In black-and-white photography, yellow filters are the unsung heroes of contrast. By blocking blue wavelengths (450-495nm) while passing red and green, they transform bland skies into brooding canvases and elevate skin tones to marble purity. For the Leica M9—a CCD-powered time capsule—this analog trickery bridges the gap between digital convenience and darkroom artistry.
Tungsten Lighting: Neutralize orange cast with +0.5 stops
2. M9’s CCD Quirk
The inherent warmth of the Kodak sensor magically combines with yellow filters. Overexpose by 0.3-0.7 stops beyond the calculated values to preserve shadow detail – the CCD’s limited dynamic range demands mercy.
When Leica launched the M9 in 2009, it wasn’t just a camera – it was a paean to analog purity in a digital world. The first full-frame digital rangefinder, armed with Kodak’s custom-made CCD sensor, promised the spontaneity of Henri Cartier-Bresson in pixels. Fast forward to 2024: CCDs are extinct, CMOS reigns supreme, and the M9 has become a cult relic. But like vinyl records and manual typewriters, its flaws now read like poetry.
Analog Soul, Digital Skin
1. The Classicist’s Last Stand
Optical viewfinder: Physical frame lines illuminated by sunlight, just like M3/M6. The minimalist front of the later M240/M10? Heresy.
No “modern” nonsense: No Live View, no video, just raw photography. Menu? Three pages deep, max.
2. The Red Dot Rebellion
The M9 wasn’t Leica’s first digital (see: M8), but it was the first to feel like a Leica. Brass top plate, sapphire screens – luxury for the pre-Instagram era.
If Leica’s lens lineup were the Oscars, the Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH would be Meryl Streep—beloved, flawless, and eternally relevant. Priced between 4,500–4,500–7,000 (2025 USD), this 340g aluminum-and-glass virtuoso is the Rolex Daytona of optics: precise, luxurious, and engineered to outlive trends. Mount it on an M10-P, and you’re not just shooting—you’re directing a cinematic masterpiece.
Stopped Down: At f/5.6, microcontrast rivals Hubble telescope shots—every brick, leaf, and wrinkle pops.
The “Two Truths”
Versatility King: Shoot a dimly lit jazz club at f/1.4, then a sunlit landscape at f/8—no quality drop, just magic.
Flare Resistance: Backlit? It laughs at the sun—no veiling glare, just golden halos worthy of a Renaissance painting.
Who Needs This Lens?
✓ Portrait Poets: Who believe eyes > autofocus motors ✓ Film Noir Addicts: Chasing shadows in dim alleys ✓ Contrarians: Who’d choose a Leica over a Tesla
Avoid If: You pixel-peep for flaws or think “vintage” means “cheap.”
The “Double ASPH” Paradox
Leica’s 1990s Double ASPH version (11873) is the Holy Grail—hand-polished elements, mythical rarity, and a price tag rivaling a small yacht. But beware: its quirks (focus shift, collector premiums) make it the James Dean of lenses—iconic, flawed, and gone too soon.
Final Verdict: The Unkillable Classic
The Summilux 35mm ASPH isn’t just a lens—it’s a lifelong companion. For the price of a week in Bora Bora, you gain:
Proof that “perfection” can coexist with character
“A lens that whispers: ‘Perfection isn’t a destination—it’s the journey.’”
Pro Tips:
Film Pairing: Kodak Portra 400—its creamy tones harmonize with the lens’ oil-painting bokeh.
Digital Hack: Add +10 “grain” in Lightroom—flaws become art.
Zen Mantra: “Sharpness is overrated—emotion isn’t.”
Epilogue: The Lens of No Regrets Leica’s Summilux 35mm f/1.4 ASPH scoffs at shortcuts, whispering: “Greatness isn’t found in specs—it’s felt in the heart.” Like a Tang dynasty poem, its beauty lies in balance, not brute force. Now go frame your story—one click at a time. 📸
In the shadow of its ASPH successor and the cult-favorite v1, the Elmarit-M 28mm f/2.8 v3 (1980-1993) lurks—a 230g brass-bound paradox. Too young to be “vintage,” too old to be “relevant,” this lens is photography’s equivalent of a Weimar-era cabaret singer: overlooked, undervalued, and dripping with more character than modern optics dare allow.
Design
Tactile Time Machine
Dimensions: 49mm x 44mm—chunkier than a Moleskine notebook
Weight: 230g (8.1oz)—dense as a Thomas Mann novella
Aesthetic: Chrome finish aging like Berlin Wall graffiti
Mechanical Sonnet
Focus Throw: 160° from 0.7m to ∞—street photographer’s waltz
Aperture: 8-blade iris painting bokeh like charcoal smudges
Compatability
Film Bodies: M6’s soulmate
Digital: M10 tolerates it, M11 pampers it
Optical Scripture
Aspect
Elmarit v3
ASPH (Current)
Resolution
35mm film sweet spot
Digital perfection
Color Rendering
Honeyed tungsten warmth
Clinical accuracy
Bokeh Transition
Gradual as Brahms lullaby
Abrupt as text alert
Soul
Wim Wenders’ gaze
CAD algorithm
The ASPH Paradox
Leica engineers’ cruel joke: The ASPH version out-resolves v3 by 30% yet loses the je ne sais quoi. Test charts crown ASPH; human eyes crave v3’s:
Bokeh Gradient: From sharp to blurry like fading memory
Color Depth: Reds bleeding like 1980s neon signage
Pro Tips for Analog Rebels
Film Pairing: Kodak Gold 200 for caramelized shadows
Digital Hack: -0.3EV exposure comp to deepen colors
Zone Focus: Paint 1m/3ft mark with red nail polish
✓ Bargain Hunters: Sniffing Leica soul under $1.5k ✓ Film Purists: Building M6 kits without selling kidneys
Avoid If: You need corner-to-corner sharpness or AF.
Final Verdict: The People’s Leica
The v3 Elmarit embodies optical perfection, blending vintage allure with modern performance. This $1,000 lens rivals today’s digital counterparts, offering superb clarity and character. For the price of an iPhone, you gain:
This lens, with the quality of a 98% new one, delivers 80% of Leica’s magic at just 30% of the ASPH cost.
A testament to the beauty of imperfection.
Proof that sometimes, ‘outdated’ outshines ‘over-engineered’.
In a world obsessed with gargantuan apertures, the Voigtländer 15mm f/4.5 ASPH (Gen 1) whispers heresy. At 150g—lighter than a roll of Tri-X—this L39-mounted David defies Goliath-sized expectations. Born in 2000 as Cosina’s love letter to analog guerrillas, it thrives where modern wides fear to tread: coat pockets, cramped alleys, and the restless hands of street shooters who value stealth over specs.
Leica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarVoigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-Heliar
Minimalist Precision
Miniature Alchemy
Dimensions: 52mm x 25mm (2.05″ x 0.98″)—smaller than a matchbox
Weight: 150g (5.3oz)—featherlight enough to forget it’s there
Mechanical Pragmatism
Focus: Zone-only (no RF coupling)—f/8 @ 1m = hyperfocal freedom
Aperture: 10-blade iris slicing light into geometric poetry
Adaptation Magic
L39 to M: 1mm adapter transforms it into M-mount Batman.
Viewfinder: Optional 15mm optical finder (discontinued post-Gen 1)
Optical Scripture
Center Sharpness
Film/APS-C: Cracks Adox CHS 100 like a diamond cutter
Full-Frame Digital: Edges rebel (M9 shows magenta cast*), center holds firm *(Cosina’s original sin pre-Gen 3 coatings)
Color Signature
Velvia 50 Rendering: Electric blues, ochres glowing like autumn leaves.
Real World: Buildings lean like drunken salarymen—this is the way
Generational Wars
Aspect
Gen 1 (2000)
Gen 3 (2022)
Size
Matchbox
Soup can
Coatings
Single-layer nostalgia
ASPH + 7-layer armor
Digital Friendliness
M8/M9: Edge chaos
Full-frame harmony
Soul
Kerouac’s beat poetry
GPT-4 generated sonnet
Street Chronicles
Scene 1:Urban intersection with two elderly men on bikes
Leica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-Heliar
f/5.6 @ 1.5m:Their smiles as warm as a summer’s day, bicycles loaded with stories.
LEICA M8 @ 400:Monochrome tones adding a timeless touch, reminiscent of classic street tales.
Scene 2: Pachinko parlor neon rain
Leica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-Heliar
Zone Focus: f/4 @ 1.5m—The boy’s smile stands out against the busy storefront backdrop
Digital Shot: Standard crop, captures the vivid colors of the drink can and store signs—urban details in focus
The M8 Paradox
Pairing this 15mm with a Leica M8 (≈21mm equivalent) is like teaching ballet to a rugby player—possible, but spiritually challenging. Yet therein lies the magic:
0.7m Minimum Focus: Intimacy forbidden to Leica wides
No RF Coupling: Forces mosh pit-style crowd immersion (where personal space vanishes)
Pro Tips for Wide-Angle Heretics
Film Choice: Rollei Retro 80s—its extended red sensitivity loves Cosina’s coatings
DIY Filter Hack: Gelatin cutouts + rubber band = instant color effects
Zone Focus Presets: Paint distance marks with nail polish (f/8=green, f/16=red)
Who Should Buy This?
✓ Urban Poets: Framing chaos into 15mm snapshots ✓ Analog Minimalists: Building “fit-in-a-cigarette-pack” kits ✓ Distortion Fetishists: Who see leaning towers as features, not bugs
Avoid If: You pixel-peep edges or need autofocus training wheels.
Final Verdict: The People’s Ultra-Wide
The Gen 1 15mm f/4.5 is Cosina’s accidental masterpiece—a $400 ticket to optical anarchy. For the price of a Summicron hood, you get:
90% drama of Leica 21mm(with M8) at 20% bulk
Permission to fail spectacularly
Proof that photography thrives at society’s edges
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 (for poets) | ⭐⭐/5 (for lab rats) “A lens that snickers: ‘Rules? I ate them for breakfast.’”
Leica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarVoigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-HeliarLeica M8 with Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 Super Wide-Heliar
It’s hard to believe, but two years ago, everyone wore a mask! Now, many people have gotten into the habit of wearing masks, and of course, more people don’t wear masks anymore. Sometimes, what happened two years ago seems like two days ago. Time really does fly!
Some people see street photography as a series of decisive moments. But when I’m out shooting, I realise I have no control over when and where my images will appear. I can’t predict which corner is going to pop up, and I can’t arrange for a moment to happen just right. In such a situation, I just have to choose the right camera, lens and exposure. The rest is down to luck.
I really like the look of grain in photos, especially in black and white. I like coffee in water, too. From analog film to digital, they’re my old friends.
When it comes to photography, it’s not just about the images we see. It’s the way it can capture the deeper meanings behind the photos that makes it so special. When I look at this photo, I feel a warm glow in my heart.
Take a look at the motor tricycle. It’s not just a heavy load; it’s like a messenger of warmth, full of intimacy and priceless emotions. I thought about whether I could use my camera to capture this warmth and make it last forever.
But who knows, maybe one day when they get a flashier car, the warmth from the motor tricycle may not be so direct and strong. I mean, that kind of warmth from the motor tricycle is pretty special. It really gets people’s hearts going when they see it.
Leica M9 with Elmarit 28mm f2.8 v3Leica M9 with Elmarit 28mm f2.8 v3
