[Leica] Feelings about digi vs. M shooting

[gkase at ccfc.com (George Kase)]

Emanuel,
Very good questions...I do portraits and landscape work and I own an M6 and
an R4 and a bunch of lenses...I also own a Digital Canon D30 (or is it 30D?)
and have just gotten a Kodak DCS Pro Back Plus (digital) for my Hasselblad
system so have considered your question actively for the past year or
so...here's my answers:

1) How does the act of photographing with your digital
equipment compare with your prior experience of the
act of photography with your Leica M? The groove is still there. In fact, it
Is assisted by the immediate feedback of seeing (in a rough way) what you
Have just shot...the "happy accidents" of light are immediately apparent and
The ever present question of "did I get images" is answered right away.
It's just a pain in the butt to haul such a heavy piece of equipment
around...in the studio, no problem since a tripod does the holding
anyway. I wish I had a digital M...right size, right method (rangefinder).

2) How satisfied are you with the final results you
get with your digital gear, compared to what you got
with your Leica M. Jury still out on this one. There is NOTHING
Like the results I get with my M lenses (except Hassy film)...the "texture"
and "tonality"
I get with the M is exactly what I want and what I see in my mind's eye,
I'm not convinced that I'm getting those same qualities with the Canon.

3) Do the final results you get come to you with less
or more effort than what you had to go through before:
Much easier and more controlable now with digital. No more labs, no waiting,
etc.

4) How do you feel, after being M users, now being
electronic SLR users? Can't wait for a digital M.

5) Is it really worth it? Yes...It is a more direct line to my creativity...
The SLR portion of it I don't like at all, but that will change with a
Digital M.