Thanks. I think the M3 is possibly the perfect minimalist camera, and Leica have been trying to go to the dogs ever since, without ever quite getting there. What I would really, really like in a digital Leica is something with the exact dimensions of the M3 - the digital Ms are too fat - and weatherproofing, to protect the electronics. It should also be black and not have a red dot or any branding on the front, just a discreet engraving on the top plate.
Apart from the 24x36 sensor, the M9 is too like the M8 for me. I want a 24x36 sensor, but if I buy another M it has to have at least 2 major points of difference (of the type I want) from the M8, so it would be the MM or the typ 240. I like the idea of the typ 240 because it is 24x36, weatherproofed, and for the video. I'd quite like to make a court metrage - a short movie - to help me in analysing films, but I'm not sure that that is something I would use a lot. I'm not expecting to discover that I've been a J-L Godard manqué after all these years - on verra. But I don't like the thumbrest or the wheel thing on the back - they spoil the aesthetics for me. I don't understand why Leica just don't do what I want. B > -----Original Message----- > From: PDML [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of Godfrey > DiGiorgi > Sent: 07 March 2014 04:25 > To: PDML List > Subject: Re: Save me from my desire... > > On Mar 6, 2014, at 3:37 PM, Bob W-PDML <p...@web-options.com> wrote: > > > I am really interested in hearing everyone's thoughts about the MM as I > haven't made up my mind yet. I might still spend it on a trip, and take > pictures with the kit I already have. > > Hey Bob, > > I have the M9, as you're well aware. The MM is virtually the same, other than > the specialized sensor. Several of my local friends from the Leica community > have MMs, so I've had the opportunity to shoot with one a little bit and see > their photos. Between the M9 and your M8, differences in use are trivial > other than the larger format and some nuances of the controls and menus, > you'll find it nearly the same experience. > > The MM's starkness is part of its endearing quality to me. There's little to > distinguish it as a super special, fancy camera at all it's all just plain black, > just functional bits, and nothing else. It's the antithesis of camera bling. Most > people just glancing at it will see a camera that could be a forty year old lump. > > Of course, the specialized sensor is really the whole deal with the MM. From > what I've seen based on their photos, there really is a substantive > improvement in what you can get out of it at the limits for B&W work > compared to the M9 (or even M Type 240). Better tonal gradation, > separation, acutance, etc. Certainly higher sensitivity, ameliorated somewhat > by the need to use B&W filters to push your tones around with different > colors. Optimal exposure and processing the raw files takes slightly different > techniques compared to the M9. > > Oh yes: one thing I've noticed is that the MM is an ideal body to work with all > those lovely *older* RF lenses from the '30s, '40s, and '50s you know, all > the ones that do weird things like color shifting and such with the M9. Some > of those lenses were designed *long* before color film was popular and are > best optimized for monochromethey sing on the MM. > > If you love shooting B&W work and are willing to dedicate the money to a > specialized body for that purpose, I think you would love it. Its use is very > much that of shooting black and white film with a digital camera > intentionally limited, constrained by a monochromatic capture. That's part of > its genius: constraints breed creativity. > > I'd considered trading my M9 and some money for an M Monochrom myself, > I'd dig it a lot, but I decided to go a different way entirely - Leica R lenses on > the Sony A7 is a better fit for my predilections. > > G > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
