has a 1 EV lower sensitivity than the meter in my M6. For me the MP has the better finder and know that I wear glasses. Another bonus for me is the 35mm Frames that alows me to assemble a 35/50/90 compact three lens kit. Currently I utilize my M6 exclusively for use with a 28 Cron.

Cal
 
mfogiel said:
Funny, I bought a 0.85x MP on purpose to get the 75mm frames, which I got removed from my M7 😀
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I owned the snobby German version of the 75 Lux for a long time. All I need is the 50mm frames to shoot a 75. I figured out that if I subtract the length of the RF patch from the sides and if I subtracted the width of the RF patch from the top and bottom I had basically 75mm frames.

I also found that shooting a 75 with 50mm frames only sometimes ensures a nice tight shot whenever I forgot or made the mistake of not compensating for the difference. Anyways the busy clutter of especially the 75mm frames really annoyed me. I always liked the M4 VF'er, and BTW the M4 has a slightly larger RF patch over my M6.

Why doesn't Leica supersize the RF patches? To me the oversize is a marked improvement.

My Mp is not an al la carte MP. Initially in the first few years the MP was produced you could specify any finder, but now one has to order any finder other than 0.72 as part of an a la carte order.

Cal
 
I really enjoyed mine. Never did any testing as to how it stood up against the 35s I had but as the OP has one for his SLR kit I figured that it might give him a bit wider view for his RF kit.

I have a very different taste in glass and focal lengths than many. I like big jumps between my lenses. A lot depends upon your selection for what I call an Anchor Lens for that system. An Anchor Lens is the lens you like the most. Then I go from there, up and down depending upon what you want to accomplish (photographically). I'm a big believer in less is more.

My read from what little I know of the OP is that his Anchor Lens would be a 75mm. He's not into wide stuff on the same camera so going down to a 40 keeps him out of distortion, small and fast enough for times he needs it.

I had really (read REALLY) good luck with a CV 25/4 Snap Shot on a Bessa L (and Leica Ms from time to time). While used a CV 15 & 40 and Nikkor 105 on my M as the system I traveled with most. I used the inside edges of my 90mm frame lines and it worked very well.

When I switched to a Nikon S2 I got another CV 25 but wish I had gotten the CV 28 for it. Full frame on the S2 is just about perfect for a 28mm. Would have been one less finder. SPs were out of my budget (and still are).

I just think the OP would be very happy with a 40/75 kit.
 
BillBingham2, you are correct sir !

The 75mm is the main lens for both the SLR and the RF for me.

I actually wish the MP had proper 75mm lines in the viewfinder, then there'd be no question of letting it go. But you are spot on, I don't use wide angle lens and I think that a 40 and 75 are an ideal happy ever after slimmed down kit for keeps.
 
I mean you could really sell down, and go with a 75 summilux +1 other lens.

Id personally choose the 40 m-rokkor over the CV 40/1.4; and Id take something like the 35 c-biogon over either of those.

I dont think there is anything in the world of SLRs, +/- 5mm, that compares to the 75 Lux. Even the 80 Lux R. But I would choose on lenses, not bodies. Film is going a bad way, and while the bodies become paperweights, fine lenses will always be fine lenses. But I am 26, and I expect to have the really fine lenses I own today (f2 Zuiko macros, 60ME, etc.) for the next 30 years.
 
30 more years for me and I'm in my 9th decade....

I am pretty sure my FM3a and Leica MP, plus the lenses will long outlive me

what I need do now, is simply consolidate and choose the best slimmed down kit, for the rest of the journey in this life....

I took a good look recently at the 40 m-rokkor and to me the CV 40.1.4 is a newer build and likely more appealing, I have been viewing the images taken on both colour film and black + white film over the past few weeks and I continue to be impressed. I saw a thread here yesterday from a man who ONLY has this lens and his monochrome prints stand out - even on a PC screen - it's a look that I really like.
 
I love my FM3a, and though I've never had an MP, I've used the M4, M6, and Zeiss Ikon. I value the discreet nature of Leica, but the Nikon is simply the best designed, smoothest feeling, most joyful to use camera I've ever owned. If I were making the same choice, I'd ditch the rangefinder (I know that's heresy on these forums). It would certainly bring you more cash, if that's a problem.
 
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