Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/06/13

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Subject: [Leica] re: Leica M advice wanted
From: "Aubin" <aubin@aa.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 08:07:18 -0700

Hey there D.T.,

In regards to shooting in Europe with the Leica M, and using chrome,
I have a few observations I'll share with you, for what they're worth.

I just spent a year in the U.K., fell in love with the place, and if
I wasn't such a dyed in the wool American, I'd move there to live
a while.  Its a beautiful country filled with wonderful people and
some fantastic photographic opportunities.  Paris wasn't so bad
either!!  In fact, I may go back to the U.K. to live there for a few
years yet.  I think I fell in love, and would like to spend more
time photographing the place with both my Leica and with
my 4x5.

I shot a mixture of Chrome and Negative films, both color and
B&W while there.  The M6 metering is more than adequate to do
the job, but like any camera, its no smarter than you are.  Use it,
trust it, and feel free to bracket and override its recommendation
any time you have the slightest doubt.

My film choices ranged from Velvia, Astia, and Ektachrome(s),
through Kodak Royal gold 100 & Fuji 800, the new Kodak 160
speed films (the Higher Contrast version), Delta 100, and both
Ilford and Kodak C-41 B&W films.  After shooting several
hundred rolls over a year, I can say that the films, when selected
appropriately, all performed well and only failed when I did.

Sunny day outside shots called for Velvia, or 100 asa print,
gray days called for 100 speed at least, and interiors demanded
the Fuji  800, since I carry only a small flash for occasional interior
help!

Having a small folding pocket size tripod was rarely useful,
usually the walls, the pillars, the pews, or some other rigid
structural device was more stable, and easier to carry around!

B/T/W, the flash I use is the canon speedlight that they
sold back when they were selling the canonet cameras,
a little thing about the size of a box of regular cigs, and
guide number of about 40 or so. It gives me a guaranteed
f:4 at 10 feet, measured and proven!  Great for the occasional
interior shot that needs just a touch of fill light to help!

The slide films are fantastic, as expected, and the print films
gave me 5x7's to show others more conveniently, while still
allowing for the making of 8x10's and 11x14's of great
quality.  Using Leica glass makes all the difference in the world!

For a long time I used the 28mm/50mm/90mm combo, finally
switching the 28 for a new 24mm.  The difference in the coverage
and the image quality between the 28 and the 24 is astounding,
but I have no complaints against the 28, its still a dang fine
lens.

The jump in coverage between the 50 and the 24 is too much though,
and now it leaves me wishing for a new 35mm lens.  Both interiors
and exteriors require the extreme coverage, given the desire to both
include the subject (castle or abbey, etc.) and get close enough to
eliminate too much of the foreground.  Likewise, so many places are
squished together compared to the spaces we're used to here in
the U.S., so backing up is usually not possible!

A lot of interiors can be handled with the 24mm of course, but the
35mm is also just right for this; people shots such as in a pub, or
a subway come to mind.

The ninety got to be a burden, heavy and large in the pocket, so
it ended up in the trunk 95% of the time, unless I was carrying the
complete kit in the camera bag.  Dang though, when you use it,
it does what it does fantastically!  Too many choices, too much
confusion!!

The lenses you listed make me want to opt for the 21, 35, and 50
as the travelling set; I found I used my 90 only when making
deliberate portrait shots of friends, under very specific circumstances,
and the 50 did the job as well, most times.  The problem for me was
always one of balancing the amount of wide angle coverage I
needed, so I opted for the 24, since it was more than enough.

If I didn't have the 90 with me I didn't think about how I could
use it, to justify carrying it.  I just worked with the 24 and 50
and never looked back.

The 24mm is a big beast, compared to the 50 or 35, so its awkward
to just drop into a pocket, (that dang shade is WIDE!), but if left on
the camera the 50 then snuggled in to a pocket comfortably.
Carrying the Alice bag meant I had everything I wanted with me
in the car, or while walking around, but most often I'd just grab the
M6 w/24 on it, drop the 50 and three extra rolls in my pocket,
and stroll.

My alternate carry bag is the small Tamrac bag, name forgotten,
that measures about 6 x 5 x 4 or so. Two pockets, a main that
fits the M6 with any lens I own, and a front that fits either the 50
and 90 side by side, or the 50 and three to four rolls of film.
The top cover has a small pouch that fits a micro fibre cloth, a
polarizer or two, and a spare battery (never needed in 1.5 years,
150+ rolls of film). The bag has a shoulder strap, and a back strap
for belt use.  Costs about $20 or so, maybe a bit more.

I got to where I left all the filters behind and only maybe
occasionally carried a (B+W) polarizer and a grad ND (2stop) for
some scenics, since the sky really needs balancing against the
darker ground and buildings.  I think these are a real must
have for outside shots; inside there were probably no places
that ever made me think I needed a filter.  B&W work is
different, and there one uses the filters as they are called for,
since the film itself is the problem, and must be helped
to get the results one wants.

Ignore the opinions, and bring whatever high quality filters you
might have, then use them as needed.  After a while you may
find that they're excess baggage, and opt to leave them in the
hotel room, or the trunk.  Better to have them and not need them
then to need them and not have them.

In all, one can't go wrong with an M6, lots of quality films, and
perhaps just the few lenses.  Its a very convenient and very
capable tool set, and perfect for the job.  Particularly if you
just want to unobtrusively blend into the environment and
make quality pictures of a most wonderful place.

Enjoy it, make lots of pictures, but be assured that no matter
what lens and film combos you use, after you're done, there will
still be more pictures that you will want to go back and make.

Isn't it wonderful!!

Enjoy yourself, and take care.

Norm Aubin

*****************
From: InfinityDT@aol.com
Subject: [Leica] Leica M advice wanted

I'm planning to spend a (too-)short time in Europe soon, all the time in
cities, on foot and on busses, trams, trains etc.  I want to take my Leica M
outfit because it is more compact than my reflex outfit and I can carry it
in
<SNIP>
Also, another quandary I'm in is: I want to take no more than 4 lenses,
perhaps even 3. I'm a long-time 50mm kind of guy, so that's in the bag for
sure.  Question is,  for European urban-type photography, which 2 or 3 other
M lenses would you consider "essential" choosing from 21 ASPH, 28, 35
Summicron ASPH, 90 Elmarit and 135 APO-Telyt.

Thanks for any help.
D.T. (which is what everyone calls me)