From Canon to Leica M

I don't have money for this and no intention to emulate film experience. I want VF/RF digital camera to share my RF lenses with film M.

kf095 wrote in post #18069416
So, M240 is superior to Sony, which doesn't have OVF at all. My priority it OVF/RF and EVF only as option, which I prefer not to use at all. I don't want to multiply brands of camera manufacturers in my possession and done long time ago with old lenses on digital cameras (not worth it). I'm keeping one of my Canon DLSRs with two zooms anyway.

I have the M 262 (stripped down M 240 no video no live view) and for me and the way I see and work it is superior in several ways. It's first and foremost a true rangefinder., I don't want or need live view, EVF or video. Leica wide angle lenses play real nice on Leica M cameras. Not so much on Sony.

You can find some bargains out there on used M-Es if you like CCD sensors, old M Monochrom's (my favorite Leica digital) and M 240s. Good luck and PM if you need some advice off line.

kf095 wrote in post #18069422
I don't have money for this and no intention to emulate film experience. I want VF/RF digital camera to share my RF lenses with film M.

Sounds like an M-E might be the perfect answer. Liking the M-E as much as I do was a big surprise. I bought it mainly as a second color body and back up to the M 262. I now use it for all of my formal portraits. That and a 75 2.5 Summarit. I find to to be very good at 1600 ISO and lower. I usually wont push it past 1600.

If you need more low light capabilities then a used 240 might be the answer. The original M Monochrome is better in low light than all of the above mentioned cameras. I can only imagine how good the new MM is in low light.

If 1600 is usable on M-E for formal portraits, it is very good for me. This is how I used my 5D (switched to 5D MKII and don't like how it renders). I want digital M mostly to use under normal light. Family portraits near window, outdoor and take a few pictures of local events, where I prefer to use film M, but film is overkill for events.

kf095 wrote in post #18069443
If 1600 is usable on M-E for formal portraits, it is very good for me. This is how I used my 5D (switched to 5D MKII and don't like how it renders). I want digital M mostly to use under normal light. Family portraits near window, outdoor and take a few pictures of local events, where I prefer to use film M, but film is overkill for events.

Formal portraits I don't shoot at 1600. I have studio lights and it is very controlled. I do use it at 1600, 800 for environmental portraits. It's a great camera if you don't need real low light capabilities.

kf095 wrote in post #18069443
If 1600 is usable on M-E for formal portraits, it is very good for me. This is how I used my 5D (switched to 5D MKII and don't like how it renders). I want digital M mostly to use under normal light. Family portraits near window, outdoor and take a few pictures of local events, where I prefer to use film M, but film is overkill for events.

Heres a link to Tamarkin Camera and he has a sweet M-E for just south of 3K. When Dan says EX+ it is almost new. I picked up my M-E from Tamarkin as well as my M 262, 75 Summarit, 35 Brogan C, and a lot of other Leica equipment. Dan is a great guy to deal with and his prices are usually as good if not better than anyone else and his customer service is the best.
http://www.tamarkin.co​m …ries/cameras#us​ed-section

No low light for digital M needed for me. I have camera with 6400 ISO usable for it. I was looking on portraits taken with M8, M9 under good light and find it impressive for how human faces are rendered with CCD and good light. Sharp, yet soft and natural.

I'm also more lucky to capture something interesting with RF. This is the recent one:

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/KbVb​Wz

Then I would say pick up a used M-E. Sounds like the perfect fit for you. I never use FPS and it's all about timing with the way I work.

Love the image brother.

Tamarkin likes credit cards and don't deal easily with PayPal. He ignored my request for selling M2 by PayPal after I was on the phone with him and explained why I need to pay by PayPal. If on American side, I'd rather deal with Igor Camera.
I know one Leica RF (film and digital) user in Germany, who might be able to help me with purchase of used digital M.

Great and good luck with your search.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #17311691
I plan on moving almost completely to Leica M in the next couple of years. Anyone else out there doing the same?

I'm trying to mimic the M's tones trough processing, and come up short as always. Those M files are wonderful, and of course, wonderful files coupled with true talent equals art...yes I'm talking about your output, sir!


jason

Jason C wrote in post #18094797
I'm trying to mimic the M's tones trough processing, and come up short as always. Those M files are wonderful, and of course, wonderful files coupled with true talent equals art...yes I'm talking about your output, sir!

jason

Thank you J.

The MM files are spectacular indeed. So much in the shadows. Nothing better, in my opinion, for B&W digital.

I also find the color files from my two color bodies the M-E and the M 262 are different from Nikon or Canon. I prefer the output of both.

Sold Canon FF camera and L and started thinking. I like Leica M and have two, but film already. And my personal goal is to have good bw analog darkroom prints, which will be worth of showing, somewhere... And the only photography books I have and like to study are only with bw film photography.
So, all I did was adding of three Leitz made lenses in addition to just one I've had. Because Leica (Leitz) are only lenses which gives me what I like on bw prints.
I might add M8 sometime, but for collective and take it in color once in awhile, check lens focus alignment reasons.

I think, I chickened out.

Ko,

I would suggest an M9 or M-E over an M8. If I still had my darkroom I would still be shooting film so I would have a film Leica M if that was the case.

If you don't need to move to digital and are getting what you need from film then I think staying film is good for you.