This Leica is the camera in my collection that seems to raise the most eyebrows. I’m going to write about using it properly sometime, but briefly, the questions I get asked the most are around the practicalities of shooting such an old camera. The beauty of it is – the thing that most people who ask the question seem to miss – is that it’s not really that must different to shooting any other 35mm camera. Yes it’s a little bit fiddly to load, and it’s a little more clunky than some of my more modern cameras, but it still takes 35mm film, and beyond that it’s just a shutter in a box with a lens mount I have lenses for.
My current favourite lens to shoot on it is my Voigtlander 28mm f/3.5. As I said in my recent review of that lens, it looks beautiful on the camera, but beyond that somewhat shallow justification, it’s a practical choice too. The wide angle nature of the lens makes it easy to zone focus and it’s nice and compact too.
These photos were developed by AG, scanned by me on my Noritsu, then tweaked in lightroom
My only regret is that I don’t use use the Leica much – I wouldn’t dream of selling it though…
Please have your Leica shutter serviced. On some of your images, the right side seems darker compared to the left side. This is what has been called “tapering”, which occurs when the shutter curtains don’t travel evenly across. Otherwise, the images are quite lovely.
My Dad was a massive Leica fan, and he always had a soft spot for the older ones. The oldest one is a black paint IIa from 1933, and reading your piece has made me realise that I really should make an effort to get them into use again.
I have had a IIIf for years, and never really got on with it, however the separate rangefinder and view finder windows on the IIa seem to make a bit more sense. Definitely needs a service though – can you recommend anywhere?
Thanks
Tom
Yes – https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/
You should definitely get it fixed and shoot it – definitely!
Nice shots Hamish. That camera looks so damn pretty. What a machine!
I’m one of those who love this camera as a concept. It is a beautiful object in itself and with all of the history which accompanies it, this has to be a special experience. However, Hamish you are a pragmatic type so I look forward to your further thoughts on this Leica.
What a beautiful looking combo! So compact as well. I am trading my voigtlander 35mm 1.4 today for the 2.5 version II just to save a few grams! 😀
I love these images. My father had a Leica M3. He adored it more than any camera he owned (and he owned a lot of cameras). He taught me photography and I, in turn, taught photography to my son, who now shoots with many of my old film cameras and one of his grandfather’s cameras as well. The circle of life!