I love my Leica M6 and I love the lenses.

I do not love the digital iterations of the M rangefinders.

So I use my M lenses on a cheaper body (Panasonic or Sony) with an adapter. Best of both worlds without the crazy cost and quirks of an M body.

I also have a Canon DSLR which is more versatile. But nothing is quite so special as Leica glass... It's just special.

 

I saved up to buy my first serious camera - Leica M4 - in 1970. I loved it and wish I'd kept it. But I fell prey to Nikon's advertising and formed an insatiable desire for a Nikkormat. After that came 6 more Nikon SLRs, culminating in an FE2, which I still find nicer to use than my digital 7200, despite the latter's amazing range of capabilities and controls.

 

Ricoh GR2 here have been eyeing a Leica Q for a while, though. Do people here love their Qs ?

 

I always wanted one but just keep shooting with my Canon DSLR

 

My M3 photographed with my M10...

 

Recently added a CL...really like this camera, although with AF lenses its not so compact.
My primary Leica's today are M3, M7, M10 and CL

 

I am a big fan of the Leica R7 and R6.2. Favorite lens is the 90/2 Summicron.
Here is a pic with the Summilux R80/1.4:

 

I have a lot of M's and two SL's. This capture was taken by the Leica SL2.
21mm brothers [variation] by István Pénzes, on Flickr

 

A part of my collection

equipment in the morning light by István Pénzes, on Flickr

 

I have MP and M2. I use them regularly.
Check out my Insta if you like.
@stray.dreams

 

Here we go

 

I have to say; it is a bit amusing to hear arguments (friendly of course) among Leica, Cannon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony and other camera users about which is the best. This is an endless debate of reasonings offered by different camera users as to why one chose a particular band over the other. My observations have been, may be only the professional photographers choose their gear that gives them best return for the buck and that is suited for their specific use. If you only depend on the reasoning and your purpose is to record an event through photographs, then any digital camera (or a phone) will do the job. Now if your reason for using a camera is to create or express your emotion in a certain way then you choose the tool that fits your needs and emotions.


When it comes to watches, we all know this very well. We don’t buy watches to read or calculate time; there are millions of ways to tell time very accurately now days. Additionally we do not need 30+ watches to tell time either. This is simply a love affair, connection to certain decade, memories of younger days and of course trying to be exclusive.


Most in this forum, I believe are Omega Lovers like me. I used the word “Lover” in the sense that love is an emotion and thus cannot be arrived at through reasoning. No amount of reasoning on my part will make a Rolex lover change his/her mind about their love affair.


Then again of course, the debate over film or digital; rangefinder over SLR; autofocus over manual etc. I believe these are just different tools for creation or expression; very similar to pencil sketch, watercolor, acrylic over canvas etc. How many of us really buy Omega Ploprof to use it in a dive, or buy a pilot’s watch to use in everyday flying (except of course @Maddog, he also carries railroad watches in the airplane, may be he wants to arrive on time), or a Rolex Explorer as you climb Mount Everest?


I for one am not a professional photographer (thank goodness I will be starving) but I have a huge collection of cameras both digital and film and I love taking pictures. On any weekend I will go out for a drive and take pictures, it relaxes me and takes my mind away from all worries and stresses, and sometimes meet very nice strangers. Now being in this forum for over a year I never go on these drive without a very nice (to my taste) vintage Omega. To me this is like going fishing, which is great fun; catching something is just icing on the cake.


These are just my thoughts; hope did not offend anyone with this long post, as that was definitely not the intention. I love this forum and all wise and friendly members here. By the way this is my one-year on this Forum.


Cheers

 

Correction: you need a Smiths to climb Everest.

 

I love my Leica!

I also love and have loved many other cameras. Hasselblad 500CM, Mamiya 7, Minolta CLE, Contax G2, Konica Hexar AF, Canon AE1, Nikon FM, Pentax K1000, Ricoh GR1v, Leica CM, Olympus XA2, Olympus Mjuii and a load more random/impulsive ebay finds - even Canon 5D, Nikon D800, Fuji X100T and now a Ricoh GRii.

Don't mean to name drop - but I guess my point is I have thoroughly tried all these out over the years and have enjoyed every minute of them - each for different reasons, each have their own character. Each also form a relationship with your work and how you work - some are keepers, some are sadly not - but this is all down to personal preference, not one is better than the other. At the end of the day, they are only a tool in the box, its how you use them and what you see that makes the fun stuff. And hell yeah they are all wonderful, beautifully made tools that are a delight to use - even if you just sit there and fiddle with them. Just how I feel currently in a life-long relationship with light, how it bounces around this world - and how I can capture it!

I would say though, that the Olympus XA2 has a special place in my heart, I always have one ready to go. Recently I purchased my dream setup - a 1966 M2 with a V4 Summicron. It has been everything I thought it would be and more, I hope to be buried with it - seriously, it is made so well, and is literally mechanical perfection. I ditched the X100T for its smaller nemesis - the Ricoh GRii, which mostly stays at home. No collection here - all get used daily!

 

This exactly. I have an M6 and Summicron lens. A pure pleasure to use, as is my 3 pedal and stick shift sportscar.

 

I love Leica Cameras and lenses, especially the 50 and the 35 Crons. Back in the early 70's I started out with a Leica IIIg and a 50 Elmar. Had some great time with them (of course I still have them).

I just took this candid picture of my 96 year old Mother-in-Law using the 50mm Cron. I think they have a character of their own.

Hope you like.
Paul

 

Funny how the best cameras and cars come from the Axis powers, Would love to get one but almost 30 years shooting weddings it was work cameras had to load fast on the move

 

Just acquired in local 'small town' auction......a pretty near perfect, 1959 Leica III, with a 1957 Summicron f2, & Leicameter MC

Absolutely bowled over by the sheer craftsmanship, and engineering excellence.....Shutter release, is almost silent

So pleased !.......Off to the Leica 'Spa' for a complete strip down service.....