jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Perhaps a few ideas; I have used Leicas for the past 50 odd years; I am sure you will appreciate the M9 for its' small aspect, and lighter weight. As an observation from many years of using both M series Rangefinders, and the R series slrs, I would offer this piece of advice; forgo the 50mm. try instead the 35mm F2, or if you can afford it, the 35 F1.4. I think you will be amazed at the difference in viewpoint.
And, do persevere with getting used to the rangefinder- it does take a little while to be familiar with it- it is Different from an SLR !

hfb Loc: Northwestern Louisiana

The "Look" is all about 35mm film and wet print proccessing at the time. The camera was only a box to hold the film and control the shutter. The lens is any that fits the camera and will focus on the target. The film and printmaking were the limiting factors and made the "look". In version one of this discussion there is an URL to a British Photographer that has a couple of superb black and white images that define how good Digital prints can be. Clearly not the "Look".

Nate Loc: Ann Arbor, Mi.

I have several older Leicas and the tug to grab one, load with Tri X and head out, is considerable----but I don't do an, at least not in recent years. The printing notations on the James Dean shot are not much different from that which Ansel Adams did, not only in printing, but in the shooting and the development process as well.

I don't like digital….waited long before making the change, and have now struggled to create an image that looks like it was taken by a human with a range-finger camera rather than by a machine.

My present cpu processing is not unlike that shown for the James Dean image, not in the least---and still it does not match the desired range finder look, or that of, say, even the 4X5 format. Even with the most up to date advanced processing tools. But, I have done well and have been a winner in competitions where many others using film compete. The technical achievements in cameras and in processing cannot be denied----some of which could not even be dreamed of in range finder days, and they afford new challenges, new experiences and new payoff in "developing." Though none of these match the magic of watching an image come to life in the darkroom, one does have to be realistic with the new "Now" and live with the tradeoffs.

hfb Loc: Northwestern Louisiana

We are in complete agreement.

Mudshark Loc: Illinois

As a Navy photographer in the late 60s we had a wide variety of gear. My favorite was a Leica M2 kit. I was issued a brand new one, leather bag, three lenses, filters, etc. However I had discovered an old "beater" in the lab...it had officially been "surveyed," i.e., it was off the books. It had lots of dings and part of the black leather like material was missing leaving brass. It was to use a technical term...Butt Ugly. I put my new kit away and carried the old camera for several years...wish I still had her. She never failed me and the important things was...I never worried about her...if she got destroyed it was no big deal...so I felt somewhat liberated to put her in places I would most likely never have put the new camera. At least in my mind...the finest camera I ever used...

Terra Australis Loc: Australia

Did you spend time on the Ticonderoga?

Mudshark Loc: Illinois

Enterprise 67-68-69..9th Naval District 70-71

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Peekayoh the lady/bird photo? Grain added, too uniform for noise???? Yep?? or Nope!

norman816

I just bought the Lumix dz200. Great little camera that can do most anything u want it to do. Also scenes format night pictures come out great.

CaptainZapp

I am so pleased that this subject has aroused so much interest and enthusiasm. As well, I am grateful for the free exchange of ideas and information. Let 'er rip!

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

I went out yesterday for a few hours with my Rolleiflex E3 (Leitz Planar 2.8) and some TMX film. I only shot one roll but I enjoyed the "fiddling" with spotmeter, filters, camera settings immensly, much more than taking 100 pictures with my DSLR.

These old TLRs are way under rated for street photography because today very few people realize they are being photographed by a camera at waist level. And, they are just as quiet as a Leica and very capable of capturing this so-called HCB look. Plus, they are relatively inexpensive, a few hundred dollars will buy one.

BigBob611 Loc: Charlotte NC

I suggest the f/2.8 Summaron line of lenses if you don't need to shoot in near darkness. I owned the f/2 Summicrons and quite frankly there was not much difference at 2.8. The concept of "Leica" photography is the intimacy you can establish with the subject, because the rangefinder camera is nearly silent, and you are looking through a viewfinder rather than through the lens. An SLR gives you a private view of what the film will see, whereas a viewfinder allows you to see around the subject as you compose. A 50mm on a RF is different than through a SLR, causing you to fill the 24x36 mm frame of the film, hence the printing of Leica negatives with the black edge of the frame to verify you filled the entire canvas, not you cropped the good part out from a full frame. The Leica Way is stylistic and not exclusive to the German marque. The same way of shooting is available to the owner of a Fuji X-20, looking through a viewfinder rather than through the lens.

BigBob611 Loc: Charlotte NC

Sure that wasn't a Zeiss Planar? Planar is a trademark of Carl Zeiss not Ernst Leitz.

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

Oops ! Yes, of course, it is a Zeiss. Still a great lens tho. Got caught up in all the Leitz talk.

Thanks, Jack

Wishjr

CB was not a great technician. He used a Leica because it was small in a period that had been dominated by LARGE cameras.
While his look owes something to the nature of film in those days mostly his look is a combination of simplification and choice. I am sure he took many images that never were seen; however, the ones he chose to show were clear dynamic but most of all had a point. Much street street photography shows people doing things without design and emotion - no reason to care.
The Leicas, CB used typically had rangefinders but he used pre focus on spots or manual estimates in setting the lens in many situations to not be noticed. Most used lenses I would guess were a 35mm and 50mm. That's what appeared to be on in the photos of him and his camera and in the perspective of his images.

Have fun with your project and learn to simplify (b&w helps) for impact.