Let's see your gear

I almost bought one once when they were cheap (or cheaper)... It's too bad they quadrupled in price. Wouldn't say that I am obsessed with the Noctilux but I do really like the rendering produced by Dr. Walter Mandler's super-fast, beastly creations - The 50f1 Noctilux-M, the 75f1.4 Summilux-M and the 80f1.4 Summilux-R. There is simply nothing else like them.

The Beast

Hey! Congrats Ken!

I'm guessing that you haven't had any trouble figuring out what to do with your spare time lately.

Beautiful camera.

Yeah I'm really enjoying it. Still learning how best to meter with it... I had JUST gotten my Bessa figured out but this one acts differently.

It's probably the second least-collectible Leica behind the Leica CL. It's bigger than the other models and it doesn't have the same lines as every other M. They took a risk by redesigning this camera in the 70's and it almost put them out of business.

I didn't buy it to collect anyway, I want to shoot it. Here it is with my new (to me) 21mm lens and finder (thanks for the hand-me-down, Fernando!)

It's one of the best M's when it comes to usability and only now are people discovering this. It was the first M with a built in meter. After the M5 went off the market in 1975 and replaced with the M4-P based on the previous model, Leica users had to wait a decade to get a rangefinder camera with built-in metering; the M6. It is the only M with shutter-speed readout in the viewfinder and spot-metering. The other M's have weighted-average metering.

Leica users are a very sensitive bunch when it comes to change. Most consider either the original M3 or the second model, the M2, to be the perfect camera. Any deviation will be met with resistance. When the M6 TTL came out with a shutter-speed dial that turned the opposite way, all hell broke loose. With the M5, the whole camera changed.

Also the M5 had to contend with a much cheaper counterpart from Leica itself. The Leica CL. The CL was made in Japan under partnership with Minolta and served as a cheaper alternative to the M5. There are always calls for a less expensive way for people to enter the M-system and Leica provided it with the CL. The consequence, was that the CL hurt M5 sales.

People continue to call for a cheaper body from Leica but I think that they remember what happened to the M5 when the brought out the CL. Today, there are less expensive bodies from Voigtlander and Zeiss fortunately... and the recently discontinued (but very advanced) Konica Hexar RF can also be found new. However, the Leica is still in competition with itself. They made their cameras and lenses to such high standards that equipment dating back to the 1930's are still being used. Their stuff simply will last forever. My M3 from 1954 works just as well as my MP from 2006! My smoothest, best operating camera is my Leica IIIf from 1956! As a consequence, many people that want Leica stuff buy used stuff instead of new and that is hurting Leica's bottom line, without a doubt.

I think the Japanese learned this lesson. They're now making what are essentially, very expensive disposable cameras. People use them for around 5 years, they break down and go to a landfill site. The the owner then buys a new one and the cycle repeats. Gone are the days of the bullet-proof Nikon F's, smooth Pentax Spotmatics, and well-designed Olympus OM's.

...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

That regular Lumix case is very cumbersome and too expensive for what it is. The (possibly fake) Leica case I ordered is actually about 1/3 the price of the Lumix case at Muntz!

Another one of Mr. T: