A couple of rolls with the Leica M5

By Hamish Gill

I realised the other day that I haven’t yet posted any photos I’ve taken with my Leica M5. So since just in the last few weeks I’ve shot a couple of rolls with it, I thought I’d share a few of the results.

I’m actually most of my way through my review of it too, so as much as anything else, you might consider this post a bit of a teaser for that. I’ve found myself quite torn when it comes to the Leica M5. When I pick it up and use it, I find myself quite enthralled by the way it works. The problem is, I often seem to find myself picking up other some of my other cameras first. I shan’t say any more though as all this will be in the review.

These first photos were taken just before Norah was born, I was doing my 35mm Summicron v3 review and wanted a few extra shots for that post. They are shot on Portra 160.

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

Leica M5 and Summicron 35mm v3

This next roll, Portra 400 was shot with the new 50mm Sonnar over the course of the last few days of my paternity leave. I’ve been back at work a week now and already Norah looks bigger than she does here.

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Connie eating some food given to her by one of her little school friends who lives over the road. They had a little Eid party at school, then in the evening the little girl and her mum popped around with some rice and beef for us.

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

I’ve been walking Connie to school and with the slightly unseasonably nice weather we have been having, the Sun has been out, but lower in the sky. This has made for some particularly nice light, so over the course of a few days I captured these few shots along the course of the walk to school. It’s funny when the light is like that just how easy it feels to shoot. I almost feel like I wasted the summer when I look back now…though I usually feel like this at this time of year

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

I love the light in this last shot …

Leica M5 & 50mm 1.5 Sonnar

Both rolls were developed and scanned by AG photo lab

You can find my eventual review of the Leica M5 here

Cheers for reading,

Hamish

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About The Author

By Hamish Gill
I started taking photos at the age of 9. Since then I've taken photos for a hobby, sold cameras for a living, and for a little more than decade I've been a professional photographer and, of course, weekly contributor to 35mmc.
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Comments

Blinx on A couple of rolls with the Leica M5

Comment posted: 03/10/2015

Some lovely shots. The M5 is the only Leica I've been tempted by (used a friend's M3), so will look forward to the review with interest.
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Vernon on A couple of rolls with the Leica M5

Comment posted: 03/10/2015

Your processing and scanning are leaps and bounds better than what I see on other websites.
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Hamish Gill replied:

Comment posted: 03/10/2015

I can't recommend AG photo lab enough really. They are very good. Though you do still need to give them well exposed negs... I don't post my poor exposures ;)

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jeremy north on A couple of rolls with the Leica M5

Comment posted: 24/02/2019

I really like these 'mundane' shots Hamish. I was going to say that the top one looks like a painting, then thought again, it is actually painting
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Hamish Gill replied:

Comment posted: 24/02/2019

Ha, yes, I suppose it is!

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