[Leica] Images from loaner MM

[pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)]

Henning, thanks for posting these. The detail in the picture of Tom is 
just incredible, and the rendition of the MM in general is very seductive.

I'm of two minds about the MM. On one hand I want it.  Bad. It would be 
like having my original M2 with Tri-X, except that the Tri-X would be 
rated ASA 5000 and it would look *better* than Tri-X.  And I could shoot 
at 320 but have the quality of slow medium format film. If I were a rich 
man (biddy biddy bum) I'd buy one yesterday.

OTOH, I have come to really appreciate having color files to convert to 
B&W.  I love the ability to do tonal stuff with color filtration during 
conversion. And I like being able to ask the images, after the fact:  
"Do you want to be in B&W or color?" Usually they tell me, very clearly. 
Maybe that option is more important to me than the last scintilla of 
detail.  I usually know when I take a photo that this one will be B&W 
and that one will be color. But I like only having to carry one camera. 
So for me an M240 in my future probably makes more sense than an MM, 
even though I think I do my best work in B&W.

Meanwhile, I love the B&W I get from my M8 when there's enough light. I 
am also loving the B&W I get from my little Olympus OM-D at ISO 1600. 
They aren't quasi-perfect like the MM, but they have plenty of detail, 
and they are lovely in their way.

But I also love RF focusing, Leica lenses and the instant response of 
Leica cameras. If I want those things all together, I have to either 
accept the limitations of what I have now, or shell out mass quantities 
of cash I really shouldn't. Plus, there's the question of longevity and 
repairability that's been discussed in the "Buying Leica" thread.

--Peter


 > When my new M went off on a vacation to have its lugs looked at, my 
dealer
 > offered to get me a loaner MM for a week or so. Well, the MM has 
arrived and
 > I have use of it until next Tuesday. Eight pictures from it starting at:
 >
 > http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/hwulff/various/L1000022.jpg.html
 >
 > I've uploaded them at slightly larger than usual size, so if you 
click on
 > larger you can get a better sense of what the file is like. The last 
one, of
 > Tom and Jack, is at full size.
 >
 > Taken with the 35/1.4 ASPH, 75AA and the last one of T&J with the 21
 > Summilux.
 >
 > This weekend I hope to have a bit of time to do some comparison 
shooting. My
 > M240 has returned, so I will have at my disposal an MM, M240, M9 and M8.
 > We'll see what they can do relative to one another.
 >
 > Henning Wulff
 > henningw at archiphoto.com