[Eyewanders]

You sound like you have hit the Zen moment with your photography Kevin.

Haha - I don't know about that. Proof is found in pudding.

[Jean Poitiers]

The Lenny Kravitz finish is an inside joke with some photography buddies to referenced heavily brassed black paint bodies. Leica had a pre-distressed black paint M240 and Summicron lens called the Lenny Kravitz edition a few years back and they, of course, listed it for a stupid amount of money.

This summarizes everything that I think about Leica ... except for their slide projector lens that I find cheap here and there.

[cooltouch]

The old PT Barnum phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute" comes to mind. Seems Leica depends on it.

[Craftsman]

Leica has become a joke on a lot of wealthy insecure wanna be photographers that have to be seen with the latest high end lifestyle accessory

[reh321]

I also own a Super Program that I haven't bonded with. In my case, though, it's because of a meter issue. It won't display any exposure information when I lightly press on the shutter button. However, once I've taken the image, then it shows the exposure info. Strange. It's perfectly usable, but I'd have to use an external meter to insure accuracy, which is why it doesn't get used.

My Super Program was my primary camera for eleven years, so in my case the 'bonding' occurred when she was still young, so today I carry a light meter with me when I use her and all is forgiven {or ignored}. The ability of negative film to produce good pictures even when the exposure is way off is also helpful.

[Craftsman]

Leica has become a joke on a lot of wealthy insecure wanna be photographers that have to be seen with the latest high end lifestyle accessory

Don’t get me wrong, I like Leica. I’ve owned a M6 and MP and a few lenses but I was never fully comfortable carrying around $10k plus in a body and a couple of lenses. For my tastes at least they’ve become prohibitively expensive and the special editions are usually mostly ridiculous.

[stevebrot]

I’ve owned a M6 and MP and a few lenses but I was never fully comfortable carrying around $10k plus in a body and a couple of lenses.

Ha! Ha! I am never comfortable carrying my Voigtlander R3M around for fear some bad guy might take it for a Leica.


Steve

[Eyewanders]

Ha! Ha! I am never comfortable carrying my Voigtlander R3M around for fear some bad guy might take it for a Leica.

I was sitting on the couch several nights ago and came across an Instagram post of some shooter's "what's in my gear bag" type photo, the type that's become commonplace. The title was something like "ready for the weekend"... I showed it to my lady and explained that if taking everything into account that was in view in the photo, you are effectively looking at a picture of nearly $50,000.

All I could think was a) my god, why? and b) I hope he has insurance.
It was of course a bag-full-o-leica, 2 immaculate film bodies and a digital with 5 rarer lenses and odd-n-ends.

[TomB_tx]

I changed from Pentax to Leica in 1968, and have loved using them since, but I also wasn’t comfortable carrying them in many situations, as I couldn’t readily afford to replace them. So when the MX (and then LX) came out I wen’t back to Pentax for my carry-around cameras. Finally in the digital age the Leica M9 came out, allowing me to use the lenses from my M4 (from 1968-69 - I never needed newer Leica lenses), and operate the camera exactly like me old Leica.
I tried the Pentax K-5 to use with my larger collection of SMC-M lenses, and while the images were very good, I didn’t find it at all comparable to manual focus on the MX or LX.
Although Leica sure sounds too expensive, I was happy with the 1968 camera and lenses for over 40 years, and even in the digital age don’t see any reason to “upgrade” to every new model and lens. So on a cost-per-year it is pretty reasonable.

[reh321]

I was sitting on the couch several nights ago and came across an Instagram post of some shooter's "what's in my gear bag" type photo, the type that's become commonplace. The title was something like "ready for the weekend"... I showed it to my lady and explained that if taking everything into account that was in view in the photo, you are effectively looking at a picture of nearly $50,000.

All I could think was a) my god, why? and b) I hope he has insurance.
It was of course a bag-full-o-leica, 2 immaculate film bodies and a digital with 5 rarer lenses and odd-n-ends.

I hope he didn't provide enough info for a burglar or mugger to identify him.

[Eyewanders]

I tried the Pentax K-5 to use with my larger collection of SMC-M lenses, and while the images were very good, I didn’t find it at all comparable to manual focus on the MX or LX.
Although Leica sure sounds too expensive, I was happy with the 1968 camera and lenses for over 40 years, and even in the digital age don’t see any reason to “upgrade” to every new model and lens. So on a cost-per-year it is pretty reasonable.

Oh my, yes. Make no mistake - though the K-5 and K-3 can be tolerable to manual focus (and barely approaching "enjoyable" with a replacement focusing screen - I use the S-type and it's wonderful in comarison to stock), it's a pale, dark and maddening experience some of the time when compared to the same on an MX or LX... most any of the manual focus bodies - the Super Program I picked up recently is a joy as well. There is no contest, and there simply never will be.

[IgorZ]

Picked up a Fuji X-A1 to use with lenses that I cannot adapt to my Pentax. Specifically - icarex mount. Still waiting for the adapter to arrive, so I haven't really used it, but first impression is that my K-5 is just so much more comfortable to use. How do they use mirorrless cameras with big lenses?

[Racer X 69]

How do they use mirorrless cameras with big lenses?

Very carefully?

[Jonathan Mac]

How do they use mirorrless cameras with big lenses?

My mirrorless is very small and doesn't have a viewfinder, but has an up/down tilting screen, which makes it ideal for small primes. I have occasionally stuck a larger lens on it (the K 200mm f/4, for example) and I support the whole weight with my left hand, using the right to lightly grip the camera and move it in order to frame. It is quite awkward. For using big lenses I think you're better off with a bigger camera, adding a battery grip if available. My K3 is definitely better than the X-M1 for larger lenses, especially if they're zooms.

[IgorZ]

My mirrorless is very small and doesn't have a viewfinder, but has an up/down tilting screen, which makes it ideal for small primes. I have occasionally stuck a larger lens on it (the K 200mm f/4, for example) and I support the whole weight with my left hand, using the right to lightly grip the camera and move it in order to frame. It is quite awkward. For using big lenses I think you're better off with a bigger camera, adding a battery grip if available. My K3 is definitely better than the X-M1 for larger lenses, especially if they're zooms.

I haven't had a chance to use the mirorrless Fuji yet as I am waiting for the adapter to arrive. I thought I'd have to hold it as you described, except that how do you focus it? I like the flexibility of a mirorrless camera because of the ability to adapt lenses I can't use with my Pentax, but I prefer the ergonomics of the K-5. I must admit that I never really understood what people were talking about when they praised Pentax ergonomics. I've only had Pentax (well, aside from Smena 8 in my childhood), so it sort of thought it was just the way it was supposed to be. Well, now I have some more appreciation!