sean_s
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 p.1 #1 · A brief review of the Canon P: Help me choose my first Leica | |
I've been shooting with a Canon P for a little bit now. I've come to love the experience. It is is refreshingly simple to use. It has been challenging me to actually learn (things like hyperfocal distance, Sunny 16, incident vs reflective light, etc.), which I find both stimulating and rewarding. I feel more present when I shoot film. I still use my Sony digital all the time. But the Sony feels like a means to an end whereas the Canon P feels like the end, if that makes sense.
Here are some gripes I have with the Canon P:
- The viewfinder kinda sucks. I wear glasses. I occasionally wear contacts and can briefly get by w/o glasses to take a shot, but this is less than ideal. I mainly shoot 35mm. I can still make out the 35mm frame lines, but I have to sort of hunt for them.
- The focus patch is very dim. It's nearly impossible to find in some settings. I've come to just trust my instinct and roll with the punches, but I would absolutely welcome a brighter, wider viewfinder.
- The rewind lever is a little janky. The little wind arm frequently comes loose and has to be re-tightened. Not a huge deal, but is slightly annoying and I stress about losing it.
That's really about it. The Canon P is built like a tank. It feels solid. There's not much to complain about.
On the topic of viewfinders, I am aware that the Zeiss Ikon ZM is the gold standard for large viewfinders, but I'm apprehensive about buying used, electronically powered gear. It's unfortunate because it's otherwise a perfect option for me price-/function-wise.
I've also read mixed feedback about the 0.72 and 0.58 Leica viewfinders. Some people say 0.72 is fine; others claim that 0.58 is a godsend and that 0.72 & 0.85 are totally unusable. It's difficult to predict which camp I I will fall within because the Canon P is unique with its 1x magnification.
As a brief aside — on the topic of the 1x magnification — I must say that I really don't understand the hype for the 1x mag. A big part of my motivation to buying the Canon P was the appeal of shooting with both eyes open. However, in practice, I still find myself closing one eye because the viewfinder is kinda shit and closing one eye helps me see more clearly. Maybe the one eye thing is just a habit I need to kick, but I still think the appeal is overblown.
Consequently, I am suspicious that 0.58 might be similarly overblown. Even if 0.58 improves the viewfinder experience for glasses-wearers, I am apprehensive to voluntarily worsen the experience of shooting with 50mm+ lenses.
Like so many before me, I went down the rabbit hole of trying to find the perfect rangefinder and ultimately discovered why Leica is so expensive. They last forever and are (for the most part) well supported by the mfg. and have excellent third party support. Which is to say: repairability and longevity are key criteria for me. I looked into the alternatives like Konica Minolta, the Bessas, the Zeiss Ikon, etc. and none strike all of the boxes. They ultimately feel like a slightly discounted compromise. If I'm between a $2000 camera that might have issues and a $3000 camera that is guaranteed to work forever, I'm going for the latter. The modern options like the Pentax 17 and Lomo MC-A do not appeal to me.
Segueing into my requirements — I am trying to keep my budget around $3k. I prefer something all mechanical. I am open to having a built-in light meter, but I'm slightly preferential to just using an external one unless the body is relatively new and is expected to get many years from the TTL meter. Ultimately, I'm just not interested in coping with dead components. Call me a purist, whatever. I primarily shoot with 35mm. I tend to shoot street when using film, so I suspect that 28mm, 35mm, and 50mm will be my goto focal lengths. However, I would probably be equally happy with 35mm, 50mm, and either 75 or 90mm. (For really long, logistically challenging shots, I just shoot digital).
I think that leaves the following options:
- M-A: Probably the holy grail option. Sadly, way out of budget.
- M2: While it checks the boxes, I've read that it's not that much better than the Canon P. Not worth it.
- M5: I don't think it's as ugly as others makes it out to be. Though it has a light meter, I actually like the needle style. I don't like the shutter dial. I suspect I'll knock it with my fingers all the time.
- M4-P: As I understand it, this is just a budget M-A option. It's a top contender.
- M6 Classic: Beautiful, checks all the boxes. This is a top contender.
- M6 TTL: Same as Classic but has a lightmeter. Tends to be more expensive, but also newer. Top contender.
- M6 Reissue: I would probably just buy this if I could afford it.
- MP: Seems to just be an improved M6? Similarly open to this model, but I think it's out of budget.
Does anyone have experience with any or all of these and can provide some perspective? Any surprises or lessons learned from working with any of these bodies?
Thoughts on 0.58 vs 0.72?
Thoughts on TTL vs no-TTL?
Any other sleeper options worth my consideration? I'm not married to Leica necessarily. I just highly suspect I'll never be totally happy until I experience it for myself.
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