Using the gear you've got?

S

Stephen S. Mack

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I'm of two minds when I stop and think about my hobby (for that's what it is, a hobby,) I am satisfied with my gear because I use it regularly to take photos. I rotate among my small collection, and I find that I'm driven mostly by mood (and probably changes of season, phases of the moon, flights of birds, etc.) to account for what I'm currently using. I know that the gear isn't going to make me a better photographer. But I can't get it out of my mind that I really, really want to buy a Leica. I'm not picky: almost any Leica will do. I ESPECIALLY like the IIIf; there's something wonderfully fun about using one, I think, considering that I've bought a FED 1g which is a shameless copy of a III something-or-other. I started out with a Bessa R and the 35mm lens, and love it.

But I still hold back from buying a Leica. I've read that Leica will no longer supply parts for repairs on the screw-mount cameras. I'm leery of buying sight unseen from the dealers (not e-bay) who advertise in Shutterbug, and I'm even a little bit shy of buying locally, even though the guy who owns the shop is a trained Leica tech as well as an accomplished photographer. AND I can afford the screw-mount Leicas better than I can afford a newer model. Most of 'em come with a lens, too, that I've looked at. (It's the lens cost that throws me for a loop when I add up the body and the lens together.)

So, I'm wondering if I'm being silly about wanting to get a Leica after all, and should just be content with what I have. Won't make me a better photographer, also, may be just a little bit pretentious on my part. So I'm posting this looking for some feedback from others who've lusted after a Leica for decades (as I have but haven't pulled the trigger yet), and then finally went ahead and bought one. What did it do for you?

Thanks to all who reply.

With best regards.

Stephen
 
Dear Stephen,

Well, you can live on bread and water (well, all right, beans and fresh salad as well).

I could live with (let's say) my Konica fixed-lens RF. But I prefer my Leicas.

Cheers,

R.
 
Twenty-something years ago when I was debating whether to buy a certain new car, I was told by my accountant friend, "You should buy it; you might fall off a mountain next week."

I tend to remember that when I'm buying anything pricey. Along with how long I'll have to eat beans, bread, and water to afford it. :)

--michael
 
Ha....I'm right there with you Stephen. I lean more toward the Ms, but I'm right there with you otherwise. I've been schlepping around for 3 or 4 years with Yashicas, a Petri, a Zorki, and a couple Kievs and I've had to swear off buying any other cameras until I get that M4-2 I consider my holy grail. I'd settle for any M or even a CL for a good enough deal. And the CL may yet be my entry to Leicaworld, but right now, the money is better put elsewhere...still.

I also know an M won't make me better, but I do know I'll have a tool that is more reliable and functional that either of the Kievs I have or the Zorki. And I'll eventually gain an ability to have more than one focal length which will make it an improvement over the GSN.

Until then, I'll schlep along further. I've even gone back to a Kiev lately- despite my issues with the film transport and skinny frame spacing.

Best of luck to you in your search!
 
I ESPECIALLY like the IIIf; there's something wonderfully fun about using one, I think, considering that I've bought a FED 1g which is a shameless copy of a III something-or-other. I started out with a Bessa R and the 35mm lens, and love it.

Stephen[/quote]

I think you hit it right here: Using a Leica (Contax/Nikon/Zeiss Ikon.....fill in the blank) camera is fun! It may be a hobby, but you can still be passionate about it. Go for the equipment that makes it fun, whether a Leica or a Pentax spotmatic. :)

Gary
 
If you enjoy using LTM cameras, a well tuned IIIF is a joy to use. Put a collapsible lens on it and you've got a truly compact camera. An M is more convenient to use, perhaps, but the LTM won't disappoint, IMHO.
 
The Bessa R was my entry drug. I've since had several Barnacks but now stick to Ms only.

For me, with a 35, the Bessa R is certainly more fun than a Barnack.

If you want a Leica, consider an M2 with an adapter for your 35 ... might be cheaper in the long run. And as a used camera not too expensive. Check keh.com, for example.

Roland.
 
Stephen, it's not silly at all. If you use a piece of equipment that you enjoy using and take pride in, and the camera is reliable and accurate, then your photography may benefit after all. Go for it! :)
 
Well Stephen, you waited too long:
memphis had a iiif but traded it for a Ricoh GRD2 this week.
One of the last hold-outs, getting his second digital....
I shot with him over New Year's, and that was a sweet little rig...
 
oldoc said:
Well Stephen, you waited too long:
memphis had a iiif but traded it for a Ricoh GRD2 this week.
One of the last hold-outs, getting his second digital....
I shot with him over New Year's, and that was a sweet little rig...
Click to expand...
I'm eagerly awaiting its arrival as well, I've wanted a screwmount leica since I that zorki-1c , i feel it'll pair nicely with my M3, next step is a collapsible cron or getting a 21 similar to what Blake had on there.

Do I need two leicas?
No , but you only live so long .
 
Leicas are very nice pieces of mechanics. As long the rangefinder is bright and everything else works, I don't think you'll find too much difference between a IIIa, IIIc, or IIIf. I got my IIIf from Collectible Cameras.

I like my IIIf, but I love my M3.
 
In the summer of 2008, I spied a newly arrived M2 at KEH for a good price, and pulled the trigger. Could not be happier. It didn't make me a better photographer, but it did make photography a little more fun. Then, earlier this year, I spied a IIIc and a Summitar for sale by a member here, and ... oh, what the hell, I pulled the trigger again. The IIIc is fun to shoot w/ during the daylight hours; pretty hard to focus at night, though. And loading it is a pain. You probably know that already. But w/ an Elmar 50/3.5 or a Canon 35/2.8, the IIIc slips nicely into a coat pocket, and is a quiet unobtrusive kit for street and landscape photos.

I've had a Bessa R + 35 -- very nice -- and still have a couple of Bessas. They're all good in their own ways, and are incredible value. But like a lot of others here, I've had a small case of the Leica itch, and as -doomed- says above, you only live so long...
 
Well, what it's done for me (bit of a loaded question, but here goes) is improve my photography. Not the camera, the lenses. They're as good as it gets in 35mm. I shoot the SLR's, and the prices to put together a kit is very cheap compared to the M's. Same w/ the screw mount cameras, but I never got on w/ them.

On the other hand, I've also lost the ability to get certain types of photos because the Leica is manual focus. So I bought a nice little Nikon N6006 w/ a sharp 28 70 zoom for those times when auto focus and auto exposure are best, along w/ the motorized film advance. It cost the grand total of $125 including shipping. That kind of money doesn't go far in Leicaland.

Will the Nikon take as good a photo as the Leica? I bloody doubt it, even w/ the best of Nikon primes. But it will give me a chance to get some shots that couldn't be got w/ the Leica. If you're set on getting a screw mount Leica, go for it. Great little cameras, and made very well. Don't worry about parts, they will be repairable for many, many years. I just always felt that the M's and the Leicaflex models were in a different league in terms of usability. That M3 viewfinder is amazing.
 
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No way mate G.A.S rules... if you want a Leica and you can afford one then get it!

Life is too short to wonder what if ...

There will always be someone who can repair your Leica

:)
 
Many years from now, when you are on your death bed, will you chide yourself for being silly, or will you think Gee, wish I'd had a Leica just once? Don't take food out of your kids' mouths, or shoes off their feet, but a IIIf is a pretty modest extravagance.
And if it doesn't work out, you should be able to sell it for pretty much what you paid.
 
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Repeat
Don't take food out of your kids' mouths, or shoes off their feet, but a IIIf is a pretty modest extravagance.
If you are not in real estate or the finance industry you have probably earned yourself a treat. :)Llike you say, you have the cash, and it is the one area left where you can do whatever the h**l you like, so why not?
 
Remember, as long as they are still making film (and barring accident or other damage) you are only renting the camera. If you don't like it, or you want something different (or two of something different), you can always sell it. Possibly at a profit, but don't go crazy on resale value.

My M6 is a joy to use. Too bad about the isty bitsy film, but you can't have it all. If leica had only made a medium format rangefinder... (the Mamiya 7 is nice to use, but it is not a leica)

I have to admit, though, that the camera is just a vessel for the glass.

I went on several overseas assignments (not photographic) to pay for my hobby. These serve dual purposes: they provide me with employment (good) and travel (great). I also use them as an excuse to buy cameras and lenses. If I did not have the cash at hand, I would not be buying cameras. On the other hand, those that I have sold have been at a profit. For film cameras and all lenses of a certain quality, bought used. And, I use the cameras. In some cases, to death.

My problem is finding the excuse to replace my computer (again) so that it can handle the large format pictures in a reasonable amount of time. That is flushing money down the toilet.
 
I agree with what you say that the camera doesn't make the photographer. But, if the photographer has a camera that they thoroughly enjoy using all the time and motivates them to get out and take photos; that is the best one. I don't regret one bit saving every penny I had, and finally forking over the dough for my Leica.
 
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