Didier R. , Dec 28, 2011; 04:25 p.m.
I happen to wonder why I keep shooting my Leica Ms (mostly B&W these days), and go through the pain of developping and scanning negs, when using a simple Dlux 5 (or anything else) could bring some results, with no weight, no hassle to change lenses.
Last month a friends of ours and their baby went home. Lots of P&S (digital) shots, and I shot a roll of TriX, M7 with 50 'cron, and 75 'lux.
Pleasure, HUGE pleasure to shoot, and some pleasure yesterday as I scanned a few shots (please note the pictures are just 'out of the scanner', no time to work on the curve, as I have to learn my new software on my new computer).
After viewing those negs, I know why I shoot my M's and why I love the 75 'lux.
I could probably get the same thing out of an M9, but I consider it out of my reasonable price range for a non-eternal device (unless my M3, M4, M6, M7). So, right now, film Ms are my pleasure and keep me having fun taking photos.
Didier
TriX, 75 'lux, M7
Per-Christian Nilssen 
, Dec 28, 2011; 04:34 p.m.
Beautiful portrait, Didier! THanks for sharing!
Georg S 
, Dec 28, 2011; 05:51 p.m.
Lovely portrait!
I shoot film Ms (and other film-cameras as well) just because I really like to play with these wonderful old machines.
Compared to digital cameras there's still a bit of magic in shooting and developing film - at least for me.
I like heavy metal from the golden age of engineering: Tschaika, M3, rigid Summicron
Philip Wilson 
, Dec 28, 2011; 10:09 p.m.
I just love the feel of old film bodies. I shoot Leica M, Contax G, Canon FD and MF film (Mamiya M645 or Fuji GX 680). While I have some Canon EOS film bodies (including a 1NRS and pair of 1Vs) I rarely ever shoot them. I prefer the old Canon F1s for SLRs or my Leica / Contax rangefinders. I have also not decided to buy an M8 or M9 as I find the price very high for the likely longevity. If Leica can come up with a way that the processors and sensor can be upgraded then I might be convinced. Unfortunately the lifespan of a DSLR seems to be only a few years before it becomes obsolete and I worry the same will happen with the digital Leica.
Mukul Dube 
, Dec 28, 2011; 10:23 p.m.
Didier, a fine photo. Doing something like this in digital would need either an M9 or a large and heavy DSLR with a large and heavy lens, the pair coming for not substantially less money.
Bill Mitchell , Dec 29, 2011; 05:29 a.m.
I prefer a Barnack to an M.
Ray Cutting 
, Dec 29, 2011; 01:24 p.m.
To make a long story short, i'm selling my M9 as it dosen't give me any of the pleasure i get from my M camera's.
There is no comparison, in fact im going to start shooting colour film in my M camera's for those colour moments.
I will still keep a digital camera around for those times i need a pic quick, but have found over the years its about the whole experience(shoot,develope,scan/print) is what i enjoy about photography not just shoot and upload.
Richard G , Dec 29, 2011; 04:14 p.m.
I have to agree with you Didier. The M is fantastic for photography of children. Very quick. This little statue between two blocks of flats has bewitched me recently. I am trying to get the right exposure and composition. The ZM C Sonnar has to be the right lens. I feel a thousand eyes on me each time I intrude. I walk in and take a couple of shots and go. No switching the camera on, no checking the settings, no review of the LCD image. The few I took with the X100 were lousy, mainly because I was fiddling and didn't trust the focus or the exposure (aperture too wide with that camera and the shutter speed max might be too low for the correct exposure.) Contax G, Philip will tell me, beats that problem. This was Rollei Retro 100. The clever guys at the counter where I get it developed picked it immediately from the look of some of the shots.
Bronze M5 ZM C Sonnar, Rollei Retro 100
David Rosenthal , Dec 29, 2011; 10:33 p.m.
Didier,
I completely burnt-out on digital. Now I'm rediscovering my (4) M6TTL's with 21, 28Cron, 35Lux, 50 Noct., 90 Apo and 135 Apo. I'm starting to have fun again! I LIKE having to wait to see the results, and telling my friends, NO, you can't see it right now--it's FILM!
Nice shot!
PC B , Dec 30, 2011; 03:49 p.m.
David, where/who do you get your drum scans from?
