Official Talk Leica thread

I walked my kid to school at 08:30 and it was already t-shirt weather...

By 09:30 I was debating using sunscreen (normally I don't bother unless I'm topless on a beach)

By 10am I was at the coast for some beach photography... (which is about 5km/3.5miles away)

It was freezing cold and foggy o_O (clucking Atlantic coast micro-climate)

You're not my stepping stone by Adam Bonn, on Flickr

N1001922.LR.jpg

By midday it had started to lift
 
Hi, a visitor late in the evening ... (SONY A7R2 - LEITZ Macro-Elmarit 2,8/60 f 2,8 ; ISO 1000, crop almost 100%, through a not very clean glass door):



DSC01373-a7r22-L60-c.jpg



DSC01378-a7r22-L60c.jpg
 
So after a good few months with the MP now I've had a chance to put it through it's paces. I've had the good fortune to own an M3 (DS), M6 (both sold) and an M7.

I made the decision to get rid of the M3 and the M6 because I wanted a camera that fulfilled both roles. The dual stroke of the M3 and lack of meter made my usage of that pretty slow and cumbersome, and the M6, whilst lovely, didn't have the looks. The rewind crank looked odd to me and the plasticky bit on the film advance always put me off. I wanted a camera that looked and felt like an M3 but had the M6 light meter and didn't need tape. The MP was a natural choice for this, and selling both cameras has paid for it.

Was it worth it?

To me - yes.

It's a gorgeous camera to use. So simple in design and yet so practical in use. I have no qualms taking it out and about, and the lack of shutter speed options (with no battery) mean very little to me as the camera sits on 1/125 for the majority of the time and 1/60 when I absolutely have to. It has a very specific use and that's walkabout photography, either with a 28, 35 or 50 prime attached. The only minor qualm is the smaller shutter dial. I really do like the big dial on the M7, but it's not the end of the world.

Pricewise, it's obviously more expensive than a used M6, but not so much that you can ignore the benefits of having a brand new camera vs an unknown history M6. M6 prices have gone up and up over recent months and so it's not such a clear cut "go second hand" route IMO.

I'll never need to upgrade again.

(Father-in-law feeling optimistic about returning home after several months in hospital, MP, HP5 at 800 in DD-X with CZ Sonanr 50mm f/1.5)
2021-07-03-hp5at800-mp-26.jpg
 
Last edited:
Harlequin565 said:
So after a good few months with the MP now I've had a chance to put it through it's paces. I've had the good fortune to own an M3 (DS), M6 (both sold) and an M7.

I made the decision to get rid of the M3 and the M6 because I wanted a camera that fulfilled both roles. The dual stroke of the M3 and lack of meter made my usage of that pretty slow and cumbersome, and the M6, whilst lovely, didn't have the looks. The rewind crank looked odd to me and the plasticky bit on the film advance always put me off. I wanted a camera that looked and felt like an M3 but had the M6 light meter and didn't need tape. The MP was a natural choice for this, and selling both cameras has paid for it.

Was it worth it?

To me - yes.

It's a gorgeous camera to use. So simple in design and yet so practical in use. I have no qualms taking it out and about, and the lack of shutter speed options mean very little to me as the camera sits on 1/125 for the majority of the time and 1/60 when I absolutely have to. It has a very specific use and that's walkabout photography, either with a 28, 35 or 50 prime attached. The only minor qualm is the smaller shutter dial. I really do like the big dial on the M7, but it's not the end of the world.

Pricewise, it's obviously more expensive than a used M6, but not so much that you can ignore the benefits of having a brand new camera vs an unknown history M6. M6 prices have gone up and up over recent months and so it's not such a clear cut "go second hand" route IMO.

I'll never need to upgrade again.

(Father-in-law feeling optimistic about returning home after several months in hospital, MP, HP5 at 800 in DD-X with CZ Sonanr 50mm f/1.5)
View attachment 323211
Click to expand...

Good to hear positive things about the MP.

I love my M6, it’s a fantastic camera but I still have a bit of an eye on an MP & in the long run think I may well endup with one - if I can continue to justify the cost of film shooting. For info, I love shooting colour film & home dev/scan of colour doesn’t really float my boat.

I’ve been shooting as simply as I can with the M6 recently and have no issue with an older/smaller dial. I just stick it on 1/125 or so and adjust via the aperture (the way I believe it was done in the olden days).

Great to hear a positive review of the MP - for such an illustrious camera there’s not many good reviews out there on the good old www.
 
Hi, a rare visitor ... (M9 - LEITZ Tele-Elmar 4/135 f 4 ; crops) :



L1024750_DxO-L135-c.jpg



L1024758_DxO-L35-c.jpg



L1024765_DxO-L135-c.jpg



L1024772_DxO-L135-c.jpg



L1024781_DxO-L135-c.jpg



Above, I showed crops, taken from pics like this one :


L1024781_DxO-L135-4-f.jpg




(For pics like these, a rangefinder camera with an MF lens without live-view is not perfect. I should have used higher ISOs, too ...

I got better squirrel pics with my SONY A7R2 and my D800. )
 
Hi, again the squirrel ... (SONY A7R2 - LEITZ Macro-Elmarit-R 2,8/60 f 2,8) :



DSC01402-a7r22-L60-2.jpg



Crop ... :

DSC01402-L60-28-c.jpg



(Higher res, IS, live view, ISO 1000 all helped. I experience a relapse into my SONY-adapting days, perhaps ... In the LUFI, there is a Leica R lens thread, where non-LEITZ/Leica
bodies are admitted. Maybe, I shall go through my R lenses again, after a long native period.)
 
Hi, the M9 with ISO 800 now, the SONY with 1000, as before. (M9 - LEITZ Tele-Elmar 4/135 f 4 ; SONY A7R2 - LEITZ Elmarit-R 2,8/135 f 4).


Leica :

L1024796_DxO-L135-4.jpg



SONY :

DSC01509-a7r22-L135r-4.jpg



Leica :

L1024796_DxO-L135-4-c.jpg



SONY :

DSC01509-a7r22-L135r-4-cc.jpg



If one tries hard enough, and takes many pics, the M9 can come close(r) to the A7R2. The SONY with its many advanced, modern features is easier to use, and has a higher yield.

In the Leica family, the same results could be achieved with the Leica SL2. I see the "danger" of this option when looking at my experiences. After some time of happily adapting
lenses from other companies, the native phase will come, with "heavy metal" lenses (with excellent performance) and massive costs ... ---

The Leica store gives the M adapter for free, to tempt the M users. The SL2 with its thin filter stack and IS should show better results than the M10-R in everyday use, I think.
 
Last edited:
I could've sworn I posted pics, looking at your squirrels on the m9... ah yeah I did... phew. nice pics btw.
Yes, I saw the sl offer to adapt to the m lenses. But its 2-4k more for the camera (when part exing) and its a bigger camera (not held so not sure if heavier).
Wasn't tempted :) m10 is great

(apart from that damn sensor dust - cleaned y'day with the triangle swab, still left bits; used a cotton swab on a stick, one end sprayed with cleanser... do a third of the sensor, flip to the drier end and carefully wipe... it's clean(er) (for now). At least didn't see any dust when shooting the sky...
 
ecniv said:
I could've sworn I posted pics, looking at your squirrels on the m9... ah yeah I did... phew. nice pics btw.
Yes, I saw the sl offer to adapt to the m lenses. But its 2-4k more for the camera (when part exing) and its a bigger camera (not held so not sure if heavier).
Wasn't tempted :) m10 is great

(apart from that damn sensor dust - cleaned y'day with the triangle swab, still left bits; used a cotton swab on a stick, one end sprayed with cleanser... do a third of the sensor, flip to the drier end and carefully wipe... it's clean(er) (for now). At least didn't see any dust when shooting the sky...
Click to expand...

Hi, sizes :

Compare camera dimensions side by side

camerasize.com camerasize.com

For me, Leica was and is only M! But I am very much old school: Only a 911 is a real PORSCHE, and a Mercedes must have a star on the hood ... --- :)
 
justpix said:
...and a Mercedes must have a star on the hood
Click to expand...
Thanks for reminding me. I need to get the wife's Smart car booked in to the local Mercedes dealer for MOT and a few minor fixes... :naughty:
 
justpix said:
For me, Leica was and is only M! But I am very much old school: Only a 911 is a real PORSCHE, and a Mercedes must have a star on the hood ... --- :)
Click to expand...

I think if one wants a genuine digital (I suspect there's a few more options in film) rangefinder camera then it's go M or go home (or track down an Epson RD-1)

The other Leica cameras I'm not so sure enjoy the same niche... I think the CL is a bit of harder choice over the fuji/sony options, likewise the SL faces stiff competition from Sony/Pani/Canikon

I suppose once you get into the S line, you can say it's one of the few old school MF options

But the digital M is in a category of one these days, you just have to tailor your budget to how secondhand and how old you can maximum afford to buy :D - vast increases in the cost of the other cameras greatly help the (wo)man maths here I think!
 
justpix said:
We shall see. - A high res M with IS would be difficult to resist for me ... ---
Click to expand...
From what I’ve read the potential EVF and styling changes maybe somewhat off putting.

I’m quite happy with my M10-P, I can’t see me ever needing more in truth than what’s there. For sure it’s always going to be a better camera than I’ll ever be photographer!
 
Adzman808 said:
I think if one wants a genuine digital (I suspect there's a few more options in film) rangefinder camera then it's go M or go home (or track down an Epson RD-1)

The other Leica cameras I'm not so sure enjoy the same niche... I think the CL is a bit of harder choice over the fuji/sony options, likewise the SL faces stiff competition from Sony/Pani/Canikon

I suppose once you get into the S line, you can say it's one of the few old school MF options

But the digital M is in a category of one these days, you just have to tailor your budget to how secondhand and how old you can maximum afford to buy :D - vast increases in the cost of the other cameras greatly help the (wo)man maths here I think!
Click to expand...
The SL intrigued me but zoom lens cost is horrendous. (My Z6 more than adequately does the job I need as an option).

I do like the Q though, I think it’s a camera I could easily pick up and add in to the M mix in the future and be happy with.
 
Hi, showing off for tp ... ;) (SONY A7R2 - LEITZ Elmar-R 4/180 ; f 5,6 ; (handheld) crop):



DSC01742-a7r22-L180r-56-c.jpg



(Manually focussing an MF tele takes some doing... - One feels deep respect for the professional photographers of the past who had to make a living with these tools,
and one can understand why professionals now use AF tele lenses ... )
 

Attachments

  • DSC01742-a7r22-L180r-56-f.jpg
    DSC01742-a7r22-L180r-56-f.jpg
    382.2 KB · Views: 0
Afternoon Tea Dance - Vichy, France

M8 + Summarit-M f2.5

TP_Leica_Tea_Dance.jpg


St Emillion, France

(a small "pano" stiching two M8 shots together in PS)

TP_Leica_Emilion.jpg
 
Last edited:
trevorbray said:
Nice one Adam. Very well observed and taken. Well done on your achievement.
Click to expand...
Thank you Trevor, I can't imagine it really means anything, but it pleased me that it happened
ecniv said:
Nice :)

Is it elsewhere that you post to?
Click to expand...
Thank you! It's on flickr, on here, on the Leica forum, on facebook and instagram :ROFLMAO:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top