A camera is not a tool. It is a wound—a deliberate incision into time. The Leica I Model C (1930) knows this. It arrives not as an answer, but as a question carved in nickel and obsidian. Hold it, and you hold a blade forged in the smithy of Oskar Barnack’s rebellion: “Why must cameras be grand? Why not let them bleed into the shadows?”
This is not a machine for the obedient. It is for those who wear their loneliness like a tailored coat.
The Anatomy of Silence
Body
Material: Black lacquer, hand-mixed and now extinct—a pigment so deep it swallows light like a midnight ocean.
Weight: 380g. Not heavy, but dense with the gravity of firsts—the first Leica to detach its eye (lens), the first to let light carve its own path.
Shutter: Cloth curtain, still alive after a century. Adjust it, and it purrs like a wolf on a frayed leash.
Lens
Mount: Threaded, like a secret handshake. Early sets (I-III) were monogamous—body and lens serial numbers married, their brass vows etched into metal. Later, Leica let them divorce. Look for the “0” mark—a scar from lovers reunited.
Options: Nickel-plated Elmar 50mm f/3.5 (a dagger), Hektor 135mm f/4.5 (a spear). Chrome came later, but nickel whispers: “I am not here to shine. I am here to outlast you.”
In an age of disposable gadgets, the 1956–1968 Leica Summicron-M 50mm f/2 Rigid and its sibling, the Dual Range (DR), stand like a Stradivarius in a world of plastic ukuleles. Priced between 800–800–1,500 (2025 USD), these brass-and-glass marvels are the Audrey Hepburn of lenses—elegant, precise, and eternally chic. Born when engineers were artists and aluminum was heresy, they remain the gold standard for mechanical perfection.
Aperture Click: Rotating the aperture ring feels like winding a Patek Philippe—each click resonates with Swiss precision. Modern lenses? They clunk like subway turnstiles.
All-Metal Alchemy: Machined brass, weighing 240g—dense as a Hemingway novel, balanced as a ballet dancer.
Dual Range’s Party Trick
Macro Magic: Attach the “goggles” (a clip-on viewfinder), and focus down to 19 inches—like turning a sports car into a moon rover. Purists scoff, but portraitists swoon.
Optical Scripture: The lanthanum Glass Revolution
Aspect
Summicron Rigid/DR
Modern APO-Summicron
Sharpness
A scalpel slicing moonlight
Laser-etched titanium
Contrast
Chiaroscuro of a Caravaggio painting
Instagram filter
Bokeh
Silk sheets rumpled by jazz
Polyester pillowcases
Build Quality
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Tesla Model S
lanthanum Glass: Leica’s 1950s breakthrough—lanthanum oxide lenses boosted refractive index without the ick of radioactivity. Think of it as swapping leaded gasoline for electric batteries, but with more soul.
Flare Note: Wide-open backlighting? On film, it’s a soft halo—angelic. On digital, it’s a Instagram “vintage” preset. Embrace it.
IV. Generational Wars: Rigid vs DR
The Purist’s Choice (Rigid)
Simplicity as a virtue. No goggles, no fuss—just a zen monk’s focus on essentials.
The Tinkerer’s Toy (DR)
Macro mode: Perfect for photographing wedding rings or a butterfly’s eyelash. Rarely used, always admired.
Shared DNA
Same optics, same soul. Choosing between them is like debating espresso vs cappuccino—both caffeinate your creativity.
The “Four Firsts” Legacy
First lanthanum Glass Lens: Ditching toxic thorium for lanthanum—Leica’s “green” revolution before green was cool.
First Computer-Designed Optics: 1950s IBM brainpower meets German engineering.
First True “Rigid” Build: No collapsing nonsense—this lens scoffs at fragility.
Most Cloned Design: Imitated by Cosina, worshipped by collectors.
Shooting Experience: Time Capsule in Your Hands
Film Love Affair
Tri-X @400 + Rigid = Cartier-Bresson’s ghost nodding approval. The lanthanum glass renders grain like stardust.
Digital Renaissance
On a Leica M11, microcontrast pops like a Wes Anderson palette. Tip: Add +10 “texture” in Lightroom to mimic its film-era bite.
The Chinese Proverb Footnote“青出于蓝而胜于蓝” (“Indigo blue is born from green, yet surpasses it”) A nod to how the Rigid, born from 1950s tech, still outclasses modern rivals.
Who Needs This Lens?
✓ Analog Aristocrats: Who polish their M3s with unicorn tears ✓ Minimalist Philosophers: Believing “less is more” (and proving it) ✓ History Buffs: Who geek over Cold War-era innovation
Avoid If: You need autofocus or think “vintage” means “obsolete.”
Final Verdict: The Unkillable Classic
The Rigid/DR is photography’s little black dress—always appropriate, never outdated. For the price of a Rolex Oyster, you gain:
A masterclass in pre-CGI engineering
Proof that “they don’t make ’em like they used to” isn’t nostalgia—it’s fact
Bragging rights at any camera club (“Yes, mine has the original box”)
“A lens that whispers: ‘Timeless craftsmanship never goes out of style.’”
Pro Tips:
Flare Fix: Use a hood from a 12585H—it’s like sunscreen for your lens.
DR Hack: Remove the goggles for a stealthy Rigid clone.
Collector Note: Black paint versions fetch prices akin to Picasso doodles.
Epilogue: The Eternal Rigid Leica keeps reissuing lenses like Hollywood reboots classics, but the Rigid remains stubbornly 1956. In a world chasing pixels-per-dollar, this lens is a brass-knuckled reminder: true greatness isn’t upgraded—it’s revered. As Cartier-Bresson might say, “Sharpness is a bourgeois concept.” The Rigid? It’s sharpness with a soul. Now go shoot something timeless.
The last Kodak train made its way to the station, carrying with it the CCD of the M9. It was a sad day when the last Kodak train took away the CCD of the M9. But it couldn’t be kept, nor could it be saved. Leica has entered the exciting, mature CMOS era! Youth will eventually say goodbye, but it’s a bittersweet moment. Farewell, youth! As you slowly fade away, your pure happiness stings memories.
Remembering the Leica M9
In 2009, Leica released the M9, and it was a game-changer! Just think of all the people who dream of having one! The world’s first full-frame rangefinder digital camera! Just imagine holding such a camera, like Henri Cartier-Bresson, wandering the streets. How many fantasies could it evoke? Just how many people only discovered this amazing brand thanks to the incredible Leica M9? At that time, it was the most impressive 135 full-frame digital camera on the market. Just one look at you with this camera around your neck and you’d be the center of attention wherever you went!
How many people have tried different settings in Photoshop, trying to get their Canon or Sony colors to match Leica? They usually end up failing, not because of Photoshop, but because they’re impatient.
Classic Elements of the Leica M9
The viewfinder frame of the M9 is physically lit, just like the film M cameras. Film users will feel comfortable looking at the front face of the M9, while the bald front face of the M240 and M10 may feel a bit awkward. In addition, the M-E and M240, which were introduced after the Leica M9, lack the preview lever, making them look less classic in appearance. Therefore, when looking back at the M9, its classic elements appear more dazzling. Nowadays, the M10 also lacks the light window, and Leica designers realized this. If we continue to simplify it like this, can we still call it a Leica? Therefore, Leica M10 quickly introduced the most classic rewind knob of the M3, making it into an ISO dial. In order to maintain its classic elements, it can be said that they put in a lot of effort.
Leica users are interesting. On one hand, they say that Leica is becoming less and less classic, but on the other hand, they look forward to seeing what new products Leica will release slowly. This shows that Leica M has always had some kind of tacit understanding with its users, which can only be explained by mysticism. But in any case, it is now a consensus that there is no light window after the M9. From today on, the Leica M9 is officially classified as a classic camera!
M8 and M9
APS-H and full-frame are the differences in film size, but in terms of operation, the M8 and M9 are basically the same. Once you get used to the M8 and M9, it might feel a bit strange to switch to the M240 and M10 in terms of settings. The menus on the M8 and M9 are pretty simple, which makes them seem easier to use.
The Color of the M9
I think film is better than digital. It has more character. No matter what data you use to prove the high pixels and accurate colors of digital, it can never replace the premium texture of film. I think it’s fair to say that the color of the Leica M9 is pretty close to film. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that’s the biggest compliment you can pay the M9.
CCD vs. CMOS
The CCD from Kodak gives the Leica M9 a special texture, of course, when paired with Leica lenses. Many people switched from CCD to CMOS, but still missed the color and texture of the M9. The solid blue, the pure red, and the greenish tone throughout the photo—they always give you some unexpected surprises. That’s the characteristic of film, right?
Don’t get me wrong, the CCD of the M9 is an amazing piece of technology. Some people can even process a CMOS photo to have a CCD-like texture, it just takes some time. And the color of Leica’s CMOS is also not to be underestimated. It is not something other brands can easily catch up with.
Raw Dynamic Range
The good news is that underexposure of up to 4 stops can be salvaged, while overexposure can be recovered up to 3 stops. This is truly amazing! It’s incredible how well it retains highlights, especially when compared to other cameras. Many people have been blown away by this feature, and they’re saying that highlights can’t be recovered as well in CMOS cameras.
Conclusion
I’m not here to judge other people’s opinions about the Leica M9. Everyone’s entitled to their own! For me, it will always be a camera that inspires admiration! It was then, it is now, and it will be again! Because I’ve never denied those whimsical thoughts from my youth!
For the previous generation, owning an M3 was a truly happy thing! For those who were interested in Leica ten years ago, owning an M9 was an absolute dream come true! I’m not trying to persuade you to buy a Leica M9. I’m just sharing my love for this amazing camera! Maybe you’re thinking about the M11 or M10? Well, my song might not be in your dreams, but it’s definitely worth a listen!
Overall, the film base is slightly thinner, with high transparency and is easy to scan. However, one drawback is that the frame numbers on the film edges are marked based on half-frame cameras, which means that Fomapan has over 70 frame markings, whereas the standard 135 format film has only 36. Nevertheless, this film from the Czech Republic performs quite well in actual use.
Grain
Fomapan ISO 100 is not particularly fine-grained, and some even say that it is the roughest among all 100 speed films. However, I don’t completely agree with this. The grains of Fomapan often appear in highlight areas, but if the metering is reduced to darken the image, the grain is not very noticeable.
Mood
Although the tolerance of this film is high, large grains can easily appear in highlights, making it less suitable for shooting fresh and light style photos. If you prefer a bright and delicate feeling, Fuji’s Acros 100 is a better choice.
Cost-effectiveness
Many people consider this film to be good, with high tolerance and sharpness, despite the grains not being particularly fine. It bears some resemblance to Ilford Pan 100, but with higher contrast. Overall, it is slightly inferior to Ilford Pan 100.
Conclusion
Fomapan 100 is an excellent film for street photography, with surprising tolerance and unbeatable cost-effectiveness.
fomapan 100
FOMAPAN 100 Classic is a panchromatically sensitized, black-and-white negative film designed for taking photographs. The film meets high requirements for low granularity, high resolving power and contour sharpness and a wide range of halftones. FOMAPAN 100 Classic has a nominal speed rating of ISO 100/21o, but due to its wide exposure latitude the film gives good results even when overexposed by 1 EV (exposure value) (as ISO 50/18o) or underexposed by 2 EV (as ISO 400/27o) without any change in processing, i.e. without lengthening the development time or increasing the temperature of the developer used.
more info
ISO 400 black and white film is a popular choice for capturing human subjects due to its high tolerance and larger grains. Kodak Tri-X 400 has gained a devoted following for its ability to handle push processing, allowing it to be used at ISO 800 or even pushed to ISO 3200. However, Kentmere 400, the film we are discussing today, is best used at its rated ISO 400 and should not be pushed beyond that. Its pricing reflects this recommendation.
Regarding Kentmere’s contrast, the film’s manufacturer remains a mystery, with some speculating it could be Ilford due to their shared UK base. Nonetheless, Ilford’s PAN 400 is considered to be of superior quality compared to Kentmere. Kentmere struggles with low-light situations and tends to produce deep blacks, leading to an overall high contrast look that can make images appear harsh, particularly when shooting with high contrast lenses or in high contrast scenes. Personally, I find it best to avoid using Kentmere in bright noon sunlight.
On the other hand, Kentmere 400 performs exceptionally well for indoor and subway portraits, creating a clean, bright look reminiscent of its white packaging. It appears to have a built-in half-stop yellow filter effect and also handles foggy weather with ease.
The cleaning car came slowly, and I felt the picture was clean and peaceful. So I filmed it. The driver inside saw me with a grin, and he should be laughing at what this fool is shooting?
Smile, smile makes the world warmer.
