First photos with Leica rangefinder

[nickdemarco]

Well in fact my first photos with any Leica and indeed any rangefinder (since 28 years ago when as I child I had a Balda rangefinder).

http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/leica_iiic_1946

Simply learning how this camera woked, loding a film and having to go back to not just a manual camera but one without an onboard exposure meter was a challneg for someone now used to DSLRs. But I enjoyed the challenge and somehow looked forward to the first developed film more than usual.

This is the beautiful camera - Leica IIIc rangefinder (1947) with Sumar 50mm f2 lens:



And here is one of the pics:

[url=http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/image/74329143/medium]
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I was delighted just that it worked. The pictures lack sharpness and on some the exposures are incorrect (although I used a good quality modern seperate light meter). I compared these photos with those taken on my Zorki 1c around the same time, and the photos from the Zorki are of a much better quality and certainly sharper. As the Zorki, with Industar lens, is clearly inferior to the Leica it is a copy of, I can only assume this Leica and/or the lens must have seen better days. I am not sure if the problem is fungus on the lens, just a dirty lens, light leaking in, a rangefinder that is out or shutter sppeds etc which are out. Despite all of this I actally appreciate the results. The slightly washed out blurriness of some of the pics lend them a historical, almost artistic quality in my opinion.

[wau]

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[nickdemarco]

Thank you Wau. That wuld explain a lot. I certainly found there was low contrast and areas of over exposure which I suppose must have been flare. The photos from the Zorki Ic did not have this problem and were a lot more contrasty. Who would have thought a Soviet copy of the greatest camera and lenses could be beter built and longer lasting?

Here's another pic from the Leica, which was certainly low in contrast but I like it. I had to boost the contrast in photoshop on all of these:



I have got in to these sorts of Rangefinder cameras and have bought quite a few now, including another Leica and a Canon. So I hope to experiment and compare more with different bodies and lenses.

http://www.pbase.com/nickdemarco/leica_iiic_1946

[wau]

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[nickdemarco]

Well that photo of yours is certainly a good example of that special 'feel'. Thanks Wau. I am waiting for delievry of a IIIf with Summar lens so I will see how that performs first.