As you may have noticed, i’ve become quite enamored with photography these days. Here is my latest purchase, a like-new, mint condition Leica M5. To me, this is THE coolest Leica M camera ever made (along with the M Monochrome….dream on!)….i’d been wanting one for a while—-and now I have a shiny, perfect example of one purchased as NM/new old stock! Still working on the first roll of B&W film.
It’s a strange feeling taking photos and not previewing them digitally on the screen instantly; BUT it makes for a really great partner to the wonderfulM8.1 I have been using these days. Digital and film; the best of both worlds! I am very happy with this combination.
I also have a Chiyoda Kogoku Super Rokkor 50mm F1.8 LTM lens on order, which will be then going onto the camera. For now, I have the CV 35mm F1.4 mounted…..temporarily.
I ordered this book a while ago on pre-order, and it arrived this week. $22 from Amazon. An amazing and beautiful book for a very low price. Hardcover, by Alessandro Pasi (2012). Highly recommended beautiful short history of Leica with full page spread profiles of every significant camera produced in their illustrious history. This book does not read like a publicity book—-instead it is full of beautiful and iconic photography throughout their history. This is the 3rd edition of this book, revised to include the digital range through the recent M-Monochrom.
Yes I am a Leica fanboy these days and it is driven by my love of creating fotos. And there’s nothing you can do to stop me!
Being inspired to create is so much nicer than obsessing to appreciate.
Since really cutting back on my intake of automobile-related news and interests (more about the details of that at a later time) as of a few months ago, they have been replaced by a burning love for photography and cameras. After recently buying my Leica M8.1, i have been turned on to the magical world of rangefinder cameras. New and old. Eventually I would like to buy a nice Leica M5 and fool around with film photography; however my primary love of cameras is around digital photography. Part of this may be due to the fact that I am impulsive and need to see my photos within 24 hours, but mainly due to the fact that I really don’t have the time to dedicate to film photography. Digital photography, while saturated in this day of iPhone-photographers, can still be beautiful.
Today at Photokina in Cologne, Germany; Leica revealed the new lineup of Leica M cameras. The much anticipated ‘next step’ in the Leica M range is actually going to NOT be called the Leica M10; but instead called simply Leica M.
Bigger screen, video recording (in a Leica??), focus assist (in a Leica??), optional electronic viewfinder, 24mp CMOS full-frame sensor, and a familiar body with likely beautiful construction and materials as all Leicas generally have. The M will cost $6950 in the US.
then there’s the Leica M-E; essentially the same camera as the outgoing Leica M9P, however recoloured in a beautiful anthracite and debadged to be a bit more stealthy! Same exact specs as the prior M9P. Oh and the price has been slashed to $5450.
will these make you a ‘great photographer”? NO. Will this help inspire you to be more creative and understand the fundamentals of photography? probably YES. Well, at least the M8 has done that for me…..now, time to save up for a Leica M-Monochrome (announced as still in production).
During my massive research spree prior to getting my M8, i spent several weeks reading forums, articles, and watching videos. One of the most entertaining discoveries I made was a series of videos on YouTube by a lad named Kai Wong for DigitalRev.com. Who would have thought that Jeremy Clarkson would have had a young bastard asian child!? That’s pretty much what Kai Wong is—while most of the other camera reviews and videos are about as exciting as lifting the toilet seat up, Kai does something unique. He instills his thrill and enthusiasm into cameras and photography in the same way that Jeremy Clarkson instills his enthusiasm into automobiles.
Since that time, I’ve found myself watching lots of DigitalRev videos hosted by Kai—not because I really want the cameras he is reviewing, but because I find the videos very entertaining. Good on ya, Kai! You may not be entirely original, but you’re doing a great job nonetheless. (BTW, Kai also uses an M8 as one of his primary tools)
This is one of my favourite videos—which played a role (along with people like Drew from MotoringConBrio) in convincing me of the magical powers of rangefinder cameras.
IEDEI 