sorry man with a thin wallet who held l**ca in his hands

[kmerenkov]

Hi all,
I am a proud (kind of) owner of bessa r3a (because my bessa is kind of problematic) and today I held Leica MP, M6 and some Zeiss camera (I don't know about their models) in my hands.

First of all, why god didn't stop me from doing that? Like, car accident or anything else, because now my wallet is doomed, that is for sure.
I knew what I was going to do, it was intentional, but now I've lost my peace.

Impressions (omitting all the things you already know, except very obvious):
MP - my wallet is doomed,
M6 - my wallet is doomed (instead of MP),
Zeiss - nah, loud metal shutter, just as my bessa.

I don't know should you congratulate me or feel sorry for me but...
how long you resisted (if resisted, your first time) that shutter sound and kept your wallet fat? Teach me your kung-fu.
how many of you went the way I am yet to go through (hold->wow!->own)?

Anyway, let's hope there will be another one "victim" in next two (if M6) or four-five (if MP) months.

I even decided colour: it must be chrome.
Feature-wise both M's look close to me, the only thing I am afraid of is "wearness" of details in M6.

 

[mknawabi]

i took a shot of a man reading a newspaper today, praying he wouldnt look (i was with my girlfriend, it was funny)

anyway, i took the shot and then realized how happy i was that the shutter just went by completely unnoticed

win!

 

[kmerenkov]

i took a shot of a man reading a newspaper today, praying he wouldnt look (i was with my girlfriend, it was funny)

anyway, i took the shot and then realized how happy i was that the shutter just went by completely unnoticed

win!

That didn't make me feel any better 😀
Hope this shot will turn out good (and will be posted).

 

[Darren Abate]

... I don't know should you congratulate me or feel sorry for me but...
how long you resisted (if resisted, your first time) that shutter sound and kept your wallet fat? Teach me your kung-fu.
how many of you went the way I am yet to go through (hold->wow!->own)?

From the first time I held a Leica, it was twelve years until I felt I deserved one enough to actually get one. I had spent all that time learning to shoot and then started to shoot professionally. Now, I make my living as a full-time photographer, and use my rangefinders to help make the money. My wallet isn't "fat" (far from it) but it helps when you can make the toys you buy help contribute to the bottom line.

In addition to my pro DSLR gear, I'm shooting (on assignment) a black M6, a chrome M3, a chrome Zeiss Ikon, and an Epson R-D1. Obviously, I really like rangefinders. 🙂

 

[kevin m]

We've all been there. In 1997, I went to a camera show intent on buying a Canon 7 until I held a Leica M2 in my hands. I put down the Canon and went back home until I'd saved up the difference. No one builds an RF body as nice as Leica.

 

[mknawabi]

That didn't make me feel any better 😀
Hope this shot will turn out good (and will be posted).

It will, if it turned out... hehe. Honestly, I was saving up for a Bessa R3M and decided I should just get something I will be happy with. I didn't want to lust for anything after I made a purchase--I saved up for a couple months and bought my M6ttl, then saved up for a couple more months and got my summicron.

Patience is a virtue, save up money, and get what you want. It's not like the leicas are going to be any different in the next upcoming months. You've got time. 🙂

Oh, and right on with the chrome. It's dead f-word-ing sexy.

 

[shadowfox]

Just passing by and can't help commenting... here's some wallet-friendly "kung-fu" for ya 🙂

Skip the expensive M-bodies, why stress your wallet just for a camera body?

Find a good used M4-P and use it with your CV lenses, your wallet should have some remaining ... chops.

What about the meter? what about it indeed, here's another style for you, Sunny-16...-fu, it works and it's potent.

😉

 

[kmerenkov]

... I felt I deserved one enough to actually get one. I had spent all that time learning to shoot and then started to shoot professionally. Now, I make my living as a full-time photographer, and use my rangefinders to help make the money. My wallet isn't "fat" (far from it) but it helps when you can make the toys you buy help contribute to the bottom line.

In addition to my pro DSLR gear, I'm shooting (on assignment) a black M6, a chrome M3, a chrome Zeiss Ikon, and an Epson R-D1. Obviously, I really like rangefinders. 🙂

From my point of view you better use what you enjoy to use, i.e. buy equipment you want to have and learn with that. Well, after all I am not a photographer, just a mortal programmer with expensive hobby.

My DSLR body is in my shelf since new year, and all lenses were sold except nikkor 50/1.8. I can let it happen because cameras don't make money for me. 🙂


To mknawabi: thanks for your kind words 🙂

 

[kmerenkov]

Find a good used M4-P and use it with your CV lenses, your wallet should have some remaining ... chops.

What about the meter? what about it indeed, here's another style for you, Sunny-16...-fu, it works and it's potent.
😉

Well, right, but money is not an issue. You can earn them, you can spend them, or you can just lose them because of currency rates, or maybe you won't be alive next morning (what a precious bunch of excuses I have!). Anyway, I can buy M6 in one month (if I don't have to pay for other things) without any problems, so it is just a matter of time. And as it was stated above - better buy what you really lusting for, otherwise it can't be helped (I didn't say M4-P is bad, no).

And what about sunny16 - I am kind of adopting it right now. My "A" bessa doesn't work right in AE mode, so I end up using manual exposures and keep it all in my head. Not completely sunny16 but at least I am able to keep track of lighting for some time without looking to a lightmeter often. 🙂
Actually that is what pushed me to look for a reliable camera. What is the point of having AE camera without AE working... what will fall off next...

 

[varjag]

Well since it's in your head now you have to buy it anyway.. Start saving, get one, and it'll make you smile every time you take pictures 🙂

 

[Teus]

Well since it's in your head now you have to buy it anyway.. Start saving, get one, and it'll make you smile every time you take pictures 🙂

this guy has been nagging about this clunky antique German brand for so long. but I had to prove him right, in the end. consider saving up for a Leica, the patience only makes it more worthwile ;-)

 

[Chris101]

Well, right, but money is not an issue. ...

If that's the case, just do it right, get the brand new MP and be done with it.

 

[Krosya]

Ok, I guess I'll be the rebel here. I have owned M3, M6 - both smooth and CLD'd by DAG, and guess what? While they were good cameras, I don't have either one now. Ever since I got Hexar RF - not much can sway me from it. For me - it's way better. I now got a Bessa R2M as a back up - also a good camera. So, after all the charm of Leica wore off - I'm back to more practical cameras (again - for me), with great fetures, less costly and no worries about burning holes on curtains. 😉
So, I'd say - try it - get one, see if it sticks. If not - you can always sell it and get most of your money back. Bottom line - you need a camera that works best for you - not what eveyone else says. So, try everything - you can re-sell them all anyway, - and stick with the one that you end up liking the most.

 

[Vics]

Get a nice, smooth, quiet old Leica (I have and love the M3) and get a Leica lens to go with it. I started in serious photography at about 19 yrs old, and finally got my Leica as a 60th birthday present from my wife and children. Man! Don't wait! I wish I'd done it looooong ago! Enjoy!
Vic

 

[gb hill]

You will never be completly satisifed until you get one so I say go for it. Like stated above if the karma isn't there you can sell it. I have a feeling though you will love it & this is comming from someone that has never held a M bodied Leica. Been very close to one though.😉🙂

 

[Ken Shipman]

Mp Mp Mp Mp Mp...

 

[kmerenkov]

I have a feeling though you will love it & this is comming from someone that has never held a M bodied Leica. Been very close to one though.😉🙂

Restricting yourself to avoid the problem I am experiencing? 😀


Thank you all guys for heating up my GAS-o-meter, it has never been stressed much more than now I think. And since almost all of your votes are for MP I will have to save up these $3-4k until fall 🙂

 

[oscroft]

I have an M6 and an M2, and I love them. But if I could afford to buy any Leica I wanted, it would be an MP.

 

[35mmdelux]

priorities first. The first time I held a M5 I bought it that week. Two years later I bought a M4-P (1993). I was a happy camper although what I really wanted was an M6. Too expensive for me circa 1994-95.

Fast forward 7 years....internet becomes widespread, invention of digi, and a new career $...used Leicas become more affordable...

No jet boat, no Harley Fatboy, no major partying. Ahh, yes, a couple Leicas that i can afford.

 

[anoldsock]

Go do it!!!!! You're just delaying the inevitable. Anyway, I got a chance to pick up an MP, and for me it was a bit heavier then i expected relative to the M6. Granted, in absolute terms it's not really all that heavy, but I wanted something that I could just put in my pocket. For me it was the M6...being said, I would love to own an MP...but at the end of the day, you can't really go wrong with either one.

Decide on a budget, and follow it to the T (easier said then done, I'll let you know when I figure out how to do this). I took the route of getting the lesser priced M6, and spending the rest of my budget on better glass.