IDguy Loc: Idaho

Humans are marvelous at justifying their beliefs. Good example. I have no opinion on this topic. Merry Christmas!

Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA

I’ve often lusted after a classic Leica rangefinder, they are beautiful pieces of work, like a fine wristwatch. As a practical choice, a fast mid-range Nikon with good glass is a better fit for my needs, and the strains on my budget. I’d guess that a great camera, a Leica, Rolli, or a Hassi is a psychological aide to achieving my peak performance.

duane klipping Loc: Bristow iowa

If you say so...

Designdweeb Loc: Metro NYC & East Stroudsburg, PA

I need all the help I can get...

tommy2 Loc: Fort Worth, Texas

This is a photography related story you must want to tell and this is the place for it - a photography website. We all have stories we want to tell, thank you for telling us yours. Merry Christmas!

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Back in the 60s I owned a small collection of Leica rangefinder cameras and lenses. I had a IIF, IIIF, IIIG initially, then went to the bayonet lens mount models M2, M2-4, M3, M4 - though I didn't have more than 2 of these at the same time - being a college student, money was scarce. I had a few screw mount lenses for the older cameras, but sold everything when I got my first M camera. Which coincided with getting a job at their Rockleigh, NJ warehouse. I had every F2 lens they made, and a 21mm Super Angulon with the accessory viewfinder, to their 180mm F2.8 Tele Elmarit, which I used with my Visoflex III. So Leica rangefinders needed mirrors to accomplish certain types of photography. Obviously, your contradiction - "never had a mirror, who needs it" and your subsequent statements, "If I want to shoot telephoto images" and use it for "magnificent macro images" clearly indicates that to expand your photographic horizons a Visoflex was necessary. Besides, an elegant camera like any of the old Leica rangefinders became a lot less elegant when you bolted the Visoflex on it. And Visoflex adapters were not all that popular, in part, because of the focusing errors and general "clunkiness" when using one.

No Leica rangefinder that I know of had a "split image" focusing system. The older ones were zone-focused, the later ones used a rangefinder and rangefinder coupled lenses. Split image, in typical usage, referred to a groundglass with a center split prism, which showed a misalignment when out of focus. Two entirely different systems.

Early Leicas did not have flash sync - making it's use limited to just available light shooting. I think the first Leica that offered flash sync was the IIIF. Early Leicas did not have framing aids or parallax correction until the IIIG. It was hard to use the older cameras with different focal lengths.

I would have to disagree with you that improvements were "minimal." Even little things like having a fast film advance that required just one stroke of the film advance knob, or later, the lever-based film advance, bigger brighter viewfinders, parallax corrected rangefinder/viewfinder - these were all extremely functional and much anticipated improvements.

The metering systems introduced on the cameras were so-so at best. I carried around a LunaPro in the beginning, and later a Pentax spot meter if I wanted accuracy. But the quality of the metering system is only as good as the photographer's ability to interpret the reading.

I won't argue that you haven't taken some pretty spectacular images with your Leicas. But without any real examples of your work it's not possible to comprehend just how amazing your cameras and your photography is. You've got a few images in some threads, but these are small, low res images. Many are over-saturated, but that is not your fault - posting images to UHH will often cause color and tonal shifts, and increases in contrast.

I will argue that you can get better images, with greater variety of subject matter with current tech.

Leicas were beautifully engineered and built, but by no means a general purpose camera. Nor is it perfection. Alpa - another phenomenal camera, totally underrated, was my choice for a few years - I had a pair of 10Ds for a while and in my hands, the Alpha felt just as good as any Leica I ever had.

My idea of camera perfection for film has to be my old Sinar P2. Coupled with great lenses, you could not ask for more when it came to image quality and camera controls. Sadly, the images I took with it in the 80s got lost in a move.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

I do wildlife photography. I am sorry but Leica simply does not offer what I require. I do still own my IIIc single stroke with 50 mm lens that still delivers.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Whatever floats your boat. I used a Canon F-1 for over 40 years. Good as new when I sold it.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I'm glad you have a camera you like. I like my Nikons.

cdayton

I feel the same way when driving one of my Jaguars - why do people drive lesser cars?

patman1 Loc: Pataskala, Ohio

We all have our likes and dislikes, and our special priorities, if we didn't their would only be one camera brand. I am not implying that the Leica is the best camera in the world, it is the best for me! It's size, it's convenience of use is what I'm looking for in a camera. I got quite discussed with bags full of camera gear when most of the time just one camera, one lense was all I needed, but that's just me. 12 years ago when I moved upstate, after 3 knee replacements walking around with big bodies and big glass just didn't work. I started just using one camera, and one lense. It's perfect for me. My first shot with my M8 was taken in the middle of a snow storm while walking my dog. It was nothing special, just a shot of my driveway and house, hand held. I don't no if any of you have seen it, but I'm sure many will agree an excellent image under such adverse conditions. My present location puts me I a snow belt, not uncommon to get 24" of snow over nite. I no I could not walk around, in deep snow with dog on leash, with a DSLR and heavy lenses and have made this capture.

But most of all I want to say just one thing,

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful holiday season, it was nice to have some stimulating conversation.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Many of us are in a photographic "Hunt for Perfection". At this age I don't think a Leica; as good as they are, and with the admission that a Leica is coveted by many, will make a difference.
So, we stumble along in our search.
Merry Christmas.

kdogg Loc: Gallipolis Ferry WV

I have always wanted to get a Leica after finding out that was what Larry Burrows used to create those powerful images of the Vietnam War.
Sadly couldn't afford one back then, but I did make good use of my Kodak Brownie.

patman1 Loc: Pataskala, Ohio

Here is photo I mentioned.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

I am not yet impressed.