Let's see your gear

...and knowing is half the battle.

That's right! And you were able to get that camera at a very nice price. For the condition its in, the seller could had fetched way more $$$ for it. Good thing that you jumped on it before someone else did.

Haven't taken a picture of it yet, but my father gifted me his old Nikon F4 film camera. This was practically untouchable when I was a teenager but I guess he wanted me to enjoy it.

He kept his lenses for his Nikon D100 but I picked myself up a beautiful manual-focus 105mm f/2.5 AI-s at International Camera Repair in Etobicoke. It should be a good compliment to my Leica.

Congratulations on both the F4 and 105mm. You know how I feel about the 105 Nikkor. In my opinion, its the only Nikkor lens that makes switching to a Nikon SLR system worth it.

I got it under your recommendation. Henry's had a beat up one for around $450... International Camera Repair had a beautiful one for $250. Still more than I might pay online but I know Stan will stand behind it if I have a problem.

His store is awesome... I haven't been there since before I started dating my wife. My dad would always drop my mom and sister off to shop take me there when I was a kid and the place hasn't changed. His business is hurting but he has tons of inventory. If he threw it up on eBay he'd probably make a killing.

I regret not taking any pictures inside there.

Does International Camera Repair have any Leica gear?

You probably need a new bag now?

I didn't get the Sonnar one by the way, but the later Gauss type. It seems really nice though. Haven't got any film back from it, maybe I'll blow a roll of C41 through it today... not that I could get it developed.

They had some accessories, but no lenses or bodies. They had everything else, though. He had a very nice Olympus 35 SP for $120 that I considered but I think I have outgrown those. He had a FED rangefinder but I didn't ask how much.

I was too lazy to take a picture but I forgot I had a webcam on my computer.

My MP with my newest fifty, a Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH made in 2007. I took the photo using my Leica IIIf with my oldest fifty, a Leica 50mm f/2 Summar made in 1934.



The Summar is known for its dreamy, glowing renderings as demonstrated here.

My Asahi Pentax Spotmatic II and my collection classic Super-Multi-Coated Takumars. From left to right: 28mm f/3.5, 135mm f/3.5, 400mm f/5.6 (the big one), 50mm f/1.4 on the camera, 200mm f/4, and 85mm f1.8. The moire pattern is due to the crappy point-and-shoot digital I used to shoot the photo.



Here is Spotty with the legendary 85mm f/1.8 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar.



The leather case was hand-made by Mr. Hirano Kazuhiro (below). I believe it is the first case Hirano-san has made for the Spotmatic. Special thanks to Dirk Rösler of Japan Exposures for acting on my behalf. Hirano-san only sells cases to the Japanese market but Dirk at Japan Exposures, acting as a broker, can get them for people outside of Japan. The case is very well made and wonderful to use. The camera is also sporting a green (more olive-green than Pentax-green) Classic Softie from Tom Abrahamsson.



Some links:
Camera-Hirano: http://www.camera-hirano.jp
Japan Exposures: http://www.japanexposures.com
Tom Abrahammson: http://www.rapidwinder.com

A photo of Mr. T (my Voigtlander Bessa-T) with the Beast (35mm f/1.2 Nokton Aspherical) dressed in Luigi leather.



Next, the incomparable Luigi Crescenzi. One of the finest gentlemen that I've ever dealt with.



If you want anything done in leather for your camera, Luigi is the man!
http://www.leicatime.com

LX3 would look good in one.

Currently, I carry the LX3 (w/ 24mm finder) naked in my coat pocket. I've been in contact with Akihiro (Aki) Asahi about his vulcanit covering but he has temporarily stopped production of coverings for digital cameras to concentrate on making other things. I managed to find a Leica case for the D-Lux4/LX3 extremely cheap. It is probably a Chinese-made fake but we'll see. It is supposed to come with original boxes, papers, etc. It is currently on its way to me from Hong Kong.

Nice. They had the Lumix case in the display but I was pretty sure you'd pass on it