Leica... what to buy for my Grandpa's Xmas present?

rissajaneen · 10-10-2012

Hello!
I am hoping that someone on this forum can help me with some advice. My grandpa is well into his 80s, but he's still going strong. Back in WWII he was a paratrooper in Europe, and he carried his camera everywhere with him. (He jokes that he always carried more film in his backpack than bullets!) He had a rolleicord camera back then (still has that working camera in fact) and took pictures of everywhere he went. After the war he was still into photography and had a dark room and developed his own pictures probably into the 70s. He says that he got away from photography when things switched to color.

He's always said that he wanted a Leica because they were the best cameras. I would love to get him one for Christmas so that he could start taking pictures again. He and I are both artists, so I think that having a nice camera would be something that we would both enjoy and could do together. The problem is that I know nothing about film cameras, let alone about Leicas... I am wondering if anyone can offer advice about which type of Leica camera or lens I should look for and where I should look for it? I live in Charlotte, NC but can't find much info about camera stores in my area. Ball park how much should I expect to pay for a decent camera and lens?

Thank you for any help or advice that you can offer to someone who is new to all this!

swoop · 10-10-2012

If he's accustomed to film then I suggest getting him something simple and mechanical like an M3, M4 or M6 along with a 35mm or 50mm Summicron or summarit lens. In addition he's going to want a light meter. Something simple like a Sekonic L-208 or L308.

A dozen or two rolls of film would be a good idea as well. Some ISO 400 and ISO 800 24exposures. Along with a gift card to the nearest drugstore/photo lab so he can get them developed and printed.

KEH has an M4 for $900, $1500 for a new 50mm Summarit, $130 for the L-208, $22 for 12 rolls of Fuji 400, $36 for 12 rolls of Fuji 800. At $7 a roll is would be about $168 to develop and print all that film. So total is around $2,800.

Shop around, you can definitely save by getting a cheaper used lens. If your grandpa is really experienced you can cut the lightmeter. And you'd probably only really need to give him about 4-5 rolls of film to start him out and get him excited about photography again.

buzzardkid · 10-10-2012

An M2, M3 or an M4 would be an excellent choice since the viewfinder is real bright. Focusing and composing are easy when ones eyes get older.

An 35 or 50 lens: Summaron 3.5/35mm or Summarit 1.5/50mm.

Wish your granddad a happy birthday!

jsrockit · 10-10-2012

Hmmm, does he want a Leica from around the WWII era? We'd be talking about LTM bodies like the III - IIIc:

http://www.cameraquest.com/ltmcam.htm

mfogiel · 10-10-2012

Before you buy, make sure he will be able to see through the viewfinder - with thick glasses this is getting more difficult. A good idea would be a 0.74 VF camera with a 50mm lens, this way you will have some room around the frame. My advice would be for an M4 or M2 and a Collapsible Summicron, Rigid/DR Summicron or Summarit 1.5 lens.

pharyngula · 10-10-2012

You've got some good advice on cameras and lenses thus far - I just want to add that I think the entire idea you have is very thoughtful, especially as an experience you might both share. I hope you manage to get him set-up and that his more youthful passion for film is rekindled.

The biggest challenge you might have is finding a decent local place to purchase, process and print B&W film but there are lots of labs you can use via mail.

jarski · 10-10-2012

M3 with early 50mm Summicron (both from -50's) could be good option. prices go up for newer and more modern Leicas. Barnacks are right vintage, but can be difficult to focus even for us more recent vintage.

CLA by camera tech is often needed for old bodies, unless its mentioned in sellers description.

hope you find good deal and your grandpa enjoys it

NeeZee · 10-10-2012

Good suggestions so far, but since you didn't state a budget, you might be shocked by the prices already, so i'll let you know about a 'lower end setup'. About the cheapest way you can go leica RF is to buy a Screwmount Leica (models like the IIf, IIc, IIIf, whatever you get the best deal for - the 'II' series has 1/25th as slowest shutter speed, the III up to 1 sec). Pair it with a 50mm elmar lens and a sbooi 50mm viewfinder and you have a nice set. That's about the cheapest you can go leica - depending on condition and offer 400-600$ for the set, I'd say. There is a IIf with elmar for 450$ in the 'Classifieds' on this site at the moment:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/phot...6quot-3b/cat/3

no connection to seller.

Rangefinderfreak · 10-10-2012

If your grandaddy is a technical mind and knows about computers, I would buy him a secondhand M8 and pit it in B&W mode. You would teach him to load the images to his computer. M8 images can be adjusted in the camera to look perfectly right straight out on computer screen. Then when he wants pictures, just load them on a stick and go to the photofinisher.I think he will be disappointed with film processing in a shop.

cosmonaut · 10-10-2012

His eye sight will have a lot to do with it. I think a nice M3 with the bright frame lines would be the easiest option.

Roger Hicks · 10-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rangefinderfreak

If your grandaddy is a technical mind and knows about computers, I would buy him a secondhand M8 and pit it in B&W mode. You would teach him to load the images to his computer. M8 images can be adjusted in the camera to look perfectly right straight out on computer screen. Then when he wants pictures, just load them on a stick and go to the photofinisher.I think he will be disappointed with film processing in a shop.

Sod that. Pictures on a computer screen ain't B+W prints. Get him a darkroom. See http://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/P...-Darkroom-Tent.

Cheers,

R.

zauhar · 10-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

Sod that. Pictures on a computer screen ain't B+W prints. Get him a darkroom. See http://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/P...-Darkroom-Tent.

Cheers,

R.

Roger, that tent is incredible - but where do you put the trays and your sink?

Randy

Teuthida · 10-10-2012

Go the KEH photo and buy an ex+ M4 with a 35 mm Summicron. Your granddad will love you till the day he dies.

sepiareverb · 10-10-2012

Rollei.

easier to see with old eyes.

Roger Hicks · 10-10-2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by zauhar

Roger, that tent is incredible - but where do you put the trays and your sink?

Randy

Dear Randy,

See http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subsc.../darkroom.html...

Cheers,

R.

John Lawrence · 10-11-2012

I used to have a Nova darkroom tent and always used a small camping table for equipment etc.

John

rissajaneen · 10-11-2012

Thanks to everyone who replied. You certainly gave me a starting point and some ideas that I can research. Since my grandfather is an artist he had surgery on both eyes about a year ago, and since then he doesn't wear glasses anymore. I'm hoping that eyesight won't be an issue when using a camera. I know that we won't choose a digital camera since he is not a computer person. I definitely want a film camera and know that we can either send it off or there is a dark room place nearby that you can go use. I'm a chemist so I am kind of interested in getting into the dark room stuff and developing pictures- always wanted to know how that worked!

Thank you again!