Should I consolidate to just Leica?

[snaggs]

I've paid for a M9 and have been waiting around like everyone else. I bought a 2nd hand 35 cron asph and borrowed a M8.2 to play with. Wow, this is the handling that I wanted in a digital. Simple mechanical like my FM3a.

Now the question is, I have a bunch of Nikon stuff, and if I ebayed the lot, I could buy the Hermes MP + 35 cron thats on ebay atm.

28mm AI-S PC-Nikkor (NIB, never got round to using it!)
35mm AI-S f/1.4
85mm AI-S f/1.4
Nikon F6
Nikon FM3a & the rare tiny SB-30
Nikon AI-P 45mm

Its hard to sell things you like, but I would have a film body to accompany my M9 and all one system.

Do you think it would be a dumb move?

Daniel.

 

[dogberryjr]

I can see wanting an MP, but why the Hermes edition? Get the best, cheapest MP you can find, buy some leather from Cameraleather.com and put the rest into glass.

 

[snaggs]

This hermes edition on ebay is "used" and *shock horror* there is a mark on the camera.

So the price is really only about $500 more than buying the cheapest MP on ebay and a cron.

Given its looks darn nice and has an all chrome cron, why not?

Daniel.

 

[kxl]

Given your Nikon equipment, it may make sense to simplify to an M mount system for both film and digital, especially since you seem to prefer the handling of an RF. There are situations where it may be advantageous to have an SLR/DSLR (sports, macro, etc...) but it doesn't sound like you shoot those kinds of images (as you stated, you haven't even gotten around to using your PC-Nikkor).

 

[payasam]

Excellent way to use your M mount lenses. However, a digital SLR offers zoom lenses, which at times can be invaluable.

 

[dave lackey]

Why on earth would you want to limit your photography? 🙁I use both Nikon and Leica on a daily basis for different tasks.

 

[aizan]

i wouldn't bother, unless the nikon stuff is just lying around. even then, i wouldn't get a hermes mp.

i think the hermes mp body is kind of ugly, but the chrome 35mm summicron asph is nice because it has a chrome focusing tab. the chrome lenses usually have a black anodized focusing tab, which strikes me as pretty lame! it doesn't match at all. the chrome hood, ick. that should be black.

if your 35mm summicron asph is black, i would rather get a black paint mp, or better yet, a black chrome leica mp a la carte.

 

[zleica]

Why on earth would you want to limit your photography? 🙁I use both Nikon and Leica on a daily basis for different tasks.

Total agree! While MP is desirable, don't sell your Nikon SLRs. F6 is simply the best SLR.

Kind regards,

 

[Frank Petronio]

Go for it! only little one $18,000 bag to steal!

 

[daninjc]

That leica hermes + summicron goes for 7200$. I would never get it.
You say you already have a cron asph - so no need for another one. A used mp body (non-fancy-hermes) goes for ~2500. Get just that.
Additionally I'd keep the fm3a (maybe reducing the number of lenses)- great camera and quite different system from the mp.
my 2 c

 

[Steve M.]

Agreed. It's good to be prepared for other types of photography than what a rangefinder can do. For myself, in 35mm, Leica glass gives me the quality I want, and only Leica glass. So for small, carry around cameras it's the Leica M bodies (or in my case, the M body). If I am going to shoot a portrait or shoot in low light I much prefer an SLR, and here I can use a Leicaflex SL and R lenses, or a Nikon film body w/ a Leitax adapter and my R glass, so I'm covered. If I needed a long lens I would probably be in trouble w/ the Leica glass, but I don't shoot those anymore. It's only in MF that I have to use non Leica stuff. The Heliar lenses on the Bessas, and the Rokkor lenses on the Minolta Autocords give me Leica-like 3-D looks, but I've decided to shoot a Super Ikonta IV w/ Tessar as it is one heck of a great camera and lens combination. The hard part in all this was going through all the different camera/lens combinations, and then the different film formats until I found what worked for me. Seriously, it has taken years.

 

[back alley]

i have one area of photography that interests me and a rf camera with a few lenses is all i need to shoot it. if you are in a similar position then i say yes, consolidate.
if your needs are diversified then, no.

 

[Roger Hicks]

The main reason I keep reflexes is for long lens landscapes and pack shots, and I'm perfectly happy with Nikon Fs for that (I have five). But I'm thinking of getting some more Viso-fit lenses to get around that problem. I don't shoot sports and wildlife, so I don't need fast handling, and I simply don't like zooms very much. A lot depends on what you shoot, and how.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

You really want to do it, and you'll carry less! And the best of the best, so go for it!

Cheers,

Juan

 

[jarski]

one idea, before selling your Nikon gear which is expensive to buy back, try Nikon to Leica-M adapter.

you would need to scale focus, but advantage is ability to use your Nikkors on full-frame digital-M 🙄

 

[Ronald M]

Keep what you have and get a Nikon D700. AiS lenses work fine on it in M or A mode.

There wouold be no way I would buy a film camera today unless I already had some and a darkroom.

 

[snaggs]

Spent more time with the 8.2, it doesn't shoot like a DX camera, being 1.3 crop makes a difference. Very happy with the results, I might sell the lot and put a deposit on a Noctilux 0.95!

I can't imagine I'll be bothering with the Nikon's anymore. When I shoot my FM3a I'm 90% of the time shooting the 35mm, which is why i thought Leica would suit me.

 

[BillBingham2]

Daniel,

I did something similar but somewhat reverse. I sold my Leicas and went all Nikon. This gave me a Rangefinder and SLR system that focused, adjusted aperture and handled the same way (FTn & S3-2000). For me it's about as perfect as it gets.

Like Roger I really only used the SLR system for longer lenses and macro even though I carried a 28/2.8 for backup incase the RF went south. As you have an M9 the point to take off I switch your SLR kit to a Leica system and cut back to a few lenses (3 or 4 max) lenses.

B2 (;->

 

[Frank Petronio]

Jeez the guy has the wherewhitall to earn enough $dough$ to afford all this expensive junk and he leaves the decision-making to a bunch of random forum dudes?

I have some real estate in Uganda....

 

[snaggs]

Jeez the guy has the wherewhitall to earn enough $dough$ to afford all this expensive junk and he leaves the decision-making to a bunch of random forum dudes?

I have some real estate in Uganda....

Its nice to have people challenge your decisions, they might have gone through a similar process before and have a more informed perspective.