Sell Leica M4 for X-E2?

[Georgiy Romanov]

Good day for community! I have a deep GAS attack and looking forward on your advices. For almost two years I didn't buy new cameras and always using what I have - M4 with Voight 35 1.7+ summicron 50\2 and Fujiklasse W for 28mm. Those cameras give me a lot of good memories and pictures, but reality in todays Russia are tough. In 2016 I had shot less than 30 rolls of low quality film, meanwhile my only digital camera is Fujifilm X20. Not enough for me and my work.

As a writer for russian photography mag I had access to many digital cameras and most of all I liked the Fuji X-Pro2, but I can not afford this camera right now and same in the next year. So may be start with X-E2 model? I tested X-E2S with manual focus lens and love it. Almost like Leica 😛

My main dilemma: keep the Leica or sell it. I can keep M4, buy X-E2 model and take pictures with Summicron and Vioghtlander 35 1.7 or sell all my stuff and afford one-two Fujinon glass for X-E2 camera.

In my case with Leica M4 I have too many memories, but as an instrument I can not use camera as often as I want it because of the high prices on the film. Especially on the good one.

With best regards, Georgiy.

 

[FrankS]

Your Leica will still be working in 20 years.

 

[kshapero]

Tough question. XE-2 is really cheap now. So keep both. BTW Fuji firmware can make into an EX-2s for free.

 

[jsrockit]

How about a used X-E1 for like $150?

Edit... I guess more like $175-$225

 

[f16sunshine]

What JS said ^^^^

I still use an xe1..... a lot.
You can pair it with a xf 2/35 and have a camera and lens combo for a lesser amount of money than an xe2 body alone.

The Xe1 is not the fastest fuji but,... if one is used to the workflow of a leica M, the xe1 will feel quite responsive and the IQ of both cameras is nearly identical.
I use a toshiba flash card in the xe1 to give it wifi ability.
Works great with iPhone or Tablet.

 

[Georgiy Romanov]

Fujifilm X-E1 sounds like good compromise for me. Will look deeper!

Other opinions are welcome! Thank you.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

The X-E1/2 is perhaps the closest non-Leica digital to the rangefinder feel and philosophy...you'll probably enjoy it a lot

 

[______]

I still use an xe1..... a lot. You can pair it with a xf 2/35 and have a camera and lens combo for a lesser amount of money than an xe2 body alone.

You can use a simple Leica M to Fuji X adapter (LM-FX) with your Leica M mount lenses. I use one made by Fotasy which costs around $20, but there are others as well. Because of the crop factor, the focal length will be 1.5x, i.e 35mm becomes 52.5mm and 50mm becomes 75mm.

 

[Mjd-djm]

Don't do it. The XE2 will only depreciate in value, the M4 won't. There will soon be an XE3 and your XE2 will become even more obsolete. I've tried digital many times but keep coming back to film and regret wasting my time.

 

[jsrockit]

Don't do it. The XE2 will only depreciate in value, the M4 won't. There will soon be an XE3 and your XE2 will become even more obsolete. I've tried digital many times but keep coming back to film and regret wasting my time.

I see this a lot... but isn't the photos you make and what works better for your photography more important than depreciation? You aren't buying film either with a digital.

 

[jsrockit]

The X-E1/2 is perhaps the closest non-Leica digital to the rangefinder feel and philosophy...you'll probably enjoy it a lot

Add the X-Pro1/2 to this list too though.

 

[Mjd-djm]

I see this a lot... but isn't the photos you make and what works better for your photography more important than depreciation? You aren't buying film either with a digital.

That is absolutely true and I guess each person has different preferences. The satisfaction with the results is more important than depreciation. My problem with digital is that its too easy to want the next latest and greatest camera. With a Leica M you know what you have and it is virtually 'timeless'.

 

[kshapero]

When I bought my film Leica, I knew it's value would stay. I knew when I bought a digital camera, that I expected to eat its original cost. This is just facts.

 

[narsuitus]

I currently shoot with Leica M6 and Fuji X-Pro1. If I were in your position, I would sell the Leica M4 body and get a Fuji X-Pro1 body and a Leica M to Fuji X adapter. I would use the X-Pro1 with the Leica M lenses until I decided if I wanted to replace the lenses with Fujinon lenses.


Leica M6 & Fuji X-Pro1 by Narsuitus, on Flickr

 

[kshapero]

My team

 

[jsrockit]

As a die hard Fuji fan and a past Leica user... I would never be happy using Leica lenses on a Fuji. The RF of a Leica is my favorite manual focus aid and I feel the digital counterparts in the Fujis doesn't even come close. I'd honestly figure out how to keep both.

 

[Huss]

In my case with Leica M4 I have too many memories, but as an instrument I can not use camera as often as I want it because of the high prices on the film. Especially on the good one.

With best regards, Georgiy.

I use all sorts of film, and still find the cheapest stuff like Fuji C200/Agfa 200 to be excellent.

Thread on it here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147318

For your dilemma, you can always buy back your Leica for what you sell it for, the beauty of buying/selling used Leica film cameras! Get the Fuji and see where it goes for you.

 

[BillBingham2]

How about a used X-E1 for like $150?

Edit... I guess more like $175-$225

Another +1 for JSR.

I'm trying to convince my oldest not to sink a wad of cash he has burning a hole in his pocket into Canon DSLR for digital video and stills and look more used or mid market camera/system to make sure he likes carrying all that around vs output.

It sounds like you would be able to shoot more digital (on going costs vs film/processing/scanning) which IMHO is a great thing. When combined with ruthless editing and critiquing is a great way to learn and get better.

Starting out with a Bessa and deciding that RF is not your thing is less of an investment than diving right in.

Best of luck and keep us in the loop as to what you decide and how it works out of you.

B2 (;->

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Any digital camera without Leica label on it is turning into paperweight quickly.
Fuji X-E2 is no exseptions. Three years from now it is going to be as x-e1 now. Couple hundreds.
But from couple of years from now M4 will needs CLA which is also couple hundreds. And here is big chance what x-e2 will last five years before owners turns his back on it or button becomes sticky.

What is cheaper to buy film and run CLA for film camera or to have digital camera which is not sexy after three years? It depends.

Cinema old color film cost next to nothing and works for bw. In Russia they don't care if it is Leica or FED and Cron or Jupiter. It is even more cool with FED and with Kiev you are like Che.

Any way, short term solution is to sell Leica film gear and buy digital regular camera, which is going to be old within three years and then what?

 

[BillBingham2]

Any digital camera without Leica label on it is turning into paperweight quickly....

Cinema old color film cost next to nothing and works for bw. In Russia they don't care if it is Leica or FED and Cron or Jupiter. .....

Russia is a very diverse country and I'm not sure you can generalize the price, availability of film and/or processing. I'm not sure about up north, but around Iowa and Illinois the number of places with local processing and printing has decreased. Yeah, you can ship the rolls out but then you have shipping costs, and if you did that in some countries issues with potential loss.

I'm not sure that the race for better dedicated cameras in so many different form factors will continue. Smart phone cameras are at or about to cross the "Good Enough" line.

If GRD III was still working I'd still be using it. Why haven't I gotten it fixed? It cost more than I want to pay as my iPhone 5 still does an OK-enough job for me. I have more critical thing to spend cash on.

I agree that an M4 is a beautiful tool that will likely hold its value and be usable for many years to come. But it's not like there aren't a reasonable number available for purchase at any given point in time. I'd invest in a small set of tools that meet your needs and help you journey along the path of creating photographs. A good digital body and a couple of lenses sound like it would be a higher return on investment, and perhaps a lot more fun.

B2 (;->