I'm one of the other Leica wedding photographers. 2 M8.2s (In Monochrom mode), Leica Q (dance and always on me), and an SL (for the family portraits). Film M4p for personal work. And a hodgepodge of focas lengths and brands. Be safe and happy shooting. Cheers!
5:52 tries to focus the lens that isn't there, haha. Love the videos! As a wedding photographer who uses M Mount lenses and the occasional M body, I really really appreciate the content. You could just remake some version of a "Leica at weddings" video every week and I would tune in every time.
My transition from digital DSLR to Leica was via M6 film back in the 1980s, Nikon-Canon DSLRs, Sony, Fujifilm and now slowing down with Leica Vario-X, Q (both auto digital features) and finally M240... the transition took a few years, but, returning to the Leica image since M6 film days is the ultimate photographers tool..the Leica image is unique.
I also use the 50mm summilux and the 35mm distagon, and I recently picked up the Voigtlander 35mm f2 Ultron, and it's really lovely! Good DOF, great color, pretty cheap and super small. Corners at f2 struggle a little, but I find it's the perfect 35mm for personal use.
I’ve purchased a used M10, Zeiss 50mm f2 ZM, and Voigtlander 21mm f1.8 over the last 2 years. Use this kit for all personal work; everything from family to travel. Hoping to get a M6 in a year or so. Edited: It’s by far my favorite camera/kit. I prefer shooting manually now because of how frequently I use it, especially during these last 3 months.
Im a commercial photographer - and i shoot weddings too - for weddings i shoot one canon 5dm3 and my leica m262... i find once the light goes the leica really shines where the canon cant.
Ben, I am shooting Leica now after a lot of time with Sony, and Canon. You helped me make the change and I feel better about photography now. Its a challenge again and a fun challenge.
great video Benj. so many great systems today. i too use mostly a Leica M system for pro and personal work...Hasselblad and Leica SL for commercial if the client has specific needs (which they all do). I enjoy your channel.....nice!
Back in the film days, I only shot weddings with medium format cameras (Mamiya TLR and later with Mamiya RB67 SLR). In the digital era, I shoot weddings with Fuji digital SLR and Fuji digital mirrorless cameras. I do, however, also shoot with a Leica M6 with 21mm f/1.4 Summilux, a 90mm f/2 Summicron, and a 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss Distagon.
5 or so year ago, I had the Neewer branded version of that small flash. The LCD got busted during travel. What a killer little flash, I miss that bad boy.
You might also like the zeiss Ikon ZM ( their last rangefinder in the 2000's) or the older Contax G2. Both have some very nice glass. Both are film cameras. I wish someone would make an M mount full frame digital rangefinder other than Leica, but now that mirrorless cameras are more common one will be able to adapt some really nice M mount glass to many options. Also, one will get to play with all kinds of stuff from FD mount and others due to new flange distances these days. To my mind, at least mu impression is that some of the new Leica M mount lenses are not merely too pricey but too large. Fuji offers some nice options via the x-pro series but not full frame sadly. Personally I think if they did offer an M mount x-pro Fuji body that was full frame it would sell even without them offering any glass for it, it would likely cost half what a Leica costs.
Really recommend the Godox flash. It's tiny and I find it really reliable. If you get one, get the one with its own battery instead of using AA batteries. The battery last really long and you dont have keep on changing batteries mid-shoot.
Interesting cos the M2 isn't now that much cheaper than many M6s so I think it may be better for those starting out to go straight to an M6 if they want to shoot film as it has a meter. Personally I prefer the SL and I haven't shot film for at least 30 years and love the character of the SL with manual lenses like the Voigtlander range. Probably the best suggestion is to try before you buy or buy and sell until you find what fits your needs. I farted around for ages before settling on the SL...
I know you probably didn’t want to spam this video with sample photos, but gosh I love your work! Been a leica lurker for a while now and your videos give a really good overview. Hope to pick one up soon, haha.
Hey thanks! Yeah, it would have just taken way too long throw in a ton of B-roll and sample photos, but I do try to do that for the specific ones. Trying to simplify the process a bit to get more videos out more consistently!
I mean it's okay but a digital camera is a digital camera. What would be really differentiated, rare and special would be a wedding photographer who uses only leica film cameras. Check out Heiko Schmidt for example. On a different note, I totally agree with you about having both a black and a silver M body of the same type. I have to film MP bodies. Love them both
Started with a Hasselblad, then Fuji digital, then Nikon DSLR and now going to Sony. Shot weddings for 20 years. Leica is nice, very nice, but the cost to benefit ratio (IMHO) is just too far out of whack these days. I’d love to own one, but in a professional sense, I think there is far more value for money using another system. Just my take. Anyway, cool gear.. Nice vid.
I got into Godox as my first off-camera flash and so far I've been really happy with it. I also got a MagMod pro kit, and while I haven't used any of the gels yet all the diffusers are my go-to's on my Godox. Really happy with it so far, but definitely bulkier than the Viltrox and I'm not using it on my Leica yet (since I'm using an M4, I'm having some trouble with the adapter).
The SL would be a great buy for how I'm using the EOS R with how well it takes M glass, but I'm using the EOS R to make these videos and plan on keeping it around :)
Great video! Really informative and entertaining, you have a new subscriber! I´m also looking to get an M10 as my next camera, so I´ll be looking out to see when you get hands-on with one. Take care and keep up the good work, greetings from Scotland!
Very nice presentation! I have two questions... How do you use the 21mm with your M's (viewing wise) and how do you deal with your glasses and the M camera's viewfinder (especially without a rubber ring on your M2). Again, very informative video... Love your work!
Thanks for another excellent video. I'm curious about the 21mm lens. Do you use an external viewfinder with it, and if not how do you frame your shots?
Enjoy! I got an M4 last year and love it - the M4 seems to get forgotten between the M3 (and M2) and M6 but if you decide you can live without a meter then it's a great 'starter' Leica with 35 and 50mm (90 and 135) frame lines, more modern loading and rewind system, and very clean design.
I have the Visoflex EVF thing, but it’s sooooo slow. I just memorized the 21mm fov and guess... 28mm is basically just the entire frame that I see so no need.
Hi again! What has your experience been with the 24mp of the digital leicas?! Do you still use your canon for anything or find that file size is good enough for your clients? Asking as a wedding photographer about to buy a Leica digital camera 😂🥴🙏🏻
I just pulled the trigger on a used m240 and credit you with giving me the push! I’ve watched lots of your content and appreciate your material and presentation style. I am still trying to decide which 35mm and 50mm lens to buy to start with. I’m leaning towards the ultron 35f1.7. Still not sure about the 50mm. In addition to getting a couple of new lenses, I do have a collection of vintage lenses and would love to try adapting some of them to the m240. Do you have any experience with this? I am not clear on how the rangefinder features would work with an adapted lens. This is my first rangefinder so I’m still wrapping my head around the features. (I don’t have the camera yet!). Will the rangefinder focusing actually work with these lenses? How do I know the framing? Also, are there any specific mounts that adapt better to the M mount, and where the adapter wouldn't add too much to the size? Thanks for any input. A couple of my favorite lenses are the Minolta 58 f.14, Minolta 45f2, Nikkor 50f2, and Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f2.4 (M42 mount). I have others but these are particularly good and not too large. Hoping to try one or more of those. Thanks!
hey Rivki! So the adapted lenses won't work with the rangefinder so you'd have to use the LCD or the external Visoflex EVF. I'm not a huge fan of that workflow, but it's possible. Since you have a digital M, that TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 really is fantastic for the money. ua-cam.com/video/LdQSTP2wEPk/v-deo.html Another underrated option is the Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar which isn't *too* expensive for what it is and you don't have to worry about getting it calibrated. If you can stomach the cost at ~$800 new, the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 Ultron II looks amazing and it's probably my next purchase. I haven't tried it yet, but the 28mm version was outstanding. Hope that helps!
@@benjhaisch Got it. That's really important to know. I am mostly using this for the OVF/rangefinder experience, so using lenses that require the LCD / EVF is not appealing at all. I'll stick with leica m mount lenses. Thanks!
@@benjhaisch Thank you so much for. your response! I ended up deciding to pull the trigger on an evf and a couple of cheap adapters. I don't think it'll be my favorite choice, but I own so many nice vintage lenses, it seemed a shame not to try it. I'll take a look at the other Leica M lenses you mentioned. Thank you so much for the advice. Love your channel!!
Yeah, I’ve used both extensively. I sold the Sonnar for the Summilux. The Sonnar is great and really sharp, but the focus shift issue was too much for me. That and the vintage style bokeh was too busy for my taste.
@@benjhaisch Thanks. I've also read about the focus shift issue. I guess it's more of a problem for wedding photographers like yourself. Btw, after having asked the question, I watched your review on the TTartisan 50/1.4....Had I watched it before, I wouldn't have asked the question about the Zeiss :) Seriously considering this lens now! I love your reviews, keep it up!
Sure, I always use two cameras and double up on making sure I have multiple versions of important stuff on each just in case. I’d still say that the risk is lower than on film or any other time in history so while not ideal, the risk is low enough that I find it to be acceptable for the trade off.
don't mind the bad quality, but this is part of my solution. Shoot two cameras at all times and double up the coverage on key moments. It's still far less risky than shooting film IMO and that's still a common tool.
Darn right! Haha, I put a lot of work into this stuff :) nah, a friend of mine back in the day talked about how liking your own stuff helps algorithms and I’ve just done it ever since. Who knows if it’s actually bad now, but oh well :)
@@theharveydean I've had my M6 for 2 years now with various Voigtlander/Leica/Konica lenses and the Nokton 35mm 1.4 is by far one of my favs! Insane value for what you get
@@benjhaisch So you don’t use Leica for the quality of the lenses and the images they produce but the tactile experience of the m body and the range finder? And you value the camera bodies more than the lenses? I think you have a great system btw I’m not trying to bash it. Im just wondering your reasoning behind investing more money into camera bodies than lenses.
@@benjhaisch I ask also because I’m considering buying into the m cameras and I’m wondering if it’s worth spending that much money on a camera body when it will only leave me with enough money to buy a voigtlander and I’d have to save up for a Leica lens.
I'm one of the other Leica wedding photographers. 2 M8.2s (In Monochrom mode), Leica Q (dance and always on me), and an SL (for the family portraits). Film M4p for personal work. And a hodgepodge of focas lengths and brands. Be safe and happy shooting. Cheers!
Will definitely rewatch when I go to buy a Leica.
🙌🏼
5:52 tries to focus the lens that isn't there, haha.
Love the videos! As a wedding photographer who uses M Mount lenses and the occasional M body, I really really appreciate the content. You could just remake some version of a "Leica at weddings" video every week and I would tune in every time.
😂😂😂
gotta get a 50 or 75 Noctilux ... you'll take your wedding pics to a whole new level.
Send me $14k after tax and I’m in! :)
My transition from digital DSLR to Leica was via M6 film back in the 1980s, Nikon-Canon DSLRs, Sony, Fujifilm and now slowing down with Leica Vario-X, Q (both auto digital features) and finally M240... the transition took a few years, but, returning to the Leica image since M6 film days is the ultimate photographers tool..the Leica image is unique.
I also use the 50mm summilux and the 35mm distagon, and I recently picked up the Voigtlander 35mm f2 Ultron, and it's really lovely! Good DOF, great color, pretty cheap and super small. Corners at f2 struggle a little, but I find it's the perfect 35mm for personal use.
I’ve purchased a used M10, Zeiss 50mm f2 ZM, and Voigtlander 21mm f1.8 over the last 2 years. Use this kit for all personal work; everything from family to travel. Hoping to get a M6 in a year or so.
Edited: It’s by far my favorite camera/kit. I prefer shooting manually now because of how frequently I use it, especially during these last 3 months.
Totally! I’d probably have a similar kit if I didn’t use this as my primary work camera.
Im a commercial photographer - and i shoot weddings too - for weddings i shoot one canon 5dm3 and my leica m262... i find once the light goes the leica really shines where the canon cant.
Ben, I am shooting Leica now after a lot of time with Sony, and Canon. You helped me make the change and I feel better about photography now. Its a challenge again and a fun challenge.
Hey Benj! fellow Leica wedding photographer here based in Guatemala. Really enjoyed the video
Awesome vid! 28mm is the best! I've been using the Leica Q for all my personal shooting for the past two years and it's absolutely amazing.
great video Benj. so many great systems today. i too use mostly a Leica M system for pro and personal work...Hasselblad and Leica SL for commercial if the client has specific needs (which they all do). I enjoy your channel.....nice!
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you.
Back in the film days, I only shot weddings with medium format cameras (Mamiya TLR and later with Mamiya RB67 SLR).
In the digital era, I shoot weddings with Fuji digital SLR and Fuji digital mirrorless cameras.
I do, however, also shoot with a Leica M6 with 21mm f/1.4 Summilux, a 90mm f/2 Summicron, and a 35mm f/1.4 Zeiss Distagon.
I will tell you one thing... This UA-cam Channel is about to explode! Great content and I love Leica, so best combination :)
Haha, thanks!
graduated from UW...own M7 and couple M mount lens.save $$ to buy M240p soon
5 or so year ago, I had the Neewer branded version of that small flash. The LCD got busted during travel. What a killer little flash, I miss that bad boy.
I’m Leica fan as well. Bought SL and changed to M10 and now go back SL again. I always buy used camera for saving my money.
Got the Leica Summilux 50 after your other video and it’s my second favorite lens after the Contax 645 zeiss planar 80mm 2.0.
You might also like the zeiss Ikon ZM ( their last rangefinder in the 2000's) or the older Contax G2. Both have some very nice glass. Both are film cameras. I wish someone would make an M mount full frame digital rangefinder other than Leica, but now that mirrorless cameras are more common one will be able to adapt some really nice M mount glass to many options. Also, one will get to play with all kinds of stuff from FD mount and others due to new flange distances these days. To my mind, at least mu impression is that some of the new Leica M mount lenses are not merely too pricey but too large. Fuji offers some nice options via the x-pro series but not full frame sadly. Personally I think if they did offer an M mount x-pro Fuji body that was full frame it would sell even without them offering any glass for it, it would likely cost half what a Leica costs.
Just got an M6 with the summilux 35mm f1.4. looking forward to using it. Definitely want a 50mm lens next as really enjoy using that focal length.
Really recommend the Godox flash. It's tiny and I find it really reliable. If you get one, get the one with its own battery instead of using AA batteries. The battery last really long and you dont have keep on changing batteries mid-shoot.
Oh yeah? Are the batteries swappable? Or just built in?
Enjoyed your video. I do like your pragmatic approach to using Leica.
Interesting cos the M2 isn't now that much cheaper than many M6s so I think it may be better for those starting out to go straight to an M6 if they want to shoot film as it has a meter. Personally I prefer the SL and I haven't shot film for at least 30 years and love the character of the SL with manual lenses like the Voigtlander range. Probably the best suggestion is to try before you buy or buy and sell until you find what fits your needs. I farted around for ages before settling on the SL...
Love your videos Benj. You seem like a super down to earth guy 🙏
And hats off for doing weddings with leicas, no AF 😱
Thanks, David!
I Done wedding photography and the best lenses are from 50mm to 90mm
I just came back from my cousin’s wedding with my M8 and ended up becoming an impromptu wedding photographer for her.
I know you probably didn’t want to spam this video with sample photos, but gosh I love your work! Been a leica lurker for a while now and your videos give a really good overview. Hope to pick one up soon, haha.
Hey thanks! Yeah, it would have just taken way too long throw in a ton of B-roll and sample photos, but I do try to do that for the specific ones. Trying to simplify the process a bit to get more videos out more consistently!
I mean it's okay but a digital camera is a digital camera. What would be really differentiated, rare and special would be a wedding photographer who uses only leica film cameras. Check out Heiko Schmidt for example. On a different note, I totally agree with you about having both a black and a silver M body of the same type. I have to film MP bodies. Love them both
M3 + cron 50 v4 and M240 + cron 35 asph are enough for me
Started with a Hasselblad, then Fuji digital, then Nikon DSLR and now going to Sony. Shot weddings for 20 years. Leica is nice, very nice, but the cost to benefit ratio (IMHO) is just too far out of whack these days. I’d love to own one, but in a professional sense, I think there is far more value for money using another system. Just my take. Anyway, cool gear.. Nice vid.
I got into Godox as my first off-camera flash and so far I've been really happy with it. I also got a MagMod pro kit, and while I haven't used any of the gels yet all the diffusers are my go-to's on my Godox. Really happy with it so far, but definitely bulkier than the Viltrox and I'm not using it on my Leica yet (since I'm using an M4, I'm having some trouble with the adapter).
The original Leica SL has to be a more suitable replacement for the Canon has now the price has collapsed
Great video
The SL would be a great buy for how I'm using the EOS R with how well it takes M glass, but I'm using the EOS R to make these videos and plan on keeping it around :)
I have a Zeiss 35mm f2. I wonder how it compares to the 35mm f1.4?
Great video! Really informative and entertaining, you have a new subscriber! I´m also looking to get an M10 as my next camera, so I´ll be looking out to see when you get hands-on with one. Take care and keep up the good work, greetings from Scotland!
Very nice presentation! I have two questions... How do you use the 21mm with your M's (viewing wise) and how do you deal with your glasses and the M camera's viewfinder (especially without a rubber ring on your M2). Again, very informative video... Love your work!
Ben, How that 35mm zeiss compared to 35mm summilux or voigt? Or maybe with your previous summicron
I don’t have a 35mm Summilux to compare to currently, but I have a Zeiss 35/1.4 review filmed and ready to be edited :)
Thanks for another excellent video. I'm curious about the 21mm lens. Do you use an external viewfinder with it, and if not how do you frame your shots?
I bought a Leica M4 about a month ago, just waiting for it to arrive from Portugal :/.
Enjoy! I got an M4 last year and love it - the M4 seems to get forgotten between the M3 (and M2) and M6 but if you decide you can live without a meter then it's a great 'starter' Leica with 35 and 50mm (90 and 135) frame lines, more modern loading and rewind system, and very clean design.
Nice kit man...
Do you use the external viewfinder for the 21/28? Even with the .72x viewfinder with the 28mm lines, the eye relief sucks if you wear glasses.
I have the Visoflex EVF thing, but it’s sooooo slow. I just memorized the 21mm fov and guess... 28mm is basically just the entire frame that I see so no need.
Hi again! What has your experience been with the 24mp of the digital leicas?! Do you still use your canon for anything or find that file size is good enough for your clients? Asking as a wedding photographer about to buy a Leica digital camera 😂🥴🙏🏻
I just pulled the trigger on a used m240 and credit you with giving me the push! I’ve watched lots of your content and appreciate your material and presentation style.
I am still trying to decide which 35mm and 50mm lens to buy to start with. I’m leaning towards the ultron 35f1.7. Still not sure about the 50mm.
In addition to getting a couple of new lenses, I do have a collection of vintage lenses and would love to try adapting some of them to the m240. Do you have any experience with this? I am not clear on how the rangefinder features would work with an adapted lens. This is my first rangefinder so I’m still wrapping my head around the features. (I don’t have the camera yet!). Will the rangefinder focusing actually work with these lenses? How do I know the framing? Also, are there any specific mounts that adapt better to the M mount, and where the adapter wouldn't add too much to the size? Thanks for any input.
A couple of my favorite lenses are the Minolta 58 f.14, Minolta 45f2, Nikkor 50f2, and Zeiss Jena Flektogon 35 f2.4 (M42 mount). I have others but these are particularly good and not too large. Hoping to try one or more of those.
Thanks!
hey Rivki! So the adapted lenses won't work with the rangefinder so you'd have to use the LCD or the external Visoflex EVF. I'm not a huge fan of that workflow, but it's possible.
Since you have a digital M, that TTArtisan 50mm f/1.4 really is fantastic for the money. ua-cam.com/video/LdQSTP2wEPk/v-deo.html
Another underrated option is the Zeiss 50mm f/2 Planar which isn't *too* expensive for what it is and you don't have to worry about getting it calibrated. If you can stomach the cost at ~$800 new, the Voigtlander 35mm f/2 Ultron II looks amazing and it's probably my next purchase. I haven't tried it yet, but the 28mm version was outstanding. Hope that helps!
@@benjhaisch Got it. That's really important to know. I am mostly using this for the OVF/rangefinder experience, so using lenses that require the LCD / EVF is not appealing at all. I'll stick with leica m mount lenses. Thanks!
@@benjhaisch Thank you so much for. your response! I ended up deciding to pull the trigger on an evf and a couple of cheap adapters. I don't think it'll be my favorite choice, but I own so many nice vintage lenses, it seemed a shame not to try it. I'll take a look at the other Leica M lenses you mentioned. Thank you so much for the advice. Love your channel!!
Anybody know where I can buy wooden shot sue cover for M2?
I bought mine from www.artisanobscura.com/hot-shoe-covers
@@benjhaisch Thank you😀
If you want a real challenge, do interesting things with a "Barnack"/III-series screw mount Leica.;)
hi, nice video :-) I'm wondering about the flash with my Leica M240, which mount should I take to go on the leica ? canon ? nikon ?
I don’t have any TTL flashes anyway, so I’m not sure which ones would actually communicate with the camera for exposure, sorry!
@@benjhaisch I wasn't talking about a ttl flash.On your video you talk about a flash godox for "canon" can we use a flash for canon on a leica ?
Not sure if you've used it before, but how would you compare the Zeiss C-Sonnar 50/1.5 with the Leica 50 Summilux?
Yeah, I’ve used both extensively. I sold the Sonnar for the Summilux. The Sonnar is great and really sharp, but the focus shift issue was too much for me. That and the vintage style bokeh was too busy for my taste.
@@benjhaisch Thanks. I've also read about the focus shift issue. I guess it's more of a problem for wedding photographers like yourself. Btw, after having asked the question, I watched your review on the TTartisan 50/1.4....Had I watched it before, I wouldn't have asked the question about the Zeiss :) Seriously considering this lens now! I love your reviews, keep it up!
Is M mount full frame?
hey benj, have you ever had the need to service your M240? just curious how robust the shutter has been for you as a wedding photographer. Thanks!
Haven’t had any shutter issues at all, but I have sent cameras to DAG to get serviced.
Do you worry with only 1 SD card slot in each M240? Two is one, and one is none, as they say.
Sure, I always use two cameras and double up on making sure I have multiple versions of important stuff on each just in case. I’d still say that the risk is lower than on film or any other time in history so while not ideal, the risk is low enough that I find it to be acceptable for the trade off.
where did you get that wooden cold shoe cover for your m2!?😍
I‘m a 100% sure about this one but you can get them here: www.artisanobscura.com/. I have black one for my M2, they’re wonderful! 👍🏼
I’m NOT a 100% sure .... sorry about the typo.
I have a question are you afraid of shooting only 1 card slot?
don't mind the bad quality, but this is part of my solution. Shoot two cameras at all times and double up the coverage on key moments. It's still far less risky than shooting film IMO and that's still a common tool.
Where is the hasselblad 500cm bro
It doesn’t take M mount lenses :)
Dang it! If only it did lol
No favourite film discussion? :)
Haha! It was already a 14 minute video ;)
1:23 you liked your own video. 🤣
Darn right! Haha, I put a lot of work into this stuff :) nah, a friend of mine back in the day talked about how liking your own stuff helps algorithms and I’ve just done it ever since. Who knows if it’s actually bad now, but oh well :)
just bought my first M6 and now have no idea which 35mm I wanna slap on it. Send help pls 😭😂
What’s your budget? What are your uses? Lots of questions to narrow down :)
Benj Haisch I mostly shoot landscape and lifestyle. Was thinking the Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 for now but that Leica 35mm f2 looks sooo nice 😭
@@theharveydean I've had my M6 for 2 years now with various Voigtlander/Leica/Konica lenses and the Nokton 35mm 1.4 is by far one of my favs! Insane value for what you get
First comment 😅
You got from £10.000 up to £40.000 worth of Leica cameras and Leica lenses
Why use m cameras if you aren’t going to use Leica glass? Spending more money on the cameras than the lenses is a waste of money.
Does anyone else make a full frame digital coincident rangefinder? If so, let me know and I’d gladly buy one ;)
@@benjhaisch So you don’t use Leica for the quality of the lenses and the images they produce but the tactile experience of the m body and the range finder? And you value the camera bodies more than the lenses? I think you have a great system btw I’m not trying to bash it. Im just wondering your reasoning behind investing more money into camera bodies than lenses.
@@benjhaisch I ask also because I’m considering buying into the m cameras and I’m wondering if it’s worth spending that much money on a camera body when it will only leave me with enough money to buy a voigtlander and I’d have to save up for a Leica lens.
Why is someone who is a professional photographer positioning his video camera so we can see directly up his nose...