[rollei_list] Re: OT: Leica

  • From: Thor Legvold <tlegvold@xxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:11:20 +0100

Hi Marc,


On 15. nov.. 2009, at 23.18, Marc James Small wrote:

The latest Contax lenses were designed in 1954. The oldest Leica M lenses available today were designed around 1985. Trust me, the Leica glass is better than the Zeiss Contax RF lenses, though the differences are only visible in really critical work.

That's interesting to know. The results I've gotten shooting Kodachrome with the IIa have been fabulous. Although I've never tested against a Leica, it's definitaly more pleasing than the Nikon stuff I have.

A Leica M body can be had for around $1000 or so, hardly a "small fortune". I have five Leica RF bodies and a bunch of

$1000 is still a substantial chunk of cash. I bought 2 IIa bodies, one with 50/1.5 and the other with a 50/2 for around $300. I gave one to a friend who wanted to learn photography (after having it CLA'd in the UK) and the other went to Henry for restoration (another few hundred $), leaving me way under the $1G mark. Plus I got a (very fine) 50/1.5 lens for free :-).

Later I found (and had Henry help source and restore) a 35/2.8 Biogon, 85/2 Sonnar and 135/4 Sonnar, along with a turret finder. Most of the lenses were very reasonably priced, I think the 85/2 set me back the most, and it was a bit over $500 including the overhaul and shipping.

lenses and accessories and have no money in them, as I have been buying and selling for decades, and these are the "profit"

Oh. I used to do that with hi fi gear. No time for that anymore, I only have what I can shoot these days (except for some stuff I inherited and haven't had time to restore for use).

For me it would be a lot more than 'no money' to get into a Leica system!

from such sales. I also have six Contax RF bodies and a slew of lenses for them and, similarly, I have no money in them, either. But, then, I swapped a Leica M4 body for my 2.8GX.

I love my 2.8D, it follows me pretty much everywhere.

The metering on an M6 is pretty simple and is deadly accurate.

As is the tiny Gossen Digisix I carry in my pocket. It has the advantage of working with any camera I choose to use :-)

Marc

Cheers,
Thor

msmall@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Cha robh bàs fir gun ghràs fir!


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