one camer, one lens forever (until there is film?)

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Well, I've never completely abandoned the idea of selling all my equipment, which fullfills my needs completely, in order to get just 1 body and 1 lens (BTW, 35 or 50? but that's another story). Sort of zen-like approach to photograpy. This morning I've added another doubt. I'd like to get one forever camera (m6), and year after year eventually add lenses, just for the desire to get as much as possible from a minimalist set-up. Now I wonder, could this approach be vanished by the progressive disappearing of traditional materials, compared to digital? I know it's a question that, one way or the other, gets asked everyday. I'm not speaking just of BW, which I think will be around for a long in its niche. I'm thinking of slides, it would be really sad not having anymore Astia, Velvia or Provia F sooner or later (I'm thinking of 10 years). I'll always be able to use my nikon lenses on a digital body, if I ever wanted to, but what about the 1 leica, one lens forever idea?

-- Antonio Carrus (antonio.carrus@yahoo.it), November 23, 2001

Answers

You only live once!!

Just buy it and enjoy the art of shooting moments in the most creativ and challenging way!!

Cheers

-- Salvatore Reitano (reitanosalvatore@hotmail.com), November 23, 2001.


That's what I say! I was in your position exactly one year ago and I bought (brand new) an M6TTL and a 35. It's been almost one year (and I still love it!) and now I'm thinking about getting another lens. Probably the 21. My ultimate minimalist set-up goal is to have the 21, 35, and 90. A good range??

-- J.L. (lemon6745@aol.com), November 23, 2001.

I agree...there's no time like the present. Sometimes the limitations we encounter (ie, this film is no longer available) make us move in a new direction, or just to get out and do it in the first place! Of course if George Lucas has his way, we'll be able to replace not only our tried-and-true 35mm film, but our actors as well! ;-)

On the topic of one camera/one lens, (for me a 50) ...I've found the grass is always greener - take one camera out to shoot and don't allow yourself the 'what-if's.' or is it the 'if- only's?'

Carlin

-- Carlin Mayer (carlinm@abac.com), November 23, 2001.


Hello Antonio

You should do it! It's so liberating. If only one lens, go for the 35mm summicron or even better the 35mm summilux. It's easier to handhold a 35mm with 1/30 or even 1/15 speed then a 50mm, and if you want to get close up, just take 2 steps forward mate! With a summilux you can throw away your flash-gear as well!

Thomas

-- Thomas Krantz (tkrantz@kpmg.com), November 23, 2001.


Antonio,

Buy a freezer. Calculate the number of rolls of film you use in 1 year. Multiply by 1.12. Now multiply by 20. You have the number of rolls you should shoot in 20 years. Buy this amount film from where ever you can get the best price. Put the film in your freezer.

Now go out and take pictures for the next 20 years without any film worries.

Enjoy!

-- Tony Oresteen (aoresteen@mindspring.com), November 23, 2001.



Look at it this way... If everyone buys and M6, there will always be a demand for film. So do it!

-- Dan Brown (brpatent@swbell.net), November 23, 2001.

B&H still sell coated glass plates so I think film will be available for a good long time.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), November 23, 2001.

and one day there wiil be the digital back for the leica m. it shouldn't be too difficult.

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), November 23, 2001.

...I bought (brand new) an M6TTL and a 35. It's been almost one year (and I still love it!) and now I'm thinking about getting another lens. Probably the 21. My ultimate minimalist set-up goal is to have the 21, 35, and 90. A good range??

I have 15/24/35/50/90 lenses right now. I tend to carry two lenses at a time, three when traveling, and the more I shoot, the more I'm convinced that the ultimate kit for me is a body + 21/35/75 lenses. Funny how I don't quite own the right lenses yet even through I already own too many... sigh.

However, I've done a couple of trips with 15/35/90 and that works very well. I think you'll get more use out of the 21 then I get out of the 15.

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), November 23, 2001.


This is fun. Thanks Antonio. Obviously the photo world will be digital sooner than later. So the market for film will gradually shrink. Not to the point of disappearing altogether in any of our lifetimes (anyone under 10 here?). Gradually, film users will become excentric marginals. Leica users already are, anyway, so that would be consistent.... ;-)

Nevertheless we would all feel better when facing your choices if Leica was financially more powerful and/or if the installed M base justified the development of a digital M (and R) line, if only to carry our lens investment.

The 1 lens 1 body idea is nice...to start with. Godfrey is stating the exact same feeling I've had these days. I own 21+35(f2)+50(f2)+90 (f2.8) with a R set on top, but I would get more than I need with M6 and 21+35(f1.4)+75(f1.4) and basta. So do not make our mistakes, and do start your new life with a 35 f1.4 asph !

Yep, Godfrey, "funny how we don't quite own the right lenses yet even through we already own too many..." ;-/

-- Jacques (jacquesbalthazar@hotmail.com), November 23, 2001.



What fun would photography be if we couldn't fuss over which film and which developer? What would be left? Duracell batteries vs. Eveready? Selecting the materials is part of the means of self- expression. You can't buy a roll of Ilford electrons. Besides' digital photos lack a certain Je ne sais pas quois. Don't they? They must.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), November 23, 2001.

"Besides' digital photos lack a certain Je ne sais pas quois. Don't they? They must."

Why? If it's the photographer's vision that counts, what does it matter whether the camera is film or digital?

I'll be going digital as soon as it makes sense for me to do so - which will be in about a year's time, I should think.

BTW, the digital back for the M - I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you!

-- rob (rob@robertappleby.com), November 24, 2001.


RE: freezing a 20-year supply of film. The added benefit is that when you purchase the film, you'll discover how unbelievably CHEAP your 20- year supply of cameras is by comparison. In my case (2 Ms, 5 lenses) the film would cost roughly 8 times as much! If "film is cheap" then Leicas must be cheaper!

"You can't buy a box of Ilford electrons." Oh, come on, Bob! In twenty years we'll be crotcheting about whether the Ilford replacement chip really DOES give a subtler tonal rendition than the 'original' Leica chip. (Ilford/Kodak/Tetenal and others ALREADY sell digital printing papers, so we can practice crotcheting over how THEY compare.) 8^)

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), November 24, 2001.


For the demise of film, have photographers ever had so many choices of outstanding emulsions in the whole history of photography? I think not! And they just keep coming. Sure is one hell'va funny looking demise! As for the Minimalist approach: Last spring I bought a Leitz M6 classic (as new, mint), and an Elmar-M, 50mm/f2.8, collapsible. Got a Leica UVa filter, and a NAPA case w/wriststrap. All I shoot with, all I'm interested in shooting with, and all I'm interested in carrying. I carry it around in either a LowePro Waist Pouch, or an M Classic bag, which also doubles as a briefcase for work.

-- Leicaddict (leicaddict@hotmail.com), November 24, 2001.

Since last 20 years I never say "never" nor "forever". I haven't found the best and the only camera yet :?)

-- Victor Randin (ved@enran.com.ua), November 26, 2001.


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