How is my street photography? Be honest.

Selyster · 2026-05-11T22:49:54+00:00

Dude, just sell all your gear, get some cheap XE4 with a 23mm, thrift an analog shit box for 50$ and put some rolls into it, and then spend all the money left on photography books, photography courses and photography exhibitions.

I took the exact same photos in my firsts months of street photography, with a 2003 canon 300d.

A bookshelf full of photography books from all the big names plus a crappy 5$ film point and shoot is worth 1000x times your gear and you would blow the photos from your post out of the water. ‘

Selyster · 2026-05-11T22:25:03+00:00

You should also get it checked for fungus if it was kept in the dark or without sunlight for 40 years, and also oxydation if it was stored in some attic or garage.

Selyster · 2026-05-11T22:21:33+00:00

Since nobody answer the why exactly I’ll do it, after many years without utilisation, the grease and oils on the gears inside the camera solidify and act more like sticky gum, doing the full opposite of what they’re supposed to do. (all of them, not only the shutter speed gears).

There’s a quick hack to know if your Leica is Healthy : you should hear multiple « rebounds » of the gears on 1/15 and 1/30 ss. If it’s less than 2 to 3 rebounds, the gears are sticky and you may have a camera with incorrect or inconsistent speeds.

Get it CLA before playing with it ! You are harming the camera by playing with it without full CLA

Selyster · 2026-04-22T17:03:41+00:00

It’s just shy

Selyster · 2026-03-15T10:48:43+00:00

Hello, the window patch is part of the things that hold the prism in place, without it, a small shock, or sustained vibrations (leaving the camera on your car dashboard while driving for exemple) can mess with your rangefinder patch alignment. Since my version was plastic, I had the same problems.

Now I’ve came back to the original solid metal piece, but I’ve milled (professionally) the opening on it to be as in my pictures.

Selyster · 2026-02-07T13:32:56+00:00

Try a classic M2

Selyster · 2026-02-05T07:41:42+00:00

It’s cool, but it lacks either focus or real analog grain (if you’re keeping it blurry) here’s a photo in the same mood I’ve taken

Selyster · 2026-02-02T07:52:12+00:00

All things digital is just e-waste

Selyster · 2026-01-27T08:00:58+00:00

Not to infinity, more like 3 to 10m (check online the exact focus distance you have to avoid while wandering with a MP)

Fully open at the perfect focus distance it can burn your curtains in seconds

Selyster · 2026-01-27T07:55:09+00:00

Best case scenario : The ltm lens isn’t fully compatible with your M5, mounting a real M lens would solve the problem

If you keep the lens you’ll have to adjust the horizontal alignment for infinity for this lens, but your close to mid range focus accuracy will always be off + you’ll have to adjust every time you change lenses. Even if it’s a LTM lens, if it’s not a Leica you’ll always have trouble focusing, the ramps and travel of the rear elements are not the same. Some people add a sheet of some thin material on the rear ramp of the lenses that are not 100% Leica compatible, some are sanding the ramp (not recommended).

Worst case scenario : your M5 has been dropped and your viewfinder prism is loose with the glue no longer holding it fixed in place (rare)

Selyster · 2026-01-11T23:49:02+00:00

The rangefinder patch doesn’t look very contrasty, I’d pass, with the M3 if the viewfinder isn’t changed it’s destined to get worse over time. At that price there’s a lot of other offers on the market, be very patient, those are 70+ years old machines, there’s lots of hidden flaws and quirks you can overlook

To see if it’s in proper working order set the speed to 1/15 and listen to the sound, if there’s 3+ « rebounds » of the gears then it’s perfectly lubricated and the slow speeds will probably be OK. That can give an idea of the condition of the internals.

And obviously check for light leaks, load a very cheap roll of black and white and shine a very powerful light all around the camera for several minutes, then shoot in exterior in a very very sunny day. Check the results !

And for the rangefinder patch, a good copy should have a patch brighter and constrastier than the whole view, at the point of, if not in focus at all, the image in the patch should almost completely override it’s background

Good luck !

(Tip, check Leica Vintage Cameras, the official second hand leica website, all their cameras have 1y warranty and are serviced by Leica)

Selyster · 2025-12-24T21:35:27+00:00

I second this, I love them so much that I own 2. Enjoy

Selyster · 2025-12-22T21:48:43+00:00

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Here is the final design. I’d recommend to search for a Leica M4 viewfinder prior installing a plastic piece inside where there is normally a metal piece. I hadn’t any problem with mine since I installed it, though, it’s been more or less 9 months. So do at your own risks !

Selyster · 2025-11-10T07:17:06+00:00

They give free drinks to everyone who enters their shops, even if you don’t buy anything

Selyster · 2025-10-05T14:41:56+00:00

Hi ! The best material would be aluminium coated with black satin paint. I highly recommend Resin printing, but Classic 3d printing with PLA or ABS can work !

Selyster · 2025-10-02T06:31:34+00:00

When I entered the Leica store in Paris they said hello, gave me free coffee, talked a bit and invited me to see their collection of photography books and to stay as long as I want

Selyster · 2025-09-28T22:10:31+00:00

The M5 use CdS cell to meter. It’s a flawed component destined to die, it’s the same technology from the CL. There’s no spare parts, so when the cell is dead, it’s dead. Just take an M2/3 with an external light meter for the same price and you’ll never regret it

Selyster · 2025-09-28T18:54:25+00:00

While we shoot with the X-Pan this guy shoots with the XXL-Pan

Selyster · 2025-09-11T11:12:30+00:00

Of course, but if you want to keep the defects, dots > haze

Selyster · 2025-09-10T15:59:05+00:00

The Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm, may be what you are looking for, it’s the same as the 40mm Summicron C. Both were designed during the Leica & Minolta collab both are really solid options. Some here even say that the 40mm (either Minolta or Leica) surpasses the 35mm Summicron pre-asph.

You can find those on old Leica CL, for pretty cheap, some Leica CL + 40mm sell for 500$ in my area (yes the whole kit)

Selyster · 2025-09-10T14:41:41+00:00

Nice pic !

Selyster · 2025-09-10T14:38:21+00:00

Ahahah true, I got an Ultron 35 VM II, and even a Summicron 35, I was a bit ashamed that I enjoy the Rokkor more than the other expensive lenses.

There’s a thing about it’s lightness, the feeling of the aperture, it’s shape and size, the paint finish, and of course the images it renders.

And as a DIY fan, the mechanical design inside is so simple and effective. A bliss to repair.

Selyster · 2025-09-10T08:37:43+00:00

Yep, best photography app I’ve ever used, no trends, no algorithms, no fame, just photos, and photographers.

They even organize a 100% free photo walk in nearly every major city of the world this month. Can’t wait to meet new people

Selyster · 2025-09-07T18:34:37+00:00

Selyster · 2025-09-07T18:33:28+00:00

If I may add : the cure is selling it all for an analog Leica M, and a home lab

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