I got into film photography in 2017 starting with a square format TLR before picking up an Olympus 35 RC which became my daily carry. I love the tiny RC and the relative quality you can get out of the Zuiko lens, the 42mm focal length also really seems to suit my perspective when shooting street. I wanted something a bit more special though and something that could be adapted to different uses as I like shooting portraits of family and friends, and the occasional landscape too.
With the imminent arrival of my first born I managed to convince myself that a Leica was the right choice for two reasons. Firstly I wanted a camera that would (hopefully) last a lifetime. Something that would be with me through the years that I could document my family with. Secondly I wasn’t sure when was I going to be able to justify dropping that amount of money on a camera again. So I’d better get it now! Makes sense right?
The amount of information you can pull off the internet is sometimes a curse and I found myself paralysed by trying to make the “perfect” choice. I had ebay pages and blog posts open for weeks at a time trying to decide exactly what I wanted. After much deliberation I picked up a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar from the lovely people at West Yorkshire Cameras.
I struggled to get to grips with the 50mm at first for my usual wider street shots and was a little bit disappointed my compositions on the first few rolls I had developed. The technical results were brilliant though and I was really happy with the portraits and more intimate vignettes I had shot. The shots here are all from a holiday to Malta I took a few months after picking up the M4-2, on my favourite stock Kodak Porta 400.
I hope you enjoy these images. I post my film photography on Instagram as onehp if you’d like to see some more.
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martin on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Dan Castelli on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
My favorite pic of your series is the window washer & the canon. Give me a good juxtaposition, a bagel & strong coffee any day. I'm a happy guy.
Continued good luck with your camera.
David on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Dave.
jim on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Hector on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
jeremy north on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Ashley Carr on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
I’ve had an Olympus RC, RD and SP all great cameras all attached to great lenses. Personally I’m not a fan of the Zeiss Planar despite owning and loving the Zeiss Biogon 35/2. The Planar has tons of barrel distortion, something I’ve never understood given the quality of other Zeiss ZM lenses. The 42mm Zuiko on the RC certainly betters the Zeiss in that regard (as does practically every other 50!).
Just enjoying your Instagram feed now..too stuff!!
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
Ashley Carr on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
I have thought of picking up another SP. It is quite a bit larger than tbe RC and, if memeory serves, it’s bigger than the M2 I shoot now. The reason I haven’t picked up another is because I’m so happy with my M2 now with its 35/50/90 lenses.
Now if somebody lifter that lovely G Zuiko off an SP and popped it into an M mount I’d be all over it for sure!
Bent_Brent on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 24/01/2019
fp on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 25/01/2019
Lest ye take me for a troll....please enlighten me as to why it is worth so much money. Still don' t get it.
Comment posted: 25/01/2019
Robert C on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 26/01/2019
Graham Line on 5 Frames with a Leica M4-2 and Zeiss ZM 50mm f2 Planar – By Thomas Inman
Comment posted: 11/06/2019
My lenses are f2 or slower and I don't shoot toward the sun very often. I bought the M4-P to get the 28mm frame lines -- plus someone was begging me to pay a stupid amount for the M2. A trusted dealer had just gotten in a pair of M4-Ps and i picked the smoother of the two.