🔴 MrLeica Monthly Recap – November 2023
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Hi! I started the blog back in 2013 sharing my stories, experiences and reviews of various Leica, film cameras, lenses and more. Check out the last 100 blog posts and search all 400+ articles using the toolbar on the homepage.
What was I up to last month?
October saw me fly to Valencia Spain to run a private 2 day workshop for a UK photographer. I was booked for 8 days of teaching Leica workshops during the month which is a lot for me so sorry for no new blog posts. You guys often ask for more model photography videos on YouTube so this month I interview full time UK model Roseanne!
I’m not sure if you are aware, but much of the content I post on the Patreon platform is model photography specific. For the price of a coffee you can binge watch the back catalogue and new videos are uploaded every month. Our Patreon family continues to expand and our recent monthly zoom call included a guest presenter which was a lot of fun (Thanks Arno!). Let’s jump in to the monthly recap!
*This months newsletter is a shorter one. It still has all the YouTube videos and blog posts that you may have missed but without some of the extras. I will try to mix it up from month to month to keep it interesting.
Wotancraft bag giveaway (Continued..)
If you saw my bags for Leica cameras blog and YouTube video you’ll know that promised one lucky winner (who subscribed to the YouTube channel and Follow the blog) a free Wotancraft Pilot bag! For October they gave away a free Wotancraft premium leather strap. The winner is Mike Palafox! Mike please get in touch with me so I can arrange shipping.
The awesome guys at Wotancraft said if you Subscribe to my YouTube channel + Follow the blog + Tag me in a Leica related Instagram post there will be more item giveaways coming up.
Buy / Sell Leica Equipment
I often receive emails asking ‘Where can I sell my Leica lens?” or “I can’t find a Leica film camera for sale”. As this blog receives a fair amount of Leica related views (traffic) I setup a new page to let you either list camera equipment for sale or find camera equipment to buy. (Mostly Leica but not limited to*). Check out the current Leica items for sale.
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Workshops in October
Of the 8 days booked I had 1 day postponed so 7 private 1:1 workshops days in total. Workshops were a mix of general photography with a Leica camera/ street photography or the more common portraits/ model photography using Leica cameras. Asif visited from Dubia with his new Hasselblad 907x. Larry flew in from the US and kindly lent me his rigid Light Lens Lab 8-element lens so I could make that video. Vicki and her son traveled from the States too and I was helping her with her Leica Q3. Stefan flew in from New York and kindly let me try the amazing Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 ZM lens. Fantastic lens, see that video!
Not all photographers were from the US. I’ve taught UK photographer/ business guy Dean in previous months and for October he arranged for me to teach his colleague Ben. A combination of learning how to master his Leica Q2 camera, setting up their space for photoshoots (see photo below) and some model photography practice too. Ben is ex-Savile Row (London) so he was sharing some of his fashion knowledge with me. All very interesting! Looking forward to the next session at their place once the studio lights arrive.
For the Valencia workshop I did less BTS footage and photos but we had two models each day. Spain is warmer than the UK so we managed to catch some end of summer weather to shoot in. Valencia offers some beautiful narrow streets and the low autumn sunlight created some stunning scenes. If you follow me on YouTube look out for a review of the TTArtisan 50mm f1.4 ASPH lens. That video will include some sample photos from Spain. Coming soon!
Dates for Travel, Group Workshops & Photowalks
Please contact me regarding workshops and photowalks. Here are my travel details so far –
NOVEMBER 2023
- November I will be in Lanzarote. I might be teaching in Rotterdam at the end of the month too.
DECEMBER 2023
- December is still not yet confirmed. Hoping to get something booked soon.
Private 1:1 Tuition
Planning to visit London? Get in touch and I can arrange a private 1:1 workshop to fit around your schedule. See workshop prices and testimonials
Leica+Model Workshops
Digital photographers
If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know my preference for digital Leica cameras (over other brands) plus simple metal and glass small manual focus lenses.
Cameras – I took the Leica SL to Valencia so I had a full frame option for model photography (and for my usual lens testing for YouTube!)
Lenses – As last month, I’m still loving the Light Lens Lab compact 35mm f2 8-Element LTM and 50mm f2 ELCAN lenses. The 35mm LLL 8E even beat the Leica lens in the comparison test (see that video below). After sitting on the fence I just ordered the LLL Elcan lens in LTM mount too so I can use it on my Leica iii Barnack cameras.
Basically I waited too long the first time and they sold out so this time I wanted to order it before they sell out again! Look out for a video to come on the Elcan lens once my second copy arrives.
Check out the Light Lens Lab website use the MrLeica discount code on the KitList page for money off. (I plan to test my 50mm Elcan against my 50mm v5 Summicron. If the Elcan wins I will sell my v5 as the Elcan is smaller and both are Summicron formula lenses. The Elcan should have more character being the older lens design).
Recommended kit – Leica SL – It’s still the best bang for the buck Leica IMO. See my full KitList for the exact products that I use.
Film photographers
Film – Film developing is a hot topic for me right now as I’m trying a new film developer. Adox XT-3 (a Kodak Xtol alternative). I will write a detailed blog post once I’ve developed a few more rolls of film. Here is a sample photo developed with 1:1 Adox XT-3. (Follow me on Flickr for new photos. I detail my developing under each photo).
Cameras – For any Nikon readers this might interest you. I mounted my Leica Summicron-R 50mm f2 lens onto my Nikon FM2 film camera. I made a video so you can check that out below but here is proof that it works!
Talking of film cameras, are your photos from your Leica M film camera not are sharp as they used to be? I had the same issue recently with my Leica M3 camera images. I did what I always do. I did a mirror selfie in controlled conditions to see if the rangefinder was out of alignment (even though it looks OK in the viewfinder). Sure enough, it needs recalibrating. See photo below.
It’s a good excuse to dust off my Leica iif and Leica iiig cameras to use with my new LLL 50mm f2 Elcan LTM lens. I plan to take this combo to Lanzarote in November.
Directory: Leica Repairs + Leica YouTubers
If you have feedback after a Leica service, repair or CLA I’d love to add it to the Leica Repair Directory page to help others. Equally, if you love watching YouTube, let us know your favourite Leica YouTuber channel?
Download Leica presets
My recommended photography gear list – https://mrleica.com/kitlist/
Latest YouTube videos
Below is a catch up of all the YouTube videos I published last month. If you’re new here see previous month newsletters for more!
LIKE MAGIC! | Seeing my Pentax 67 Photoshoot Images on Paper | Darkroom Printing!
PSST.. Your Camera & Lens DOESN’T Matter!
HASSELBLAD.. Just shoot it like a Leica!
Leica Summicron 35mm f2 v1 (REPLICA) | Light Lens Lab 8 Element
3.167x BETTER! | Leica M4-P + Kodak Ektar 100
HOW + WHY! | Converting my LEICA lens to NIKON mount (50mm Summicron)
35mm Leica Summilux KILLER? | Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 ZM
Perfect EDC!! (POV Photowalk) Leica M240 + Leica Summicron 35mm f2 v3
DO’S & DON’T! | Interviewing a Model (Photoshoot Etiquette)
Join the family!
Latest blog posts to read
No new articles shared in October, apologies! (I posted more videos on YouTube instead). More written articles to come in November.
- N/A
Written posts to supplement the YouTube review videos including full res images. 400+ existing blog post articles.
Viewer’s comment of the month!
I have two comments to share as I missed it last month. First was an email from Ralph explaining how he loads his Leica iii cameras without cutting the film leader. (I still need to try this but it sounds like he’s mastered it!) Second was a nice comment on one of my YouTube videos. I loved Greg’s story about his Dad’s Leica R4 camera.
Hi Matt, Thanks for your fast answer. Here is mine:
Draw the uncutted leader of the film upon the winding spool and wind it up alittle bit extra. Insert both the spool and canister as usual (pressing down). Yes, both-side perforation at full lenght!
And now… (drum roll) … have reverse lever set on “R”!. Then take a look from aside at the teeth of the transport sprocket you probably won’t see. Due to the little extra winding up in the beginning a n d the “R”-position of the lever you now can move the film a ittle bit
backwards q u i t e s l o w l y . See and hear what happens:
A gentle clicking tells you from both perforations of the film, gliding on to the teeth of the sprocket. The nearest ones you can see, the hidden ones look the same of course. If there is unexpected no success, repeat by “A/R” these little back/forwards movements. That is almost all. Put the lever back to “A”.
If you want to have control in “T-mode”, just do it but it is not necessary. Winding up and shooting 1-2 frames makes everything turning.
Enjoy especially your outdoor shootings, leaving the scissors at home.
Best regards Ralph Wenzel
“Great review, thanks for sharing. I have been shooting with an R4 for the last 25 years, since I inherited it from my dad. He received it brand new for Christmas 1982. That was a memorable Christmas! I absolutely love the R4 but as you say, the lenses are the most important. The Leica lenses are so beautifully made and deliver such fantastic images, making them a joy to use. I recently bought a R 135mm f:2.8 lens on eBay. It essentially came with a free R-E camera body. The lens was as new, as is the R-E. I can now carry around one Leica R with colour and the other body with black and white, each using my amazing Leica glass. A pleasure to use. Oh and to complete the picture, after our dad died recently, my two brothers each bought an R4 and 50mm Summicron in memory of him, so we now have Leica shoot outs!” (Greg Hilton)
Patreon post of the month (shared)
To give you a taster of what we get up to on Patreon I here is a post you missed! Join our 250+ active monthly members and use the 10% off discount!
Post: “Stuck in a photography rut? What project are you working on?” – View on Patreon
Coming up next month..
In November I arranged a last minute trip to Lanzarote to join some of the body painting guys I met in Italy this year. It’s more of an excuse to hang out with friends and shoot in the sunshine (hopefully) but i’ll try to record some footage to share. I’m still waiting for my darkroom chemistry to arrive from Germany so I’m hopeful I can start practicing in the darkroom too (making prints). I’m due to receive a new Leica M mount lens to test for YouTube so look out for that coming soon!
YouTube video – spotlight
You may have already seen it but the first video in November is a review of the famous Leica Summicron 35mm f2 lens. I compare the Leica lens to the Light Lens Lab replica. See which lens performs the best!
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Hello
I don’t know we’re to leave this question , this is a canon problem. I have several old 70d that the turns sticky. All I can do is scrape it. What have others done.
Kostatine
Hi, I don’t have any experience with Canon SLR cameras but some Nikon SLR like the F100 was known for getting a sticky back. If you Google it there will be ways to clean it. (This is more a Leica newsletter so you might get more luck asking a Canon user). Regards Matt