Dealer cost and list.
Simplicity
Keep it simple..
Leica M8, 35mm 2.0
Leica table top tripod review
The Leica Table Top tripod and large ballhead has been with me longer than any other piece of photography equipment that I own. It has supported Nikons, Leicas, Hasselblads, and even a 4 X 5 view camera. If I don't have a full size tripod with me this wonderful little tripod is in my bag or jacket. I use it on the ground, on tables, on cars, on fences, even using myself as the base. It folds flat so that it can be slid into the back pocket of most camera bags. Back when I was a catalog photographer my biggest job required that I photograph the subject in 8 X 10 as well as 4 X 5. The large camera was on a studio stand that had a large center column that had a crossbar that slid up and down the pole with the camera attached. For the floor level shots, after I was done with the 8 X 10 I would slide the stand out of the way and shoot with the 4 X 5 on the Leica tripod. Amazingly stable but a little top heavy, but it worked.
I went to school for photography about 30 years ago and the photojournalism teacher Mr. Collins showed me a neat trick for the Leica tripod. He showed me how you could press the legs against your chest and with the long shaft that the ballhead has the camera was placed perfectly at eye level. Perfect for slow shutter speeds in low light. He said he had learned the trick from some famous photographer in the 50's whose name escapes me.
There are lots of small tripods on the market but I have yet to come across any that can rival the quality of the Leica. On most the ball head is to short and not practical in real world use. The combo sells for about $330 so it is not cheap. But it is typical Leica quality and will last a lifetime.
Tripod supported by wall
Leica 14100 tripod with 14110 Ballhead
Tripod compact for travel
Tripod supported by chest
Back Alley
I like the quiet moments in life. One block away there are thousands of people shopping.
Leica M8 and 35mm
Foggy Pier
Great day for photographing.
Most Boring Ad Ever
Not only did I watch the whole thing, I loved it.
Leica 1.0 Noctilux at Carnival
Leica M and Noctilux
Just couldn't resist. Went to the carnival with my Leica M (240) and Noctilux. The f1.0 isn't as needed as in the film days when I purchased my Noctilux but I just love that look that it has been known for for all of these years. Today we can just crank up the iso to get the shutter speed required for the shot. But I still like the glow that it gives off and since shooting at night the vignette goes with the subject matter. Focusing is just a matter of persistence. I tried Live View and Focus Peaking a few times and it does seem to help. The shot of the people on the ride in the air was focus peaking. I have no idea how I got the shot with the ride spinning around. Since the rides travels on the same track I just focused as the chairs went by and after a few revolutions took a few shots. The f1.0 aperture really didn't matter much except for one stop higher shutter speed or one stop slower iso. Walking around with such a small package makes shooting this kind of snap shooting more enjoyable. A Noctilux is huge by Leica standards but my outfit was not much larger than the small DSLR's that I saw people had hanging around their necks. For this kind of shooting it's just my camera and lens and battery in my pocket. No need to carry more equipment or even a bag. The camera has the standard neck strap on it but I wrap the strap around my wrist. Never around my shoulder or neck. Partly for security but mostly so that the camera is always ready. Having the camera ready in my hand gives my more confidence that I will get the shot. As far as performance goes test shots are not given for this lens. It is not very sharp, vignetting is very noticeable wide open and there is that glow. Although sharpness increases and aberrations lessen when stopping down, I don't feel that a Noctilux is a 50mm replacement. I think of it as an extra tool in my bag. I also own a 50mm Summicron for times when a normal field of view is what I want. I don't mind carrying two 50mm lenses.
Leica lens coupler
If you carrier 2 extra lenses in your bag this is a very practical and space saving device. It was included with some of the bags for the M series that Leica made and was also available by separately. With the Leica Lens Coupler one slot will be freed up in your bag for a small item like a smartphone or memory card holder. This could be a do it yourself project by gluing two back caps together but this is so much better and safer. No worrying about glue loosing it's grip and the caps separating. Also the coupler is much smaller so the combined lenses will not stick up to far in a shallow bag. The idea of the coupler really only works on Leica lenses because Canon or Nikon lenses are big enough already. Attaching two of these lenses together would be to heavy and awkward. A drop risk just waiting to happen. A word of caution, the Leica Lens Coupler can not be used with certain Leica and non-Leica lenses. The rear elements protrude to far from the rear and would touch the adjoining lens. Unfortunately Leica no longer produces this item but the can be found on ebay or through an internet search. It would be nice if they started producing this sweet little gadget again.
Leica Lens Coupler 14 838
Nikon 40th Anniversary NPS Pin
Nikon NPS Pin
Disappearance of photography mentors
With the internet the small pockets of knowledge that enable an individual to excel at a skill have become just a search and a click away. Everyone has acess to the special skills and years of experience that used to separate the experts in a given field. Instant answers to questions are not always the best way to learn, sometimes hands on experience is better. Art is best learned by doing. Having a mentor can help you learn faster and possibly make you more creative. The place where the most reliable help was tradionally found was in the local camera store.
Most were mom and pop stores or sometimes a photo department of a larger store. The salespeople were always up on the latest models and gadgets and the best would have loyal customers. Even something as simple as loading a roll of film was tricky until you ran lots of film through your camera. Nothing beat the excitement of picking up the latest roll back from the developer. Having poorly exposed or out of focus images just seemed to be par for the course.
It was a ritual to go through the images with the salesperson and have them show you what was right and what was wrong with your images. That instant feedback really help you become a better photographer. Going over each one with an expert helped you to learn faster. It wasn't a formal mentorship but it was training the likes that is not seen today.
Amazon has killed the camera store. They sell cameras for little profit and in many states there is no sales tax. Accessories are there for free shipping. Just wait a day or two and it's on the doorstep. Camera stores turned into showrooms for Amazon. An internet search of your area will back up my claim. Not often will a camera store show up in the results.
But what I miss is talking to the salesman. Post a photo on the internet to be critiqued and it is loved or torn apart but seldom do you learn why a photo does or does not work. Having someone stand next to you and go over your images with you is an experience that is fading away. Not many of us wish to take the time to get a formal education in photography and with the cost of said education skyrocketing this is not often the best path to follow. Or is it a good return on an investment. For a long time education through a local camera was the accepted way to learn photography. That has sadly ended.