Sophie's choice: Leica M4-P or Contax G2

[mrisney]

I have spent a good amount of 2009, pretty much in love with my Mamiya 6.
My trusty old Leica M4-P has gotten less use, as 120 Portra 160NC shot with
my Mamiya 75mm pretty much does everything I need for film.

I have heard about the G2, and have an opportunity to do a swap, having never been
able to purchase Elmarit's or Summilux'es, I have been making do with a Cosina Voigtlaner
40mm MC 1.4 (great fast lens!), and 90mm Summicron Canadian 55 lens.

My old M4-P is very nice, and I enjoy it, but the Mamiya 6 does rangefinder photography better IMO

So it's at the end of a year, end of a decade. My M4-P has been a trusty friend for years, never failed me
but I cannot afford German Leica lenses. Money is an issue, I can't keep both.

So if you had to do an almost Sophie's choice, between M4-P with 2 bargain M lenses.
And a G2 black kit with all 3 lenses and a TLA 280 Flash, with the smart aluminium Contax case,
what would you choose ?

The answer seems slightly towards the G2. But I must say the all mechanical M4-P and the emotional attachment I have
is something to consider. But then again, as mentioned the Mamiya 6 has been the love of my life this past year.

[Markok765]

I think you should keep the Leica. You don't need to buy the expensive lenses to get great results, a summicron is mad sharp.

In addition, AF can fail you, and mechanical won't. The Leica will keep its value better as well.

[df cardwell]

The G2 is freaking amazing. It will even focus where IT thinks the picture is.

Sadly, it is wrong.

Don't let go of the Leica.

[juanito]

Hi,

You said that you are not using de M4-P because you have a Mamiya 6, the question is: are you really going to use the G4? If MF plaeses you so much
why are you going to buy another 35mm?
How many lenese for the Mamiya 6 you allready own?

[mrisney]

I have all 3 lenses for the Mamiya 3. They are legend sharp. But, they are slow. 35mm is supposed to be fast, and compact. Focusing a manual 35mm Leica M is not necessarily fast, and I have to use a top mounted meter, but I learned how to take images with that camera, how to do DOF proper, how to meter, how to choose aperture, push, and understand framing, the 3rds, basic composure,etc.

In short, I learned how to become a photographer on a manual M, and I would recommend that approach to anyone, strip it down to the basics and from there, manipulating a Nikon D3X or Canon 5D is not daunting at all. Having said that, I wanted a Contax T2, or a yashica t4, but I do not believe in accumulating too much gear, I think that hinders photography to a degree, and then one spends to much time thinking about all the variables of what lens, what camera, and what film, etc...

The auto ..evreything that the G2 offers is appealing, and the lenses are said to be something. I think that the pure manual aspect of Leica M - is gotten from my Mamiya, so it maybe time to let the M4-P go.

In the back of my mind, I am aware of the cult of film that is growing, yes I shoot FF digital, but I am seeing more and more colleagues, going back to Film, because gear is cheap, and some of the dedicated film scanners that are available make film a very attractive second outfit. My thinking is that once I let it go, I will regret it.

If anyone has moved some fine gear around for a G2 setup, I would love to hear what you have to say. Regrets or no regrets, comments appreciated.

[df cardwell]

If anyone has moved some fine gear around for a G2 setup, I would love to hear what you have to say

If paying cash when it was an expensive camera counts as moving gear around....

I bought the whole set-up, shot thousands of pictures with it, and when it came down to it, it is a great snap shooter and not a real camera. Meaning that when I could accept what it gave me, it was great. When I needed something involving precise focus, or the simple responsiveness of the Leica, it fell short.

The Mamiya and Leica don't do the same job. The day when you want what the Mamiya can't deliver, you'll want the Leica.

[juanito]

I use to have a Contax G1, I sell it because the autofocus was unreliable, it seems that it was improved in the G2, but you only know if the autofocus is correct until you have the negatives. In your case I will keep yhe Leica.

[Lee L]

Electronic failure in the body on the G2, if irreparable, means you either shell out for a not very common used replacement body or sell off the lenses at a loss. Contax isn't around any more. In the long run, I can't see the G2 being a good deal from that perspective. The M4-P is likely to be usable and/or reparable long beyond the life of the G2, and a vast array of lenses are available in M-mount. And don't fool yourself. Just because your Summicron says Canada on it and you have a V/C 40mm, you are not just 'making do'. Those who'd claim you can't shoot well with those lenses are the ones who are making doo.

Lee

[DaveWyatt]

I have both an M4P and a Mamiya 6. I use the Mamiya all the time, not shot anything through the Leica since 2004 ish.

All of these cameas are great, but I would say why bother selling the Leica for a Contax? The Contax will not help you produce better images, only practice will do that. Also, if you are not using the Leica much then the Contax will be the same, trust me, I've been there and done that via the digital route.

So forget the camera envy pangs and stay with what you have and just keep shooting.

Out of interest though, with the Mamiya 6, do you get vignetting with the 75mm well not stopped down past f8? I have asked this questio in many places but onluy ever had one person reply and they agreed with me that that there was heavy vignetting. Whilst I am used to stopping down it would be nice to know if I just have a crap lens or not...

[mrisney]

I have both an M4P and a Mamiya 6. I use the Mamiya all the time, not shot anything through the Leica since 2004 ish.

Yup that is my predicament as well. I have spent the last 4 years using the D3, for weddings and portraits. But I returned to film this year, and the Mamiya is quite a camera to do so with, it really is something to use - with Portra and the Nikon Coolscan 9000 - I get 120-150mb TIFF files that are something that the studio D3 can't quite produce. My M4-P is a paperweight, but a friend who likes to fondle it, was quite enamored by it, so we started down the road of trade.

Out of interest though, with the Mamiya 6, do you get vignetting with the 75mm well not stopped down past f8? I have asked this question in many places but only ever had one person reply and they agreed with me that that there was heavy vignetting. Whilst I am used to stopping down it would be nice to know if I just have a crap lens or not...

Don't see it, and here it is @ f/16 - downtown Portland OR, landscape from Pittock Mansion
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrisney...62405/sizes/l/