1pt4 Photography Goes to a Wedding
Of course, my mom has her eyes closed . . .
M6TTL, CV 35 1.4 SC, TMY (New TMax 400), TMax Dev
On the 4th of July, my cousin Brian got married on a veranda over looking Lake Michigan. The M6TTL, CV 35 1.4 SC and a couple of rolls of the new TMax 400 (TMY) performed admirably. Tents over looking lakes on bright sunny days make a lovely setting for a wedding, but all that backlighting can bedevil the flashless photographer. The new TMY seemed to handle the wide luminance range well, though. I’ve always liked TMY despite its reputation as a difficult film. It was the first film I developed on my own, so I’ve been using it off and on for 15 years. The new TMY seems to be just as forgiving as the old. Just give it generous exposure to keep the shadows healthy. It probably would have done even better pulled to 200, but these were my first rolls with the new film, so I didn’t want to experiment too much. For those who care, I shot the TMY at 400, developed in TMax Developer and followed Kodak’s new developing times. This worked out to 5.5 minutes at 75 degrees with a dilution of 1+4.
Apart from the disposable cameras on the tables, I was the only person shooting film. A couple of people commented on this with a mix of bewilderment and awe. The pro was shooting a D3 and a D300, but I was more interested in his foot gear, a pair of black reverse heel shoes. I’ve got to try those out.
So I am aware that yo just started shooting the Leica. I was wondering whether you’ve shared anywhere on the blog why you went in that direction? I’ve been debating which rangefinder I’m gonna buy, and the debate has reduced down to a new Zeiss Ikon or a used M6TTL, so your thoughts here would be interesting.
Chris, I went with a a Leica for a number of reasons:
1. After three years of daily use, my hexars were starting to show their age. Bits and pieces kept falling off.
2. The Ikon, while an interesting camera, is neither fish nor fowl in my mind. You get neither the technical sophistication of the Hexar, nor the robustness of the Leica.
3. While I have no doubt that the Ikon is a finely made camera, the installed user base of the Leica, and hence the availability of repairs, is much higher. After having to fashion my own parts for the Hexar, this was a real concern.
4. I couldn’t see the meter readouts in the Ikon without sliding my eye around.
5. I’ve wanted a Leica for years, and I currently have the money for one.
I chose an M6TTL primarily for the shutter speed dial, both its size and direction of travel.
If you are just getting started with rangefinders, I’d still recommend the Hexar RF. With auotloading, auto exposure and a 1/4000th shutter, the Hexar is the most SLR like of RFs. I’d sell you one of mine cheap if I didn’t think the abuse its suffered would scare you off.
Too bad about the distracting bokeh…Haha, just kidding! I hate all the bokeh-peeping with the Nokton.
It’s interesting that after so many years with the Hexar, you used the M6 at this wedding. I regularly shoot with an M6 but I just shot a wedding with a borrowed Hexar!
I was the main shooter (also used a Fuji GA645) and thought I would benefit from the AE and autowind of the Hexar. It worked very well for me except there were maybe two botched frames where the camera underexposed. I also wasn’t comfortable with the auto film loading – I’m so used to manual loading and “feeling” the film wound on properly.
Regarding the above advice, I’m actually going to sell my M6 (keeping my M4 and CL) and get a Zeiss Ikon. I really wanted the Hexar but for about the same price I can get a brand new Ikon with full warranty. I prefer the Ikon viewfinder but I do like the overall feel and the auto film advance of the Hexar.
It was a very tough choice!
Lovely photographs. I enjoy seeing pictures of weddings but would rather have a sharp stick pushed in my eye than attend one. I hope if my kids ever marry they have the good sense to elope…
The M6 is a nice, solid, camera. Especially if you can abandon any cosmetic concerns that come from use. Nothing quite as pretty as a user Leica.
Good luck and looking forward to watching what comes from your camera.
Steve Williams
Scooter in the Sticks
I have been following your blog for quite a while now, and I really like a lot of your stuff.
Especially the “robot overlords” series. I have had a lot of fun looking at those. These wedding pictures are very good too. They remind me of every family wedding I have ever attended. i’m with Steve Williams in prefering a sharp stick.
Hope you are enjoying the Leica. Kate is very beautiful and you are welcome to post as many pictures of her as you like. Just curious though, does she ever get tired of being chased around by your camera?
Matt: very interesting comments. I don’t live in a location where I can just grab a Zeiss and take a look through the finder, but after your comment I sure want to. I mean, for me, I have three choices: a Bessa, a Zeiss or a Leica. I thought about a Hexar but, actually, its too ‘modern’ for me. Right now, when i shoot film, I shoot my old FTb which is manual in the extreme, and I really enjoy the feel (maybe it’s just me trying to feel 22 again, I don’t know). But I love the manual exposure, I love cranking the film advance, I zone focus anyway, etc. I have another Canon film camera from the mid nineties with AF and auto film advance, so it’s not like I can’t have that experience if I want it. But the FTb’s shutter need service, and I’ve always wanted to really give the rangefinder experience a go, even back when all I shot was the FTb and its children (A-1, etc). I really want to have that ‘see-outside-the-frame-lines, quiet-shutter street-photography really-quality-lens experience.’ Maybe I won’t like it, maybe I will. But now that I’m shooting film the majority of the time (and developing it very well, thanks to your help) I just want to dive into that pool. But the single constant thing I hear is what you just stated above: in the end it all comes down to your relationship with that finder.
I just don’t know how to audition it without buying the camera and then, if it doesn’t work, selling it.
And, oh by the way, I check your blog every day in hopes that you’ve posted another wonderful image. Just realized that I hadn’t given you the encouragement and credit you so richly deserve.
Matt, I may be imagining this, but this set of pictures appears soft to me. Something is different from previous postings. May be my imagination.
I take my comment about soft pictures back. They look sharper and crisper on my monitor at home. At work they do look soft. I thought perhaps there was problem with your scanner… bobk
The new TMax is simply stunning. It scans very very well (just like Trix) and seems to print even better. I even find that the contrast is up to Tri-X level in dull light – something that wasn’t the case with the old emulsion. For portraits, the new Tmax is definitely my first choice from now on. I can’t wait to load the RZ with Tmax.
The last frame is fantastic.
Take care!
photogdave,
I’ve often thought about getting one of those Fuji rangefinders. I’d be interested in the perspective of someone who’s used one.
Steve, my M6 already has a lovely bit of wear on one corner ;-). BTW, I was glad to see some activity on Scooter in the Sticks.
Neil, Kate spent many years acting, so she is quite comfortable in front of the camera. It’s all her fault, really, as she is the one that pushed me back into photography.
Chris, if you want to try with the option of reselling, the Leica holds it’s value better than the others.
Bob, they might be a touch soft. I haven’t recalibrating my sharpening routine for TMY yet.
Bernhard, yes, the new tmy is surprisingly good. I’d be curious to see how it looks in the larger size neg that the RZ shoots.
Matt,
The GA645 is a fantastic camera. At first I didn’t think I would like the vertical format but now I really dig it! It makes me look at framing in a new way.
The focus sounds kind of loud but I haven’t noticed anyone else noticing it besides me. Exposure and focus systems work very well. The fill flash works nicely and the lens is super sharp. The only detracting factor is the amount of dust that gets on the negs and picked up by my scanner – but that’s not the camera’s fault.
I intend to make a post on RFF about shooting the wedding with this and the Hexar, once I’ve done all the scanning that’s ahead of me. The photos ‘Me’ and “Content Is Crucial’ in my RFF gallery are taken with the Fuji.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=3291
Dave
Thanks for sharing Dave.
I went to a wedding yesterday and thought about taking my M6TTL. Looking at these shots made me wish I had. These are just what I had envisioned.
I’ve always lusted over Leicas but with a pinch of salt… I want to know your opinion on the Ccontax G2. You seem to have left it out (along with Epson R-D1s)
Just curious … :)
email me your reply,
~ali