In the Beaches with a Leica

Below you will find an early production Leica M3 dual stroke rangefinder camera. It's considered one of the all time great 35mm film cameras, beloved by photojournalists and serious photographers 50 years ago, and still loved today by hard core film photography enthusiasts. This camera has a dual role, photography tool and family heirloom having a special place in my camera collection. Dad gave me this Leica along with a early production Nikon F a month before he passed, I have a lot of memories tied up with this camera, I remember wanting to play with it as toddler and wound up with a plastic Diana camera instead. This M3 has been overhauled twice, had a shutter curtain replaced due to some stray cigarette ash when dad was loading the film. Even after 10 ten years, my M3 still feels like it is dad's camera, I do own a second Leica, a made in Midland Ontario M4-2 from the late 1970s and consider it a workhorse.

Now I was out shooting in the Beaches a few weeks ago on the first real nice day of spring and used Ilford Delta 100 because it was one of those days with a mix of sun and cloud in terms of lighting. I love how the 50 f2 Summicron lens rendered the steal sign belonging to the Beaches institution The Goof, it just pops. One thing I do want to do is invest in more lenses for my Leicas, I currently own a two third party lenses the Voightlander 35 f2.5 Skopar and a Canon 50 f1.4 M-39 thread mount with M mount adapter as well as the Leica 50mm Summicron and a 90 f4 Collapsible Elmar lens. I would love something wider, a 28mm focal length and a 90 f2.8 Tele Elmarit lens. Unfortunately M mount lenses cost money, for now I make do with what I have until my career situation changes. I'm looking for a social strategist or community management opportunity in Toronto.