5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

By Gary Smith

I started my photographic journey with a high school course and a borrowed Voigtländer. I purchased my first SLR in 1972 (a Canon FTb) and followed that with a Durst enlarger and a full darkroom set-up. Then life intervened and photography disappeared until about 15 years ago when a job I took included photography as one of those “other duties as required”. I was given a brand new Lumix GX7 my first week on the job and was assigned the task of photographing 40 employees for their Microsoft Outlook portraits my second week. Over the ensuing years I decided photography was fun again and I began adding digital cameras. Somewhere along the way, I decided that I needed to have working examples of the first two film cameras that I ever used and I picked up working examples of the Canon FTb and the Voigtländer VITO CLR.

But I never owned a Leica.

There’s a pretty good shop here in Portland, Oregon (Blue Moon Camera) that has an amazing inventory of film cameras large and small. I had had a disappointing brush with an eBay purchase (you can read about that here) where I ended up with a lens for a Mamiya 645. Blue Moon had a 645 and I visited the shop to explore finding a body to go with the lens I had. Upon leaving with a Mamiya 645 1000s, I discovered that I also had a beautiful Leica iiic with a 50/2 collapsible Summicron.

I was anxious to give it a go. I took a few shots at a property nearby (where they brew ale and distill whisky). The property used to be the county “poor house” (actually a work farm) that has been converted into a hotel with multiple buildings housing: restaurants, spas and their brewery. They also host outside music during the summer ranging from free performances by small groups to large lawn concerts with well-known headliners.

Bar known as the Red Shed.
Ramp leading up to a back entrance of the main building.

I live relatively close to the Pacific Ocean, so I headed over and spent a couple of nights. Things you can count on in Oregon in February are clouds and rain. Even on an overcast day the coast is beautiful.

Looking south from Hug Point.

One of the frequently photographed landmarks of the north Oregon coast is the wreck of the Peter Iredale a four-masted steel barque that ran ashore October 25, 1906. Only the skeleton now remains embedded in the sand about 4 miles south of the mouth of the Columbia River.

Peter Iredale – looking west.
Barnacles on the spars – looking north.

Given this was my first outing with the Barnack, I was quite pleased with the performance although I feel that the 68 year-old Summicron paired with the Ilford HP5+ yielded less than the amount of contrast I would have liked (despite the weather). I was really pleased with the performance of the rangefinder and found myself using the rangefinder’s 1.5x magnifier to aid with focus.

The shooting experience was certainly different from that of my FTb which includes a built-in meter. I was using a combination of an iPhone app as well as “sunny 16” despite the weather. I think the shots turned out OK. I was also a lot happier with the iiic’s rangefinder compared to the one on the Voigtländer VITO. Maybe it was just the fact that I was finally using a Leica or maybe the viewfinder is better. Hard to say as I haven’t shot the Voigtländer in a year or two.

The iiic is currently loaded with Kodak Tri-X and while I’m again headed to the coast next week, I’ll be taking yet another (new to me) Leica. Stay tuned for my five frames with a Leica M3, TTArtisan 50/1.4 loaded with Tri-X.

Share this post:

Find more similar content on 35mmc

Use the tags below to search for more posts on related topics:

Contribute to 35mmc for an ad-free experience.

There are two ways to contribute to 35mmc and experience it without the adverts:

Paid Subscription – £2.99 per month and you’ll never see an advert again! (Free 3-day trial).

Subscribe here.

Content contributor – become a part of the world’s biggest film and alternative photography community blog. All our Contributors have an ad-free experience for life.

Sign up here.

About The Author

By Gary Smith
Lived in various US metro-areas from the east coast, south, Midwest and Pacific Northwest while chasing a career. Currently retired and living outside Portland, Oregon. Shooting film again (as well as developing). Have a mix of digital and film cameras and lenses in various formats.
View Profile

Comments

John Bennett on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

Great account, Gary. I would say, though, that calling Blue Moon Camara a "pretty good" shop is like saying The Beatles were "not bad." :-)
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

OK John, you got me there - Blue Moon is an experience not to be missed. For those of us close, it is truly a gem! As for the Beatles, they still have me purchasing re-mixed versions of stuff I've previously purchased at least 3x.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

John Bennett replied:

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

Ha. Me, too, Gary! The crown jewel in my Beatles colleciton is their 2009 Mono Box Set (LPs). Amazing! Happy shooting at the coast. An awesome spot for photpgraphy!

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Roger on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

Having just purchased a Leica IIIf, for much the same reason as you bought your IIIc, it is reassuring to know that someone else behaves the same way. I like the shots, especially "Looking South from Hug Point": nice composition and I'm amazed at the range of subtle tones you have managed to get. How did you develop the film? It makes me think I should try some HP5+ instead of the slower films I have used up to now.
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

Hi Roger, I no longer have the space that I think I'd need to do my own although my perspective on that is changing. These shots were sent off to a lab called (oddly enough) "The Darkroom" for processing and scanning. With a little push and a new macro lens I could do my own film and get 42mp scans. I felt that the combination of the old Summicron and HP5+ didn't "pop" so, take a look at my upcoming article of 5 Shots with a Leica M3, TTArtisan 50/1.4 and Tri-X that will include another shot looking south from Hug Point.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

JC on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

Hi Gary,
interesting report of your analogue photographic life.
Nice shots here, my favourite is the pic from the coast at Hug Point.
I would like to see your Canon FTb pics too.
Cheers, Jens
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 22/05/2024

I don't know if any of the FTb shots are on flickr, I'll have to look and see if there are any I care to share. As I mentioned in my comments above to Roger, take a look at my upcoming article of 5 Shots with a Leica M3, TTArtisan 50/1.4 and Tri-X that will include another shot looking south from Hug Point. Hamish says the M3 article should appear in June.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Geoff Chaplin on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

If you can master the tiny viewfinder then the combination is every bit as good as a modern Leica. Great shots especially the wreck and the coastal shot but personally I'm not a fan of fast films especially HP5. Looking forward to your M3 TT article!
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

With the 1.5x magnifier, I have no trouble with the finders on the iiic. My M3/TTArtisan article is scheduled for June. It was also a 400 ISO shoot with Tri-X. I wish that I had more contrast on the wreck but I have other shots taken there. Thanks for your comments Geoff.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ibraar Hussain on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

Thanks for the riveting read man!
You make Oregon sound like the sort of place I’d want to visit - isn’t Mt St Helens there? I was at school when the volcano exploded

I too haven’t ever had a Leica and I can imagine finally owning one is like having your first Rolex or Mercedes!!
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

You are welcome! Just so you know: I really enjoy your articles as well. You know, I've lived all over the place and I've never really disliked anywhere. I guess I'm either lucky or just easy to please? Mt. St. Helens can be seen from the metro-Portland area but it is actually in Washington about 35km due north of the border (the Columbia River). You can't get there by going due north you have to go north and then east that allows you to see the remnants of the lahar flow. Old film Leicas are reasonably affordable and the M3 (which I'll discuss in a June article) was made even more so by the fact that the first lens I put on it was a TTArtisan.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Curtis Heikkinen on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

Very nice images, indeed! Where do you live outside Portland? I live in Tigard. Thanks for the interesting post!
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

Thanks Curtis! I'm over in Gresham. Do you develop and print your film shots or do you use a lab? I know there are one or two "community" darkroom options in Portland but they seem pricey. It'd be cheaper to set-up myself here.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Curtis Heikkinen replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

I use a lab in Lake Oswego. I really have no space to do otherwise.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

I'd be tempted to just do B&W here except my wife has pretty severe chemical sensitivities. I'm tempted to see what the odor of Rodinal is like. It might be possible but I've been sending my film to THE DARK ROOM in Pasadena, CA for processing and scanning. It's expensive and to be honest, they didn't handle my last roll of Kodak Gold 200 120 very well - lots of scratches.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Paul Quellin on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

Lovely images Gary. I particularly liked the first one of the Red shed and the last one of the wreck. Got a few wrecks on beaches here too, I need to find time to get out and get more pictures of them. I also acquired a Vito CLR that looked in great condition. Rangefinder nice and bright, seemed fine, but the whole of the first roll was out of focus, any distance, any conditions. I concluded that someone must have had the lens elements out at some stage and they haven't been put back at the right start point. Hope to be able to fix that one.
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 23/05/2024

Thanks Paul! I recently added a Voigtländer Perkeo 2 folder and I'm not thrilled with my first roll of Kodak Gold 200. The camera is small and light, shoots 6 x 6 on 120 so it is a much easier option than the Mamiya 645 but I think either the shutter is off or the aperture. I might check into having a CLA done on it (or perhaps I'll tackle it myself). Based on my thoughts that the old Summicron and the HP5+ weren't giving me the contrast I wanted, I have written up another trip to the coast with the M3, TTArtisan 50/1.4 and Tri-X. That article is scheduled to run in June.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tony Warren on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 24/05/2024

Fascinating article Gary and very envious that you live close to a dealer like Blue Moon. Online auction sites are all very well but there is nothing to compare to a well stocked, enthusiastic dealer.
I don't know how you post process or how flat the negatives were but I find modern software can save many negs that would have really tested me in the darkroom. Levels and Curves can work wonders or even just Contrast/Brightness.
Thanks again for an interesting piece.
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 24/05/2024

Thanks Tony! Look for the follow-up coming in June on the M3 w/TTArtisan loaded with Tri-X at the Oregon Coast with a comparison shot of Hug Point. I just sent an inquiry to Blue Moon re: cost to CLA the Perkeo 2 that I recently acquired. I was going to write-up a comparison of the Mamiya 645 v. the Voigtländer Perkeo 2 but I was pretty disappointed with the Perkeo film and scans. To date I have been getting my film processed via mail order (https://thedarkroom.com/) and while the Perkeo scans were pretty scratched, what bugged me the most was the color/exposure. TBH, I didn't meter so maybe I ought to meter a roll before I write the camera off. I have been very happy using Affinity Photo (2.5 as of today) along with Neat Image for subsequent denoise. I wasn't able to do enough repair to the Perkeo shots (you can see them here: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/67719080). I've also posted some shots of Blue Moon here: https://realphotographersforum.com/threads/kid-in-a-candy-store.25972/

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tony Warren replied:

Comment posted: 24/05/2024

Looked up both links Gary. Great stuff and even more envious of the locations you can access. I think you are correct about the Perkeo shots which are definitely under-exposed - very weak lower values. I always tend to over-expose colour neg which seems to pick up more definition that way in the transfer from silver image to dyes. And Blue Moon - heaven.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Michael Jardine on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 26/05/2024

Lovely pics- I haven't ever had the pleasure of using a Leica camera and this is a good advert for getting on and doing it!
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 26/05/2024

While even the old, film Leicas aren't inexpensive, they are much more affordable than a new, digital Leica. So far, I've been pleased with the two I picked up (more so than the 2 medium format film cameras that I also recently acquired). I'm torn due to the processing costs that I'm incurring, knowing full well that I have the ability to develop and scan myself. I am however faced with the fact that my wife has pretty severe chemical sensitivities and I suspect that were I to bring a chemical process into the garage, it would become an issue. So, I shoot the occasional roll of film for my own amusement. Thanks for reading and commenting Michael.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

David James on 5 Frames with a Leica iiic, Summicron 50/2 and Ilford HP5+

Comment posted: 27/05/2024

"Upon leaving with a Mamiya 645 1000s, I discovered that I also had a beautiful Leica iiic with a 50/2 collapsible Summicron."
That made me literally laugh out loud!
Great shots, Gary. Thanks for sharing.
Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gary Smith replied:

Comment posted: 27/05/2024

It's true David! Although to be honest I think I knew going in that I'd have both cameras after my visit. I have a story here (https://www.35mmc.com/08/03/2024/an-ebay-bargain-and-impulse-bought-tale-of-woe/) about my Mamiya situation and since at the end of that fiasco I still had a Mamiya-Sekor 80mm lens, I needed a body for it (right)? And they did have a pretty nice looking iiic (just look at that image up top). I have to say my luck has been better with the Leicas than with the medium format film shooters that I've picked up.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *