adamdewilde wrote:
h00ligan - It's a real shame about the dog/gf, you really should get out and shoot, take your mind off of things. Maybe rescue the dog and take him on a road trip with you!
That shot of the train is great Luka.
Just a question out of curiosity: what do you like best? Taking photos or analysing gear?
I ask this because you seem to be buying and analysing a lot (I don't mind personally)and you once said you bought at least 1 lens a month to keep you inspired.
I don't understand that there's so much talk about M9's and lenses that are faulty/need calibration.
Unacceptable to me for this kind of money.
Adam: I don't have many portraits to post as my usual portrait subject has forbidden me to post any pictures of her Here is one portrait that I posted earlier of a colleague from work: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/920070/63#8980567
Jochen: Taking photos of course. Getting new gear adds to the inspiration to go out and shoot of course but I don't think that is very unusual. Don't you spend some extra time when you get a new lens? I kept up a pretty extreme pace - usually three or four hours a day for a while and part of the motivation was that I always had some new exciting toy to play with.
I definitely never said anything like that I bought a new lens each up to keep inspiration. What I have possibly said is that my extreme tempo can partially be explained that I've on been adding a new lens each month. (IIRC the original discussion stemmed from somebody asking how I got the time and energy to produce such a continuous stream of images). The M9 + lenses being a big exception as I got it for its size all of my camera and lens purchases were motivated by me being impressed with the rendering style of a specific lens.
I definitely do enjoy new gear (who doesn't?) and I also like to analyze it and discuss it. Understanding a lens in depth helps me produce the images I want. Although it's difficult to sort things in order but I think I enjoy the process of photography most. It's a sort of meditation for me. I take a leisurely walk, listen music or an audio book and stop and take pictures of things I think would look interesting photographed. I also enjoy looking at the end result.
So there are a bunch of things I love about photography - the gear is a part of it but not the main part.
You are right that the calibration problems are difficult to justify given the price. There are however two things to consider. The first one is that a rangefinder is a primitive mechanial device that is subject to mechanical tolerances. It doesn't take much to get it decalibrated. You wouldn't believe how simple it is (basically a mechanical arm with a roller that is set against a ring on the lens which pushes the arm inwards when you focus) and I'm actually amazing that the thing can be accurately calibrated for an 18 Mpixel sensor. Also the M9 and especially the Leica lenses are very expensive not because of a huge profit margin by Leica but because they use very expensive parts. You mostly pay for the price of the exotic glass used in the lenses.
Still, I agree with you that it's not really OK to take that kind of money and have such poor quality control.
Jochenb wrote:
I don't understand that there's so much talk about M9's and lenses that are faulty/need calibration.
Unacceptable to me for this kind of money.
Jochen, valid point I suppose there is not so much as faults, but what it takes have great setup that works 99% of the time. I am sure in the Canon forums, for example the 50L with its focus shift occupies a lot threads to this day. Some people find solutions and make it work and produce great shots with this lens. Same theme!
Im my case, just about all my lenses are second hand, and some quite old, and they have very resolvable issues.
As Luka, suggested the M9, is still a simple mechanical device, but can be prone to needing adjustment. Some people have a special tool, and adjust it themselves, which can a huge plus if you are somewhere remote taking shots
denoir wrote:
Jochen: Taking photos of course. Getting new gear adds to the inspiration to go out and shoot of course but I don't think that is very unusual. Don't you spend some extra time when you get a new lens? I kept up a pretty extreme pace - usually three or four hours a day for a while and part of the motivation was that I always had some new exciting toy to play with.
I definitely never said anything like that I bought a new lens each up to keep inspiration. What I have possibly said is that my extreme tempo can partially be explained that I've on been adding a new lens each month. (IIRC the original discussion stemmed from somebody asking how I got the time and energy to produce such a continuous stream of images). The M9 + lenses being a big exception as I got it for its size all of my camera and lens purchases were motivated by me being impressed with the rendering style of a specific lens.
I definitely do enjoy new gear (who doesn't?) and I also like to analyze it and discuss it. Understanding a lens in depth helps me produce the images I want. Although it's difficult to sort things in order but I think I enjoy the process of photography most. It's a sort of meditation for me. I take a leisurely walk, listen music or an audio book and stop and take pictures of things I think would look interesting photographed. I also enjoy looking at the end result.
So there are a bunch of things I love about photography - the gear is a part of it but not the main part. ...Show more →
You said the following on POTN, in the 85ZE thread:
"I was sort of saving that lens as a treat for myself for some time in the future when I started growing tired of photography."
So do you understand why I asked the question?
Keeping that 85ZE comment in mind and seeing you buy and analyze all sorts of gear soon after made me wonder about what drives you.
Could have been that without all that you lost your interest in photography I thought.
That's where the question came from.
Jochenb wrote:
You said the following on POTN, in the 85ZE thread:
"I was sort of saving that lens as a treat for myself for some time in the future when I started growing tired of photography."
So do you understand why I asked the question?
Keeping that 85ZE comment in mind and seeing you buy and analyze all sorts of gear soon after made me wonder about what drives you.
Could have been that without all that you lost your interest in photography I thought.
That's where the question came from.
Btw: it was not meant to be insulting in any way
Yes, I understand and I was not insulted.
I can't really answer the question if I would have tired of photography had I not constantly been buying new toys as well..I have not tried it I very much doubt it is a significant driving force but it does add to the interest. I like the process of getting to know a lens but it's not my main motivation. As for my 85ZE comment, I believe that it's true. If I at some point notice that my interest in photography is dropping off, getting a new lens could very well be the cure that would put me back on track.
--
It looks by the way like my M9 and 75 Summicron will be taking a trip back to Germany tomorrow with Leica promising they'll do their best to have it back within two weeks.
denoir - I remember that shot. Ok, so if the 50/2 ZM doesn't work out, I'll move onto the 50/1.5 if nobody's noticed yet, I'm systematically going through all the M mount 50 lenses that are worth a damn.. I only have a few left and then I'm out of options. I think the 50lux asph will be my last stop, but if it fails to impress me, then I'm hitting up the E60 Noctilux w/built in hood, as I know I'll like it, I'm just hoping along the way I'll like something that costs less!
Adam, the 50/1.5 is an interesting lens from an artistic rendering point of view. I think it's great for portraits but it is rather special wide open but if you expect superb raw optical performance then you'll be disappointed.
You asked about which aperture it was optimized for in your previous post and I forgot to answer. It seems to be optimized for f/2.8 but I'm not 100% sure as my rangefinder isn't calibrated and the camera front focuses anyway. Zeiss support indicated that it was calibrated for f/2.8 and that I could send it in to get it recalibrated for f/1.4 under warranty. I think I'm going to do that while my M9 is in Solms.
adamdewilde wrote:
denoir - I remember that shot. Ok, so if the 50/2 ZM doesn't work out, I'll move onto the 50/1.5 if nobody's noticed yet, I'm systematically going through all the M mount 50 lenses that are worth a damn.. I only have a few left and then I'm out of options. I think the 50lux asph will be my last stop, but if it fails to impress me, then I'm hitting up the E60 Noctilux w/built in hood, as I know I'll like it, I'm just hoping along the way I'll like something that costs less!
Adam, if you decide with the Nocti, I am sure you will have cult like following
Luka, having your camera fully calibrated, will make a huge difference. I wish they had this service when I had the 5DI.
Charles, I hope so and I hope they will keep the time frame. A Leica Nordic representative from Denmark called me and we had a chat. I spoke Swedish, he spoke Danish (Danish is sort of like drunken Swedish) but we understood each other for the most part. He said that he could not 100% guarantee that it will be fixed within two weeks but that he would make an effort and that my need for expediency would not be forgotten. He then called the store where I bought the M9 and arranged that I send it to Solms through them. So at least this part of the Leica customer service has been very good.
It's going to be interesting to go back to the 5DII for a couple of weeks. I'll also try to get some quality time with the Pentax 67 that I've been neglecting.
Well luka, you're English is great....I'm surprised his may not have been elsewhere (Europe) there's always spanish as a default
I'm bummed you have to send it off..such a shame that it seems to be the norm on the m9. Still I can't wait to shoot one tomorrow for a few hours. I really hope I have something good to share here..a glimpse of the wild west stuck in the late 1800's. The downside is that the shooting hours are going to be in very bright and harsh desert sun.
As a side note..I called the ghost town people today who had no idea what I was talking about..until I talked to the owner who swore a lot and said, wait way a camera company is coming out here..I'm not going to get fu..Ed again...
It seems as if nobody there knows what the workshop is..and this could wind up a disaster. Certainly doesn't seem well planned as of now, hope I'm wrong.
Here is one portrait that I posted earlier of a colleague from work: 
I very much doubt it is a significant driving force but it does add to the interest. I like the process of getting to know a lens but it's not my main motivation. As for my 85ZE comment, I believe that it's true. If I at some point notice that my interest in photography is dropping off, getting a new lens could very well be the cure that would put me back on track. 
or like a Swede trying to speak with a hot potato in his mouth. (no offense meant to the Danes)