Finally Born as a Photographer, with Leica.

Here's one of the (very few) photos I have taken with my Elmarit so far

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=29710&limit=recent

showphoto.php
 
Thank you Magus, f8 is right, if memory serves. Actually I photographed all the heads in the Sheldonian on a rather bright afternoon but the sky was overcast and the light was changing all the time, so some photos were taken with f5.6 (I think). It is so far the only time I have used the Elmar but from the little I 've seen it is a solid performer. I want to use it again in the wedding of a friend but I am a little apprehensive since f2.8 is the widest it can get. So, all in all your choice for the APO-Summicron makes sense to me.

Oxford is beautiful and it presents the photographer with many opportunities. I am mustering strength to photograph some of the wonderful characters around the colleges, all the more so as this is going to be my last year here. Blackwell is a favourite spot, but I try not to go very often, else I end up spending hours studying the bookshelves.

I wish you happy shooting with your new equipment and I am looking forward to seeing your photos from France in the gallery.

Cheers
Alkis
 
Welcome Leica_Magus. I too am a new Leica convert. I picked up a IIIf from my work about a week ago, took it back two days later and bought an M. All this before I even printed anything from the IIIf. I shot one roll of B&W and one roll of slides and knew what I wanted immediatley upon seeing the shots on the film. Aside from the images I just love the way the camera handles. I have a Bessa R as well, and I like it, but it just isn't the same.

Happy shooting with your newfound passion and chosen tools.

Jared
 
First Anniversary...

First Anniversary...

Post deleted by posters request
 
Magus, I'm pleased to hear the passion is still there. I came back to Leica after years in the wilderness (sold my M6, 4th gen 35 'cron, 90 tele elmarit to afford my last few months in college). Now I enjoy my hobby so much more. Still, I'm not totally Leica. I have just acquired a 25/2.8 Zeiss Biogon ZM. It is a beautiful lens, both in construction and handling. Now I have a nice, small kit I can carry everywhere... and I do.
 
Hey, I've been here for almost exactly a year, too. Sure hope that college doesn't get the better of my cameras...
 
erik,

What are you studying?

It was the spring of my last year of Optometry school (graduate ed, after 8 years in college). My roommate and I were really scrounging to make ends meet. Finally, resigned to the fact that I needed to eat more than I needed to photograph, I sent my gear off to Stan Tamarkin (I knew he'd be able to sell it fairly fast) and he cut me a cheque for the gear once it all sold (minus a fair commission). I was a bit heartbroken to have to sell it all. But, with my new career just about to get off the ground, I knew I'd one day be able to afford more Leica gear.

Just keep your expenses as lean as you can. College can be the best time of a young person's life.
 
i enjoyed reading magus' initial post; it struck me as classical, passionate magus.

magus, you mentioned above that you like the leverless film advance on barnack bodies, and it led me to wonder whether you own and use a barnack? if so, does it see frequent action?

good cheer, thomas w.
 
It's funny how old threads I missed come to life again. A nice thing in this case.

Reading Magus' original post struck a few notes regarding my experience with the means and ends of photography. My first good camera (toward the tail-end of the second Nixon administration) was a used 35mm RF (Yashica Lynx 5000E...it's true, you "never forget your first"), then, when it broke (for the third time within a year), replaced it with a used Electro GT, then, at the dangerous point where I'd amassed real money, bought a new Canon F-1 and proceeded down the rabbit-hole of SLR technology-chasing. Took a lot of decent pictures, sometimes damned-good ones, but had the vague notion that things were not right, and spending lots of cubic dollars wasn't the answer (I had a long Homer Simpson moment). A little over six years ago, amid numerous wrenching life-changes, I decided, in this case, to go back to the beginning, sort-of: Out went the SLRs (although another SLR came back into my life, from an old friend), inc came the one Hexar RF with one lens, then another, with two more lenses. The "blinkers" as Magus deftly decribes, came off. Not quite a solid-gold-ring-in-my-Cracker-Jack-box revelation, but a big deal for me. Photography is still "not about the gear", but the gear isn't inconsequential. A good camera gets outof the way of your mind's eye. RFs, for me at least, do this better.


- Barrett
 
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Hi Magus, now that you mentioned it, I too came here in March 2006. A great site indeed. I log in at least once a day, but contribute a lot less than you I'm afraid :eek:
 
Ron,
I'm going to Missouri-Columbia for photojournalism. Considering this I know that photography as a whole is in no real danger, but I am afraid that I might find my Leica stuff less worthwhile than a Canon L lens or two...it might just be best to turn into a psuedo-collector and drop off the camera into a safedeposit box for the next four years.
 
Trust me on this, Magus. The guy freaked out. There were long discussions about his "website" too, after this. The website is down now (for understandable reasons).
I'm sure you can find more info on this if you are really really interested.
I would not try it though. Not a pleasant way of spending time.
 
Well, I'm a little late for this thread...like a year +. But having recently joined the Leica M ranks and waiting on my camera, I have already found this forum to be great fun and a great resource.

So, let me offer this toast to Magus for his 1 year anniversary! :D :D :D

Wonder how many photos he has from his Leica over the year???

Cheers,
 
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