Anyone shoot a leica and a 5D?

lately i've been lusting for a leica. even an old film one would be nice. I currently shoot a 5D with my favorite lens being the 50 1.8. i love primes!

just wondering if anyone shoots canon and leica. how do they compare in terms of quality of results, build quality, and handling? i've never held a leica and have only seen them a few times in person, but theres something about the small size and their classic designs that is making me want one!

Im in the same boat, Im still saving up to buy a m9.

Leica = much higher quality. Film/slides are much sharper. Lenses are contrastier, crisper. Build is solid. (Think one series). It might be small and light but the constuction is sound. Focussing is quick and easy with the rangefinder. It takes a little while to get used to the guides. THE BEST IQ you can get from 35mm IMO.

If it were me I'd buy an M5/m6, 35mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4 and 90mm f/2. Then perhaps a Voigtlander 12mm for a bit of fun!!

Problem is as you can see it costs a lot of dough to get started with Leica.

thanks for the replies guys. im glad to know its not just me. i already told my self that i have to have a good leica kit before i die :P

if i had the monet i think id get an m9 and an mp. for the lenses id have 24/35/50/75. im not sure id like a 90.

anyone here own any leicas?

I am in the same boat as well... thinking of either getting an m8 and a Zeiss 35mm f2.8 or a 5d or a nikon d700
The leica (Bessa or Zeiss Ikon) just feels right to me. Try handling a M6, wonderful small peace of equipment (used ones start from £700) but i just can't bring myself to buy a film one :/ costs too much per picture..

I lust after Leica, but I doubt I'll ever be able to go that way.

For now I satisfy myself with an Olympus E-P1.

I shot older Leica lenses on my 5D (before jumping to the 5D2) by means of a simple Leica/EOS adapter. One Leica lens that I really liked was the 35/2.8 2nd version...small and compact, sharp from corner to corner and edge to edge, colors were magnificent. Also built like a tank. There are plenty of older Leica lenses that will work extremely well on today's digital camera (and a lot cheaper than dropping $8k or so for a new Leica body).

I'd agree with Argyle ... i have shot M8 and to be honest I preferred the 5D. I you want a quality leap from 5D/50mm then look at something like the Zeiss 35mm or 50mm or, cheaper but 98% as good, the Voigtlander 40mm SL II. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy this combo. Way cheaper than Leica kit with very similar qualities.

yeah, i like the 3D characteristics of photos taken with zeiss lenses. i also looked into the zeiss ikon system. i really want to play with film. i have a couple of lomo camera (i know a lot of people hate them. i love them though) and really enjoy the film experience. it really gets me thinking about proper composition. not exposure though since lomos are set to a certain aperture an shutter speed.

who uses a film leica, or any film rangefinder for that matter?

I guess I can pitch in here a bit, but please keep in mind, these are just MY opinions, if it sounds like I'm making sweeping statements I'll apologize in advance as its not my intention.

Anyway, I have a 5D(mkI) and a Leica M8. In terms of IQ, I would give an edge to the M8. The 5D, with its low AA filter, provides very sharp pictures. However, the M8 has no AA filter at all, thus providing an advantage. ISO wise, the M8 goes 160, 320, 640, 1250, 2500. 160 & 320 are beautiful. The latter 2 are just nasty. The 5D simply blows the M8 away in terms of high ISO, and from what I've seen, the M9 does not fare all that well against the 5D either.

Build quality, I'd give the edge to the Leica. It is fairly small, but quite hefty. There's very little plastic, and you just feel like you're holding a chunk of solid brass. However, it is definitely more comfortable to hold the 5D (or any DSLR, basically). But an added accessory (ThumbsUp) helps the M8 feel more comfortable than without, though still not as comfortable as the 5D.

Handling wise, I guess it depends on what you like. Even though the 5D is considered archaic these days, its still quite "fiddly" compared to the M8 for me. There's no autofocus, no metering selection, etc. on the M8. You just kinda turn it on and shoot. If you like simple, the Leica is it.

One thing you should take notice is the viewfinder between the two. For me, I've felt a bit constricted when looking through the 5D. I know, weird to say since I remember being WOWed by the 5D's viewfinder when I first looked through it. I guess its because with the Leica, you're not seeing through the lens, but a general viewfinder. This allows you to see quite a bit of what is outside of the frame, depending on the focal length. This gives me a feeling of openness.

In the end, a rangefinder and an SLR are just too different to compare. Definitely go out and at least hold one before you buy. See how you like looking through the viewfinder, focusing the rangefinder, changing the aperture/shutter speed. Hope this helps somewhat.

I have a 5D (classic) and also some Leica rangefinder "stuff". A Leica M3, 2xKonica Hexar RF (Leica M-mount) bodies and a swag of Leica and non-Leica lenses in M mount and LTM (oh, and a Canon P for LTM lenses, as well). All good (and much better than good gear. But usually for different things.

Here's one I like - Leica M3, Elmar-M 50mm/f2.8 (modern) on Tri-X, developed with HC-110, scanned with a Nikon 5000ED scanner - and which makes a nice (and detailed) 16"x10" print, framed on my wall:

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i think i'd like the simplicity of a lecia. no long menus to go through.
also, i use off camera flash for a lot of my "serious shots", and it is nice to play with strobes, but i find it much more enjoyable to use natural light. i know that thats what leicas are meant for.

i wonder when i'll be able to afford a leica. i'm pretty sure i'd be content even with a basic leica kit. using slrs makes you want the best gear out there. i think that a lecia just makes you want to shoot.

ahhhhh i've been looking at photos taken with leicas and i've just been blown away. i'd actually rather get a nice MP rather than an M8, but the M9 is a whole different story

dip wrote in post #10430123
using slrs makes you want the best gear out there. i think that a lecia just makes you want to shoot.

That's been the case so far with me. Like I said, I have a humble setup of an M8, an older 35mm Summicron, and a Voigtlander 15, and I've yet to lust after anything else (including the M9, though it'd be nice to have hehehe). Over on the DSLR side, I am lusting after a 1Ds series cam along with a whole load of lenses lol. However, Leica users are affected by "GAS" as well, so its all up to you.

Also, have you considered getting a second hand M6 (instead of MP) and a couple of second hand lenses? All my Leica stuff have been second hand so far, and if you can find some good deals it doesn't hurt the wallet all that much.

i live in the philippines right now, but ill be moving over to the US in a few months for school. no one sells leica gear over here. i'd have to go over to hong kong to buy any. i'll look around when i've moved. do any of you know any stores in Savannah, GA that sells used leica stuff?

KEH is based around Atlanta. They sell used equipment that they've refurbished.

I'd like to point out that no AA filter is not necessarily a good thing. Images are crisper SOOC, but much of it is false detail (digital artifacting). The "correct" way for crisper SOOC images is higher pixel count.

See Daniel Browning's posts: Anti-Alias Filter (5DII and Leica M9)