The decisive moment with the Leica M3

[Nikkor AIS]

There are a couple of reasons I always wanted to shoot with Leica M cameras: their reputation, and the Leica range finder design which enables a photographer to catch the decisive moment like no other camera (short shutter lag). Although I've only been using the M system for a relatively short time, I must say that I've found these claims to be true. The bright view finder, no mirror swinging up to black out the view and responsive feel of the shutter have allowed me to get some decisive moments with my Leica M3. This shot of the cat "Susie" was taken on a Leica M3 on XP2 film. What is amazing to me is the short learning curve as I had only purchased the camera a couple of days before I took this photograph.

 

[robin a]

Welcome to the M! However, the picture would be greatly improved without that blue text in the middle of it. 😉

Yeah,it kinda takes away.....................Robin

 

[Renzsu]

Yup, basically makes your photo into a commercial banner.. just keep your images low-res if you're worried about people snitching them.
Nice to hear you're enjoying your M though, lovely beasties they are.

 

[Nikkor AIS]

Sorry about the blue text guys but the watermark is my compromise for sharing my work in an open forum. Sharing my work without watermarks leaves me open or vulnerable and I refuse to accept the risk. I sincerely hope we can still have a great discussion about the decisive moment. Here is another example taken with my M3 and a 35 1.4 Summilux in a Wal-Mart McDonald's which I'm now banned from for taking photos inside the store. At any rate, I've come to really appreciate the unobtrusiveness and quickness of this M3 and 35 1.4 Summilux combo in the hand up to the eye. Thanks to the Rangefinder forum member who sold me the camera.

Gregory

 

[Tim Read]

What story are you trying to tell with this photograph? Too use your word, who is vulnerable here: you the photographer or the apparently (?) disabled subject?

 

[jesse1dog]

Can't understand why your watermark has to be in the middle of the photo. Other guys manage to stick their 'name' in one of the corners - suggest this as an alternative. But keep taking photos.

jesse

 

[Krzys]

Good photos but that watermark is almost an insult to us

 

[Renzsu]

Sorry, just thinking you don't need those watermarks, the big names out there don't do it either and they have the most to lose.. i'd say you're hurting yourself here more than you benefit from them. I'll shut up now.

 

[Nikkor AIS]

In the small Alberta town I live in, there's been construction It's the fastest-growing citiy in Canada so you can imagine the constrtion. Part of my docum. of the dest. of the habitiat specifically priaire and wetlands is that I've photographed construction sites and workers. Working outside in Alberta is no joke, it's cold dangerous work and their efforts go unnoticed and unrewarded by those that drive on their roads, if it's safe to do so I'll get out of my car and take some shots, If Im near /on the road I don't like to hang around long playing frogger and this is were Leica M3 shines. Even sub-zero weather we/o gloves I can get out and set my exposure quickly frame my shot and be gone. In this particular instances I got out of my car took four steps and there it was Saw the shot developing and the instant the worker looked up , I went click. Instances like this moment and in these conditions It very nice to see it as it happens Around these parts everywhere you look are habiti is being swallowed up ad in its place, new homes, new roads, new shopping malls and especially new drugstores. How many drugstores do you need in a one-mile radius.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

If I were that afraid of someone stealing my photos, I'd lock them away, not deface them. There are billions of photos on the web. Do you normally get big bucks for your photos and stand to suffer some huge financial loss if someone puts your low res photo on their blog? The absurdity of that big blue blot in the middle of your photos makes it kind of hard to even comment on their content.

 

[johannielscom]

To each his own.

No banners on mine, that's for sure.

 

[Gary Sandhu]

Yes, the M3 is A fine decisive-moment camera; makes you wonder how HCB ever got along with a barnack. (yey! the first post not mentioning the watermark-- excepting parenthetical remarks).

 

[johannielscom]

-Reply hidden from plain sight due to possible copyright violations-

😉

 

[fixbones]

No banners on mine too

 

[Krzys]

Also in no photo alone can I actually read your email.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I just don't understand why photographers think highly compressed, 400 pixel images would be of financial value to anyone who might steal them. Or represent financial loss to them if they were stolen.

 

[Austerby]

These watermarks are more trouble than they're worth - a potentially interesting discussion on the decisive moment has been completely de-railed. Shame.

 

[gliderbee]

Me neither: I need all three of the photos to "puzzle" together the email-address.

Being right in the middle and much too big, it's very disturbing and distracting while trying to look at the pictures themselves.

Also in no photo alone can I actually read your email.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

"potentially interesting discussion on the decisive moment has been completely de-railed. Shame."

The decisive moment was when the OP put that big, ugly watermark in the middle of his photo.

 

[sreed2006]

Speaking of BIG, obnoxious logos and watermarks, follow the link below to a perfect example. In my opinion, which I expressed to the photographer, the logo destroys the picture. Interestingly enough, I made two comments, and one of them was deleted. There were also other comments that were deleted. This photographer, while very good, is tired of being ripped off, so decided to just destroy his photographs rather than have them stolen. I don't get the thought process behind that.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/miloinredfern/4213351209/

As for the M3 capturing the decisive moment, and making photography more fun, that is a very good point. I've shot (evil) SLR and DSLR cameras for a long time now. My only rangefinder, an Olympus XA, is not good at capturing decisive moments because the shutter button is unreliable (works some times, and doesn't work other times). My birthday is coming up. I'm in decision mode - and looking at the Leicas for sale on this site is sure getting me thinking. How to decide?

(Edited to remove a stray apostrophe.)