Teaching point

1957 Leica M3.

Film, Inspiration, Leica M3, Q&A, Teaching point

The Leica M3 was manufactured between 1954 and 1967.

Many collectors favour M3s with high serial numbers (1 000 0000 and up), or — at the other end of the spectrum — the first 1 000 ones made (with serial numbers 700 XXX).  The first group are valued because they are thought to represent “perfected” late production examples, but as you will see below, that is a matter of perspective.  The second group are coveted because, well… they were the first ones produced.

As a photographer however, my favourite M3s are the ones from the year 1957 (specifically the subset with serial numbers between 854 00 – 858 000) because they combine the best features of both early and late M3 bodies.

Specifically, the qualities of 1957 M3s that I value are:

Double stroke (DS) film advance levers with shorter arms. The shorter arms allow you to advance the film while holding the camera with one hand.

Modern shutter speeds (earlier models have the less-convenient older speeds: 1, 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, 1/200…).

Silent return on the film advance lever (later models produce a ratcheting sound when returning).

Buddha (aka “Rabbit Ear”)-style lugs riveted (not screwed) to camera — no loosening or spinning of lugs.

Back door pin that allows it to securely click shut, preventing the door from inadvertently flapping open when changeing film (only available in cameras with serial numbers between 854 000 – 858 000).

Frame selector preview lever, which was not present in earlier models.

Double glass-reinforced eyepiece (later models have a single layer only).

 

—Peter.

You can never go back: De Mello and the D70.

2017, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, Favourite, Inspiration, Life's Little Moments, Nikon, Nikon 50mm f/1.8G, Nikon D70, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

↑Nikon D70 + Nikkor 50mm 1.8G.

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“You can never go back.”  So the saying goes.

Today I dusted off an old camera I haven’t used in years — the Nikon D70.

The D70 was the first DSLR I ever owned, and it’s the only camera I never subsequently sold.

I’ve carried it through the streets of Toronto, in all sorts of weather.

We’ve also traveled together to New York City, Paris, and Athens.

A few of the people I’ve photographed with it are no longer with us.

But I was reminded today that, indeed, you can never go back.

—Peter.

Cafe Reading, revisited.

2017, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

This is a candid shot, taken just moments after the original Cafe Reading photograph (which, in contrast to this one, was posed).  I had just informed V  that “I got the shot”, and she immediately relaxed and started to flip through the pages of a book.

So I photographed her, because I knew that this was the better image.

I don’t often set up photographs, but when I do I will wait (with camera in hand) for the moment that follows, because what follows is usually better than any idea I can dream up.

(Technical:  Taken on a rainy morning, with the soft light working its magic.)

—Peter.

↑Leica M9 (CCD Lives! – Prosophos Open Letter to Leica) + Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE.

Kata’s Chocolates (De Mello).

2017, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, Favourite, Foldio2 mini studio, Inspiration, Leica 90mm Summicron APO f/2, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Print, Teaching point

Kata dreams up the yummiest things 🙂 .

As an aside, I want to thank my lovely wife R who was the stylist for this shoot, and my good friend Mark for introducing me to the Foldio mini studio (this nifty portable contraption has been quite useful for product shots like this).

(Technical:  M9 + 90mm Summicron APO + Foldio2)

—Peter.

↑Leica M9 (CCD Lives! – Prosophos Open Letter to Leica) + Leica 90mm Summicron APO.

Blue and Red (Test Shots, Mamiya 7).

2017, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, Film, Inspiration, Kodak Portra 400, Mamiya 7/7II, Mamiya 80mm, Print, Teaching point

Test Roll #1, Frames #4 and 5 of 10.

In the first shot I was re-familiarizing myself with the dynamic range, in the second the bokeh.  In both I was testing for the focus accuracy of my rangefinder.

1/125 | f/4 for both images.

So far, so good.

—Peter.

blue-prosophos-test-shot-mamiya-7

red-prosophos-test-shot-mamiya-7

↑Mamiya 7 + 80mm + Kodak Porta 400.

Barista.

2016, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, De Mello Palheta Coffee Roasters, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Portrait, Print, Q&A, Teaching point

The light was really, really bad… and yet I really like the light in this image.

This underscores the fact that you never truly know how the image will look until you press the shutter.  In thinking about this, I’m reminded of that famous Garry Winogrand quote:  “I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed.”

—Peter.

barista

↑Leica M9 (CCD Lives! – Prosophos Open Letter to Leica) + Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE.

Readying.

2016, Baseball, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, Favourite, Nikon, Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S, Nikon D810, Portrait, Sports, Teaching point

A study in composition — there’s a lot going on in this frame!

This is probably one of the most successful (spontaneous) compositions I’ve had this year.  I wish I’d shot it at f/8, so more detail could be appreciated in the background, but often the background is full of distractions therefore I routinely photograph at wider apertures to relegate the clutter into a blur (incidentally, this photograph was shot at f/4.5. which is wide-ish for a telephoto lens).

On a related note, there are few vocal individuals on camera forums these days that routinely decry shallow-depth-of-field-photography and label it a fad.

I disagree:  the technique has been employed extensively from the dawn of photography and there are too many background distractions in modern-day environments to not use it.

—Peter.

Readying

↑Nikon D810 + Nikon 70-200mm f/4G ED VR AF-S.

My Camera of the Year for 2016.

Inspiration, Leica M8 (CCD Lives!), Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Q&A, Teaching point

Prosophos - Leica M9 Black

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My 35mm digital camera of the year for 2016 is:

Leica M9/M-E

🙂

—

After experimenting with the Nikon D810 (and other cameras) for more than seven months, I continue to prefer the Leica M9/M-E for image quality, at base ISO.

It is clear to me that the D810 has the better performing sensor by all objective metrics and has more malleable files, but somehow the M9 images look better.

(The runner up camera is once again the Leica M8.)

But, am I being premature with my selection?  What will the second half of 2016 bring?

Leica may finally improve on the disappointing M240 with the release of a new M in the fall, but realistically most of us won’t be able to get a hold of it until 2017.

Either way, don’t expect it to be a CCD camera like many of us have asked for in My Open a Letter to Leica.

I’ll be interested in it anyway, if the image quality is better than the M240.

—Peter.

–

—

Previous Camera of the Year Winners:

 

2015: Leica M9/M-E

2014: Leica M9/M-E

2013: Leica M9/M-E

2012: Leica M9/M-E

2011: Leica M9

2010: Leica M9

2009: Leica M9

2008: Leica M8/Nikon D3

2007: Leica M8/Nikon D3

2006: Leica M8

Fraction.

2016, Baseball, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, Favourite, Inspiration, Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH f/1.4, Leica M8 (CCD Lives!), Portrait, Q&A, Sports, Teaching point

The dividing line (and timing) of an out.

On a technical note, whereas I would have machine-gun-photographed with the D810 at 5 FPS to try to get this shot (and would have had a 50-50 chance), I was able to get the “decisive moment” with the M8 on a single click of the shutter.

—Peter.

Fraction

↑Leica M8 (CCD Lives! – Prosophos Open Letter to Leica) + Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH.

Nikon D810 vs. Leica M9 (in “real life” use).

Inspiration, Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE f/1.4, Leica M9(P)/M-E (CCD Lives!), Nikon, Nikon D810, Q&A, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 ART, Teaching point

(Not a scientific comparison between images taken at two different times under different conditions — but this reflects “actual use” conditions for me.)

(See related:  Nikon D810 vs. Leica M240 in “real life” use.)

–

I photographed my kids’ school Fun Fair yesterday.

Here is an image from the event, taken with the D810 + Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art @ f/4:

Fun Fair 2016

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Here is an image from last year (2015), taken with the Leica M9 + Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE @ f/4:

Fun Fair 2015

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… And here are the magnified views.

First, the D810 + Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art @ f/4 (magnified):

Fun Fair 2016 (magnification)

–

Next, the Leica M9 + Leica 35mm Summilux ASPH FLE @ f/4 (magnified):

Fun Fair 2015 (mangification)

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My conclusions:

The D810 + Sigma 35 Art made it easier to photograph the event, the M9 + Leica 35 FLE produced more pleasing image quality (in “actual use” conditions).

In all fairness to the D810 + Sigma 35 Art, when the conditions are right and the focus is nailed, this combination leaves very little to be desired: Nikon D810 + Sigma 35 Art in optimal conditions.

—Peter.

Nikon D810 vs. Leica M240 (in “real life” use).

Inspiration, Q&A, Teaching point

This is a comparison I did tonight for my own purposes.  I’ve decided to share it with you.

This reflects my “real life” use of these camera/lens combinations, but does not represent a scientific analysis.

I repeat, this is NOT scientific.

Here are two images from the kids’ school Lip Synch competition.

The first was taken in 2015 with the Leica M240 + Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH:

(f/2.8 | 1/250 | ISO 1600).

Prosophos Leica M240 and Leica 50

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The second was taken in 2016 with the Nikon D810 + Sigma 50mm ART (I was sitting a little further back):

(f/2.8 | 1/250 | ISO 1000).

Prosophos Nikon D810 and Sigma 50

–

Now here are the central crops (looking at the individuals in sharpest focus from each image)…

Leica M240 + Leica 50mm Summilux ASPH (100%):

Prosophos Leica M240 and Leica 50 (crop)

–

Nikon D810 + Sigma 50mm ART (100%):

Prosophos Nikon D810 and Sigma 50 (crop)

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The results above are consistent with other images I’ve examined.

The variables that differ between these two images are numerous.  The only thing they have in common is that they represent real-life output from my use of these camera/lenses.

What do YOU think of the results?

—Peter.

 

 

Safe!

2016, Baseball, Beyond 200 feet of My House™, Favourite, Inspiration, Nikon, Nikon 300mm f/4E PF ED VR, Nikon D810, Portrait, Q&A, Sports, Teaching point

I love the placement of the elements here… including the stray helmet to the right.

On another note, I’m really digging the Nikon 300mm f/4 E PF ED VR (a lens whose name is longer than its focal length!).

It’s slightly larger than my Sigma 50/1.4 ART, but weighs less (755 g for the Nikon, 815 g for the Sigma), making it relatively easy to carry around.

Surprisingly, the 300mm focal length has proven to be very versatile.

—Peter.

Safe!

↑Nikon D810 + Nikon 300mm f/4E PF ED VR.

Test Shots: Leica M8 and 75mm Summarit.

Inspiration, Leica 75mm Summarit f/2.5, Leica M8 (CCD Lives!), Q&A, Teaching point, Within 200 feet of My House™

I welcomed the return of an old friend recently:  the Leica M8.  It was the gateway camera for me into the world of rangefinders, almost 10 years ago.

Today, I welcomed another old friend, the Leica 75 Summarit f/2.5.  Seeing as the entire Summarit line of lenses have been updated recently, there are currently many great deals to be had on the “old” versions.  As it happens, the 75/2.5 is one of my all-time favourite Leica lenses (see my brief 75mm Summarit review here).

As soon as the 75/2.5 arrived this afternoon, I stepped outside (but Only Within 200 feet of My House™) to shoot some quick test shots while the light was still good.

It’s nice to see that my two friends still play nicely together.

—Peter.

Prosophos - M8 and 75 Summarit (1)

Prosophos - M8 and 75 Summarit (2)

Prosophos - M8 and 75 Summarit (3)

↑Leica M8 (CCD Lives! – Prosophos Open Letter to Leica) + Leica 75mm Summarit f/2.5.