Leica

Finished a roll of HP5 today with some shots of my grandson, of course. Here’s 4 from the roll.

We look good together, no? When I bought the Nikon Z f recently, the way I intended to offset the cost was to sell the Leica SL2. The mistake I made was to buy the Nikon before selling the Leica. Yesterday, I gathered up the SL2 with accessories and took some photos of it for the listing. Picking up the camera reminded me that, as nice as the Z f is, it’s not in the same league as the SL2. Everything about the Leica feels nicer. Controls, covering, grip, doors, battery, all of it. ...

I spent the morning of the election with my daughter and grandson. It was a nice way to spend part of an otherwise anxiety-filled day.

Latest roll (HP5) from the Leica MP. Nothing much here to speak of, although I did use a manual flash on some of the indoor shots. I kind of like flash photos. They look like photos, you know? Lincoln looking up My dad and Lincoln. Testing manual flash. Funny face White sneakers are white

This roll of HP5 from the Leica M31 was shot mostly in Grand Haven during one of our frequent walks through town and on the pier. Gail’s feet in Lake Michigan Grandma walking Lincoln Grand Haven Pier Well-dressed kids on beach Beach grass, rocks, and sand Gift store in Grand Haven. Closed. ...

Roll of HP5 from the Leica MP

A few snapshots from our walk on the pier in Grand Haven this afternoon. The weather was beautiful and so was the waterfront.

I got tired of waiting for a Fuji X100V so I skipped it and got another Q2

It’s always surprising to me how many frames I don’t screw up when using the meterless M3.

The Leica SL2 felt inevitable. After an almost accidental run with the Panasonic S5, which I didn’t enjoy at all, I tried going back to the Fuji system. I’ve always liked Fujifilm cameras and their classic control layout. I purchased a new X-T5 and a few nice lenses late last year, but it didn’t grow on me. The X-T5 is a great camera and I had nothing to complain about. Except it just didn’t give me The Feels. Not the way, say, a Leica does. ...

Long story, short, I sold my precious Leica M6 (Classic). I could no longer justify having two modern Leica M cameras, so I decided to keep the beautiful MP and pass the M6 on to someone else. I’m sure I’ll regret this. (It’s the second time the camera has been sold, but the previous buyer returned it, for spurious reasons). Onward! Here’s the final frame I shot with the camera: ...

I took the MP on my walk and was determined to shoot an entire roll. It was overcast, dreary, and the path I walk is pretty boring, but I did my best and made it through the roll. This roll was shot at 800 and developed in HC-110 (Dilution B) for 7.5 minutes.

Here a few from a recent roll using the Leica M3 and the Leica 50mm Summilux-M ASPH. Mom and Dad. Leica M3 Dad playing mini-golf on the Quest. Leica M3 Molly. Leica M3 Michigan Fucking State. Leica M3

I attended our annual family reunion in Newaygo this weekend. It’s always great to see everyone. I shot a roll of HP5 with the MP and 35mm Summilux. Aunt Joan and Uncle Bob Playing cornhole Smiles all around My cousin Aaron Judy and Norma

Sometimes I notice the Leica M10-R sitting forlornly on my desk and I’m reminded that I don’t deserve it. A camera like that should be used, and used a lot. Mine mostly sits around waiting for me to take another selfie or photo of my dog. That’s a lot of money tied up in what most people do (and often better) with their phones. I’m a rangefinder guy at heart. I’ve shot with one almost continually since 2003. The Leica M, whether film or digital, is IMO the pinnacle of camera design and construction. But…I often just want to have a camera with me for simple grab shots. You know, the one-handed snapshot of a friend at dinner. Or a macro of my dog’s toes. The M is not the camera for those. Not in my hands, anyway. So I long for auto-focus, and EVF, maybe even IBIS. ...

I just sold my wonderful Leica Q2 Monochrom. This was the second time I’ve owned a Q2M and the second time I’ve sold one. The Q2M is a nearly perfect walk-around, everyday camera for someone who wants to focus purely on making black and white images. That describes me perfectly, for a while. I love B&W photographs and the Q2M makes them as good or better than anything available. I love how using a B&W-only sensor forces me to think in tones, shades, and lighting. ...

I had lunch with my parents recently and took a few photos with both my film and digital cameras. I shot about the same number of photos with each camera, with close to the same number of “keepers”. Which do I prefer? ...

I normally don’t like the high-speed films but I’m trying to use what’s in my fridge, so here’s a few from a roll of Kodak T-MAX P3200 shot at 1600 and processed in HC-100. Zazette ...

As usual, this roll contained a few self-portraits, a few of Alice, and a few of “stuff”. My favorites are the ones taken in my dad’s garage. Alice. (Leica MP. HP5 Plus. 90mm Elmarit-M) Dad’s workbench (Leica MP. HP5 Plus. 50mm Summilux-M) Self-portrait (Leica MP. HP5 Plus. 90mm Elmarit-M) Wall in dad’s garage (Leica MP. HP5 Plus. 50mm Summilux-M) ...

I’m feeling twitchy about owning the Leica M10-R. The M10-R is an astonishingly good camera. World-beating build quality, timeless design, and a fantastic 40-megapixel sensor, all in a small, beautiful package. Still available new in 2022 for an eye-watering $8,995 (I bought mine used), the M10-R is also a ridiculously expensive camera. Buying one is a big deal and a significant investment. I am fortunate enough to also own Leica M film cameras, and being able to share lenses between those and the M10-R is very handy. And OMG those Leica lenses! The control layout and handling are the same as well. It’s like having both a digital and film platform for using 70 years of tiny, wonderful Leica lenses. I can carry a full film and digital arsenal with 2 bodies and lenses in a tiny bag. ...