Your dream film M kit...what is it?

dave lackey

dave lackey

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Everytime I open the black bag and see the beautiful mistress (the green M3) sitting there naked (no lens), I start dreaming about a dream kit.

M3? MP? M6? M7?

I got the dream M body (M3) but lust for a BP MP. So, my mind wanders toward speed. Yes, I am a speed junkie. Nothing but a Lux will do anymore. I think a 50 Lux in chrome and a 90 Cron would do just about everything I need in a lens as a match for the M3.

Alternatively, a black paint MP and the same lenses in black would do just fine.

Now, having said all of that, film and processing would need to be addressed as I really am getting tired of the lab results. So, part of my kit will be doing my own film processing and scanning. Working on a film-for-life scheme and I have most of what I need to develop black and white but not C41.

What would you folks recommend for developing C41 and which is the best scanner for 35mm negative film, slides and 120?
 
If we're talking about unlimited lenses: black paint M3, current version Noctilux, 28mm Summicron, 50mm Zeiss Sonnar ZM, and 85mm Zeiss Sonnar ZM.

If I had to pick one camera/lens combo: black paint M3 + 50mm Summilux current version.
 
Dear Dave,

BP MP with Leicavit, WATE (Wide-Angle Tri-Elmar), 35/1.4 pre-aspheric, 50/1.5 C-Sonnar and, ideally, 50/1 Noctilux, 75 Summicron. On top of this, add Thambar and 135/2.8.

The ones I don't own are the WATE and Noctilux. One day, maybe...

For C41: Tetenal works fine for me.

Cheers (& love to Linda),

R.
 
jsrockit said:
I think for me it would a customer BP Leica MP with lizard skin and a black .95 Noctilux.
Click to expand...

:eek:
I dont believe you... nope..

I think I have mine... M7, anything 28mm, and a cheap 50 for the few times I use it... Although, probably a .58 body would work better for me, I deal with a .72.. No big deal..
 
dave lackey said:
... I have most of what I need to develop black and white but not C41.

What would you folks recommend for developing C41 and which is the best scanner for 35mm negative film, slides and 120?
Click to expand...

Add a tub big enough to hold your chemistry bottles in warm water, and now you have what it takes to develop C41. It's actually as easy, if not easier than black and white (due to less choices to make.) I prefer the Unicolor chemicals, as they are powders, and can be stored indefinitely.

As for my ideal M kit, I had it, but then it was stolen: M4P with 35mm f/1.7 Ultron. If a black paint MP with an angled rewind no markings except for a red dot, fitted with a fast 35mm, fell out of the sky, I would not send it back either.
 
here they go in this order...

M3 black paint w 50mm pre asph lux black paint E46,
M4 black paint with 35 lux ASPH
M7 0.58 à la carte black paint, with silver dial, leather covering, no logo, minimal framelines, with black paint 35 cron ASPH
M2 w. leicavit MP and 35 summilux V1
M5 w. noctilux 1.2

dreaming is allowed, right?
 
1) Black paint MP 0.72 with black paint 35 Summicron and black paint 90 Summicron.
2) Completely automated C41 home development.
3) Nikon 9000 ED Coolscan film scanner.

I own 1) and 3).
 
Black paint MP3 with matching Leicavit and bp E46 pre-ASPH 50 Lux.

Aside from the M5, this is the only film M with a lightmeter and 1 meter frame lines. It also happens to be a very, very nice looking camera. I should have bought one a few years ago. They weren't cheap, but a bargain compared to what they are going for today.

Other than that I would say a black paint M4, which is not too far fetched, if I ever find the time to finish repainting mine.

A few lenses...

2/28 Cron
1.4/35 Lux Apsh
1.4/50 Lux

2/50 DR
2/50 Collapsible
3.5/50 Elmar

It would be nice if there was a 28 Lux.

Toss in a Hasselblad X5 scanner for good measure and a mountain of Tri-X / TMY-2 400
Pakon 335 for bulk scanning


But to be honest I'm pretty content with what I have. I have all of the above lenses, except the 2/28 Cron, and my VC 2/28 is no slouch. Yeah, I wish my M2 / M4 were black paint, but we're old pals at this point. If I want black I got my M6ttl and M7.


What I really wouldn't mind one of those x5 scanners...
 
Well Dave, the dream came true a couple of years ago. Ala carte BP M7 with MP style levers, Black everything including the Millennium film counter and BP 35 cron asph. I'm about to try color development. I have a Coolscan for color film and slide scanning, but also have a Epson V500 I can use as well.


M7Mill35CronTopclose by wjlapier, on Flickr
 
3050064007_82bf9d4cd3_b.jpg
 
I've been fortunate enough to be able to compile my perfect set up over the past few years (ALC M7 .85x and SEM 21, lux asph 35/50, MEM 90, Telyt 135). I have a good printer and Arista Premium for the next couple years, but would love to get a better scanner--perhaps the new Plustek 120
 
Camera ? M6TTL 0.85
Why ? I like the big dial and mechanical shutter.

Lenses ? 15 Voigtländer, 35 Lux FLE, 50 Lux Asph, 90 Tele-Elmarit.

I got my dream camera and 3 of my dream lenses. Only one lens to go :)
 
I used to dream of a Leica MP BP, then I got one and it seemed kind of unremarkable compared to the M3 that came before it. I returned to the M3 and was happier. But now I only have one 35mm camera and my dream cameras come in larger sizes. After getting into 4x5, an Ebony now seems interesting, but right now I'm lucky in that I don't hanker after any camera I don't already own, and my tastes run a little cheaper now.
 
MP 0.58 for 28/35
M2 with M4 tulip installed for 35/50
28 f/2
35 & 50 1.4
(still can't afford this fast glass)
Tri-X factory in my backyard.
 
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