Leica
M series rangefinders
For many the acme of photographic perfection - or, perhaps more accurately, desirability - is the Leica M series of rangefinder cameras.
I have had two - the M6 and the MP[1]. I bought the M6 a few years back, when in a fit of exuberance at having escaped from the clutches of a terrible house and after I nearly went bankrupt, we had first moved to Bloomsbury, home of expensive camera shops in London.
Within 500 yards, we had - indeed, having moved only round the corner, still have - "The Classic Camera", Jessops Classic Cameras, York Cameras, Jacobs, Jessops main store, Kingsley Photographic. I bought the body and my first lens, the 35mm Summicron (that's an f2 for those of you who do not speak Leica (similar to not knowing the Koechel numbers for all Mozart's works - I mean, who does? No, not all at once, please: the question is rhetorical, but valid in intent). Lovely combination, and I still have them both.
In time, I supplemented my 'system' with a 50mm Summicron. However, for reasons which are still not clear to me, I have not yet (but see below) got on well with this lens, and I then bought a 90mm f2 as well. That lens I never liked and sold it within a year or so. I had taken some good portraits with it, especially for the firm's brochure, but I never quite clicked with it and it seemed too big and heavy for the Leica philosophy.
A 24mm f2.8 ASPH lens followed, an absolute corker in terms of sharpness, clarity and 'oomph' - every picture seemed to leap from the page or the lightbox. But again I found difficulties - the fact that you had to look through a separate viewfinder, mounted in the hotshoe, seemed to militate against the Leica way of simplicity and unobtrusiveness. I took some great (to me) shots in Corregidor and one or two good ones in Turkey, but then sold the lens and bought a used Nikon F90X (another story).
I had settled on what looks like a good working outfit. I bought one of the new MP bodies, in black paint, and indulged in a 35mm f1.4 Summilux after some research, many saying it was their all-time indispensable, 'must have' Leica lens. This combined with the existing kit as follows:
- MP with 50mm Summicron and Tri-X
- M6 with 35mm Summilux and Provia/Reala/NPH or whatever
For reasons that I have not yet fathomed, the MP works very well with the 50mm and Tri-X, so I shall give that a go over the coming months and see if it was just a flash in the pan. Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I also have the Voigtlander 15mm f4.5 Heliar lens, with screw-mount fitting and a Leica-M bayonet adaptor. Not a serious lens (whatever that means), but great fun.
[1] Update: I sold the MP in September 2004 and the 35mm 1.4. They really were surplus to requirements and I found that I was shooting much more with the digital Nikon. I got decent momey back from them, so this will assist towards (a) Georgia's school fees and (b) the planned trip to Uzbekistan. And when all is said and done, I'd rather go to Uzbekistan (or wherever) with only an M6 than to have an MP and not go.
Other people's views
- Paul Butzi on the M6
- Another, more jaundiced view from the Vooner
- The Incredible LeicaSlacker (funny) - see especially the PLUG page tips and commandments
- Dante Stella is a friend of Kyle's - his site is more pointed, but also amusing.
The Digilux
What can I say? To use the vernacular, "it does exactly what it says on the tin." Can't really fault, nor can I get particularly enthusiastic about it. The shutter lag is minimal, which is 'A Good Thing'. And Georgia can learn about photography on it fairly cheaply (in terms of film, at least, though I hope she does not drop it).
Er, that's it.
Leicaflex SL
My first Leica was their old SLR model, the Leicaflex. Looking back, it was quite good. Very robust, very reliable. All the shots on the Jordan, Syria and Lebanon trip were taken with it, or more specifically, it and its 35mm lens. I only had a 90mm in addition, which was supposed to be the classic combination.
But somehow, it lacked that Leica magic and I cannot in truth say that I have missed it very much since I sold it a few years back.