Whatever is described here can simply be done by adapting a Leica M lens or even putting a cheap Chinese Manual lens on your Fujifilm, shooting EVF only and putting it in full manual mode if you really want to - it’s all in your mindset. Don’t let the gear hunger confuse you for a “life changing experience”.

It's like when digital music (cds) emerged in the 80s. All of the audiophiles with their huge vinyl collections complained that cds were sterile and lacked warmth and soul. But at some point the best digital and the best analog should be the same. Vacuum tubes vs solid state LOL. As you said, it's all about the final image. I have an FM2 and I agree prints made from film have their own personality. What I find funny is that grain, which traditionally has been embraced in film photography as an integral part of the final unique image, is such a point of contention when it comes to digital sensor noise at high ISOs. I thoroughly enjoy the files produced by my XT1 and XT2. It's nice to be able to have so many options. Thanks for another great video!

Even though I have zero interest in film photography I am extremely happy to see the format getting a revival. It only makes the world of photography stronger for everyone.

Film is just a process to capture the image. Don't let the process override the goal of making great images. Shooting film is fun and is something every photographer should do , however it isn't going to transform average imagery into Magnum worthy content. Film is over Hyped. Film can be limiting. I wonder where the next innovators are coming from at times. Interesting Video and keep up with the interesting content Samuel.

I first started shooting street photography by shooting film with different cameras and different kind of films, no digital. I even bought a scanner to control a little bit more my process. After months I realized how shooting film was fun and cool, but I also realized that It could be limiting. The look of the film is great and I don't have to post treat them to have something good. I would also add that the taste of a great shot is totally different with film cameras. However I like photography in general, and I like different sub genders of street photography. Only using film for all the different things I'd like to do and try is not confortable. I'm happy to see how film photography is getting hyping but I also think that there is kind of overhype. There is always the idea of the right tool for the right job and I think that film cameras are not as versatile and flexible as digital cameras are. Today I can identify when I want to shoot film and when I want to shoot digital and it all depends on the process in which I engage myself. To me, film photography is not an end in itself, but it's a complete other world where you can improve yourself as a photographer by accessing to a new vision, a new process, a new practice, a new experience. Every photographer should, one day, take this path as it could make them better photographer one way or another. But, (it's my personal thought and I don't want to appear pretentious by saying this), I think it's a bit early for you guys to have the necessary hindsight to have a clear vision of your film photography practice. Anyway it was a pleasure to hear you during this very interesting video and I hope to have your feedback about your switching in one or two years :)

On the Leica M3, M2 and early M4, you can align the rangefinder patch yourself (vertically and horizontally). It is quite easy and does not require disassembly.

I started on film as a young teenager and moved to digital in my early twenties and slowly stopped shooting film. I then kind of fell out of love with photography for awhile. I recently in the past year started shooting film again and the love I had as a teenager has come back fully. It's great seeing you getting into film, your work has always looked great and now you are adding a special sauce on top of it with the film (film hits me more than digital aesthetically). Keep it up.

Jae is correct. I began on film in 1982. I started with the Minolta XG-M and X-370. When I heard about Leica, it was a camera that I knew I wanted. It took a while, but when I became established, I got Leicas.

I actually have an M4, and three M6s. (Long story, which I shared on Rae’s video). But I still love shooting my X-Pro2. I’ll select a “film recipe” which are film sims modified to more closely resemble film, and shoot with its optical finder in RF mode, full manual with my Summicron, Jupiter’s, Nikkors and Voigtlander. It’s a very film-like experience, not at all like driving a manual car, as Rae suggests. I don’t like my X-T3 as much, I tend to save that for video. I also shoot a Nikon Df the same way, full manual with vintage glass.

Minolta All day, everyday.

I love the finality of clicking a film camera's shutter... no chance to tweak exposure or composition. It's captured on the film. Then, on to the next shot with no time wasted on review. And, it opens us up to the wold of beautiful, brass, light-capturing boxes called film cameras.. Fun episode....more film content, please Samuel?

Minolta CLE is a great camera! Like a smaller Leica M7 but years before the M7.

Great video. I started, like someone else below, on film when I was a young lad(!) and fell in love with photography, and, in particular, candid street style photography. Film is a real art in itself and after hundreds of rolls of film composition, lighting, exposure, focus and depth of field became second nature. As soon as I walked outside I knew instantly what exposure settings to use more easily than putting one foot in front of the other. It made for great candid content and everything just seemed less contrived and more real. I do feel however, that in so many ways digital has caught up and surpassed film unlike the comparison of vinyl and CD's which are demonstrably worlds apart. But film inspires a different style of photography which is much more artistic in my view than the sometimes sterile output of digital photographers. Either way, it's great to see content from both camps and that film has survived and is now increasing in popularity. Must dust off my old F4...

You guys are adorable! Your obsession with street photography is adorable. Your obsession with film photography is adorable. Both of you remind my on myself just backwards. What I mean here you are, grown men, established photographers, discovering film like a pair of kids. Just as I did, but as a 10 years old, what was long, LONG time ago. With a crappy plastic east german camera which was disintegrated after 2 years from heavy usage...

I'm surprised that more people don't use hoods on their cameras. They protect your lens, add to contrast and reduce flare. During the cold season or at night they protect the lens from condensation. The camera looks classier with a hood as well.

Great Video and chat! I love Analog and digital, but the truth and magic comes only with Analog film. Like to use my Digital cameras just for convenience or in a hurry, but an elaborated image from my RB67 or from my Nikon FM2 is always treasure in my heart.

Wow!!! This was the BEST video I've literally ever seen on KZfaq. I hope it breaks Beyonce type viewing records hahaha :)

So interesting to listen to you both grapple with the switch from digital to film. I still shoot film (past 40 years), but have been shooting more digital for clients and dislike the amount of post work on my computer. With film, it's shoot it, scan it, then publish it.

That "Zeiss Clit" bit was pretty funny haha

Jae rose: you aren’t getting “shittier”, you are in the very beginning of finding your style. It’s a humbling, self critical, difficult process. You are shedding all the stereotypical, cliche street photography tropes. Remember there was only one Winogrand, one Eggleston, one Gilden. Just doing variations of their work isn’t art (and it’s usually worse than the original). Keep shooting what you feel is right. Also, f**k Instagram. Good luck! :)

Stoked you guys are discovering Leica and film! Way off on the M2 though. It does not need constant adjustments. My main camera is an M2 and I shoot it every day. The current one I am shooting has had hundreds of rolls through it and has not skipped a beat (has had no CLAs). No adjustments necessary and often I am shoot my 50 or 35 Summicrons for portraits wide open at F2. Perfect focus. Get an M2/M3/M4 you will not be unhappy. Unless you have to have a meter. But I just carry a Sectonic if I really need one.

Love the point made about photographers, especially those who are new to film, feeling that every photo is somehow better than a digital file because of the "character" of the lens or the grain structure of the film. A bad photo is a bad photo, regardless of the medium it was created with. But focus on learning your particular camera, practicing the some of the skills required, and you will eventually make something worthwhile.

Brilliant treatment of a key topic in street photography: lens selection. Love how you mixed the POV aspect with the master examples. Perfect!

Wonderful, as ever. I started on film and not really convinced that going back there is a good idea but I would be lying if I said I don’t regularly think about it... and also a big fan of 40mm.

Too bad we lost Jae Rose as a KZfaqr. The guy is such a rare type. Hope he comes back someday.

My CLE isn’t plastic only the battery case, give me my CLE over the Leica any day, it would be like returning to the Stone Age. You were being polite as you usually are. The Leica body is machined out of solid, for no good reason I can think of, except to keep up the price,and the tradition, they’ve always been unwieldy awkward and heavy, WHY ? You’ve chosen the perfect street camera without the clumsy dismantling and palaver when changing film, which is the last thing you ever need when you are working ... It’s as you said in the vid, it’s lighter, and semi auto by the way, look at the front of the shutter blind which the meter reads from, it was way ahead of its time, Minolta made a great improvement when they modernised the Leica version. Beware red dots are usually infectious, stay well clear ! Leica is beautifully engineered jewellery.

Just two boys discussing their toys

This is probably the most enjoyable video I watched in your channel!!

You need to make a podcast, you have good stuff here man.

Nice convo. I am shooting with my Olympus OM1 and learning slowly.

Hey, what an awesome video. Keep up the amazing work! I look forward to your next video.

Nice video Samuel, interesting especially your thinking on the CLE. Thinking that your conversation there about film, could have been from 20-30 years ago and funny Jae's comment about learning photography on digital and now moving to film instead of for me it was the other way around. Spending a fortune on Nikon SLR's, lenses and Kodachrome64 film as well as Ilford FP4 and HP5. Good luck guys with your film shooting - would be nice to see more videos related to this too.

Samuel, welcome to the dark side of the force brother. I'm a Fujifilm shooter who also shoots film. I shoot with the Canon P fully manual rangefinder and the Minolta XE-7 SLR. Like you, I just picked up a Minolta CLE with the Voightlander Nokton 40mm f1.4. I plan to pick up the Minolta Rokkor 40mm and 28mm in the near future to complete my kit.

I have a M2 and I bought it already serviced from a shop and ive had it 2 year and its still going strong. I don't think you need to service them that often especially if its in good condition. The M2s are built like tanks.

Really enjoyed this! Happy to see Jae growing ✌🏼 found him at 100subs

A couple of minutes into this video I got excited and got out my Olympus OM-1 which was the first SLR camera I bought in 1981 and have not shot in probably over 25 years. I’m still watching this video and have decided there is no way I’m going to go buy a roll of film and go through the process of shooting film again. The quality is inferior and the cost is too much.

I shoot both with xt2 and Minolta CLE. Happy with Minolta, but probably this because I never had a chance to try a Leica :) BTW, Voigtlander 40/1.4 rocks! It is much better than Minolta's own 40/2 lense

I do not agree. I think these are justifications for buying other objects, I do it with myself too no worries. Any digital camera can be set manually, auto-focus can be removed, even the exposure preview can be disabled, etc. Is like listen to a song on Spotify and compare it to the vinyl experience, yes the second one is more mystical but the song is the same. You can limit yourself as much as you want on a digital camera. I can understand if you do it for the experience of the different processes, but let's not digress.

Oh man... I feel like this is the journey that everyone has been on - first moving from some kind of SLR to fujifilm, but then onward to film. It's like Fuji is the gateway drug, but everyone gets to film in the end. I really am loving my olympus cameras (OM-1 and OM-10 for "easy" shooting). By the way, I would challenge you to try shooting an Instax Wide camera for a few days - it is quite fun, has somewhat similar constraints as film, but you get to see if you blew your exposure immediately, instead of next week, and you can share the images! Yes, the photos are usually a little soft, desaturated, and the dynamic range is limited, but if you shoot film, you already understand that!

Owned both these camera’s and both are great. I’m sure you’re going to love the CLE.

I have listened this like fourth time now. Its good...

I started with film. Simply because I am from a generation who didn't have a choice other than using film. Pentax K1000 was my first SLR camera, everything manual. Mostly used slides (Fuji Velvia)

Great talk. In 2004 I went the same way. I sold 10D and bouth Canonet 28 with EOS 3 ;) Last 10 years I shoot digital but it's for my work.

there's a fuji x to m-mount adapters. this is the beauty of today's technology. i currently use m-mount lenses + adapters on my Z6. focus peaking is so good now.

The CL looks nicer. Which one is easier for street. I bought an X2 and love how easy it is to use and get great shots.

All time fun to see what videos you do 👌 :) ... I was very like it.

The cheapest way to practice zone focus is the combination of an old fuji xpro1 and a kind of vintage lens, i did it before came to films. You know, films are getting more expensive

that's it my bucket list is to get a functioning Leica M camera...with 50mm lens.

Interesting talk. I'd really love to shoot film. This Tri-X 400 look 😍... Unfortunately, though, there are no vegan options available at the moment.. and most likely this won't change ✌️

Correct me if I am wrong, but although Jae Rose's argument about vintage lenses not beeing all that sharp (when wide open I must add) make sense. It does not apply to the Voigtlander lens he was using on his Leica. That is a modern lens, from 2008 to present, or something like that. In fact, Cosina started producing lenses under the Voigtländer brand in 1999.

You are obviously well-suited for the CLE and vice-versa as you've already taken some great images with it. Great choice of camera and lenses.

I've started Film SP this summer and it's always a pleasant surprise when you get a film back with some keepers. After shooting with a fully manual camera going back to my digital fuji feels like cheating and shooting with a phone. 😅 I really like the video. Fujifilm has an official adapter from m to x mount so they don't need to make a pure m mount camera. In fuji cameras, there is a manual focus helper that looks like a giant rangefinder patch....

I had the exact thought about Fuji building an M-mount rangefinder along with manual lens. Still enjoy my XPRO 2 but feel more fulfilled with my M4

Personally (as if it matters) I definitely prefer your film work, seems more conscious and really well composed. Keep it up man 👍👌

Es gibt von Fuji einen Adapter mit dem man Leica M-Objektive an Fuji-X anschließen kann. Er schaltet durch Knopfdruck auf manual focussing um.

Awesome video loved it !! I shoot film exclusively and just trying to get better, keep up the good work!! I love my pentax me super with a 28mm and 50 lense super small setup for street but use it for my family photos.

Great video! it would be even better if you could tone down the background noise in the latter part somehow.

Love the intro hahahaha

Hey Samuel, I enjoy shooting both film and digital, so I'm not arguing either way. But your friend mentioned that he'd go back to Fuji if he could focus manually with a spit image. I don't know if the X-Pro 3 has this feature, but my Fuji X100T had digital split image focusing. It sucked on that camera though because the lens is focus by wire, but if they have that feature on the X-Pro 2/3 and you adapt an M mount lens to it then you pretty much have exactly what your friend described.

I'm constantly amused by young photographers talking about film as if it's a new thing, and describing digital as if it's an uncontrollable / automatic process. They are neither, and the process is exactly the same regardless. You can make it as simple or complicated as you want. I started in 1977 with film (35mm) and moved on to 6x6, 5x4 and 10x8, and I didn't buy a digital camera until I purchased a brand new Canon 10d to use with my EF lenses, I still shoot film occasionally, but I'll shoot with anything that'll enable me to get the shot...... Don't over think it.

Going from an OM1 to M6 is negligible in my opinion but they’re both beautiful cameras. I grew up using the M6, long before I knew anything about the Leica cachet, but the OM1 always had a unique magic to it and was the camera I preferred shooting with - especially coupled with the Zuiko OM 90mm f2. But oh man do I wish I had the M6 now though! Interestingly M6 prices aren’t far off MP price levels, which is just insane. A good M6 will go for close to 3k these days. Feels like yesterday that you could get one for £500.

Sold my M6 with 50 cron a few years ago to fund a Nikon d800. Sometimes I think I made the wrong decision but still have an Fm2 and F3 for when I want to shoot film.

Wow checked his insta and he wasn't lying about taking no good pictures on film! Some of them look like they were taken on a smartphone with the most basic b&w filter in Snapseed. That's terrible, being locked into the feeling of absolutely needing a Leica when that is what the result is.

saying you have to retrain your eye when going from digital to film is like saying you have to retrain how to ride a bike when you go from a mountainbike to a bmx... it makes no sense at all edit: my goodness boys dont listen to his advice on shadow and lighting when shooting film; it's obviously still there and ready to be captured, in tandem with the great moments that happen :) wild, wild statements are being made here lmao... everyone their opinion though but really, saying you don't see golden hour on film means you dont know your stock. get to knowm your stock and you will know how it renders shadows. it's just a lot harder. contrast in light DEFINITELY still applies with film i cannot fathom why he said that even. seriously go check photobooks.

Ha ha, you 2 are like kids with your new toys! Enjoy your film experience 😁

Samuel, you should check for a Leica MDa. It would be interesting to find someone who shoot with it =P

Do a little research on the Voigtlander Bessa R4M, R3M and R2M cameras. I own the R4M that has framelines for 21,25,28,35 and 50. I think that would be a great camera for you, Sam. It is fully mechanical, but also has a meter if you want that. It’s basically a Leica M6 with 1 or 2 more options for lenses...and of course the build quality isn’t as solid as the Leica, but it’s a great camera! If you want the option to use aperture priority, they also make the R4A, R3A and R2A.. just remember these are battery dependent....meaning if your battery dies out on the street, your camera dies until you get another battery. In a way, that’s a bit too much like going back to digital, in my opinion. Check the Bessa R4M and let me know what you think. Also I agree with Jae Rose. Once I started shooting film, I’m now documenting life as it happens...I’m not really looking for those super harsh shadows and fancy Instagram photos. I like to document the emotions and stuff happening in life. It’s nice to know that it’s permanently there on my film and I can go about life still. It’ll be there once I develop it..I don’t need to see it right after I photograph it. Also also....over expose your color film by a stop, Sam. I think you’d enjoy the look. It’ll give you a dense negative that has a ton of detail and more pastel colors. For b&w, expose at box speed but expose for the shadows of your subject/scene. Lomo 800 is actually a Kodak film...I believe it’s Kodak Gold 800! Welcome to the world of film. 🎞👌🏼

If you can’t afford the M6 pretty sure Leica announced earlier in the year they’d be releasing a cheaper M film camera in 2021. How much cheaper is anyone’s guess. Weirdly, if it’s too cheap it might even put some people off. The expense is part of the appeal for some!

If I can use my muscle memory to work a tool, it becomes an instrument. As soon as I have to go to a menu to see what button is doing what or how the tool behave, that's all gone. So far, only Leica pulled that of digitally with the M-D. I don't get why Fuji or Olympus aren't brave enough to build a camera like that. I'd buy one instantly!

Fun video!

It is funny you say the M6 is "better" than the M2, because the only plus on the M6's side is the lightmeter, otherwise the M2 is a better built camera with almost no "cheap" components.

Did you know about EPSON RD1 ? a digital camera with a shutter as well as a film camera with a Leica m mount )) I've never seen anything like this before

Hi Samuel, does Jae´s 35mm Zeiss lens block maybe the metering diode in the CLE when you mount his lens??? I want to get the same zeiss lens on my cle, i´m not shure because of the protrusion it haves. (btw despite the cle haves no 35mm framelines)

Great content!

How do you scann your negatives Samuel? You mentioned using Vuescan, i supose suppose it´s a Epson scanner that you are using. Greeting from Serbia!

Enjoyed the video. Great night shots at the end. Were they handheld on your CLE?

even though this is a pretty good talk with many great topics - I still think you should focus on the audio cause this back ground people talking sound is just a little too much even though i THINK you want the sound to feel more natural and away from the super quiet podcast feel. - the location is a restaurant, i think a cafe would be better but MAYBE those cafe shops would kick you out so i could image that happening and not working out. if fuji makes a M mount camera would they need to pay leica to put M mount in their camera?? or its just open for them to do so, and if it were true - wouldnt those M Leica lens still expensive for people who are just starting and so its just to get a cheaper body while getting the leica expensive lens? - continue that point , then if fuji creates a manual focus lens would it be M mount as well to just work with this body and be cheaper than leica M mount lens? lastly with the Leica Q . whats so interesting is the dial on the lens allowing you to go "micro" mode with a twist, if the next fuji X100 style camera could do that with their lens, it would be very interesting as well.

there are ppl that shoot m6 with shadows and errthing after coming from digital, so only Jae says that

Leica CL is still a Minolta camera. I've only ever seen this camera as a gateway drug, so save your money and enjoy.

Loved it... Gonna hit eBay now. ☺️ //freddie

i dont think any film camera should have light meters , the 'idea' is meant to be all organic shooting working it out for yourself , sorry to say this guy saying he will try not to go back to digital in fashion work is not happening for many reasons

CL and CLE is way better that any Leica !!!

welcome to bangbang club :D

It's never that simple. Leica would never sell the rights to Fuji to make a competitor to the M cameras, unless they were having real financial difficulties. And Fuji probably cannot afford to make a super niche camera coz they are a mass producer after all. They are already getting enough BS from all the "checkbox tickers" for making the X-Pro3 so quirky.

But real analog photographer you first become, when you do the complete proces, from shooting on film to work with your images in the darkroom - no scan. A scanned image from a film is well also digital. No magic. Only in your mind ;)

Like👍

Here we go again with brand/gear obsession, love to see people rationalize why they absolutely need a leica. Level 3 of maslow's pyramid all up in here 😂

"i will get a Contax t2" ; )

I am half way through this video but feel at many times the talk was too esoteric and kaballah like. I generally enjoy Samuel's videos but this was soo heavy and needlessly cultural centric burdensome.

So relieved to see Spaghetti House is open as usual.

Have to be able to afford a Leica if anything.

Jae please play with your Leica! Shoot blanks to know focusing, use in vertical, it's familiarity. Practice. Film a growing cost, acceptable in past, not in present. Proof prints available in minutes at Kodak. No crappy processing. Tri-X is NOT Tri-x I used in past. It's plain lousy. I shot in Fashion, almost 20 rolls 36 exposures in an evening, in the late 60's. At least 5 frames of anything important. Film is never perfect. Both of you admiring a 28mm vs 35mm !. It's 7mm.. 28mm lenses really need SLR/DSLR for better framing!

34:50 you can do all of that with digital .. he was just lazy not doing that ;)

Really don't understand the first bit of talk about getting the Leica. You just buy it I presume? What is so different in "getting" a Leica or "getting" a car etc. ? It's not that we're talking about rare cameras. If it's a question about money and if it woulf be wise to pay money for something you think is very high prised, I would strongly advice not to do it. It's not worth it to buy something and have to think about the high price. If you saved money for it and want to buy it but you still think it's a high price but worth it to you, that's different and ok. That whole first part of law of attraction, "getting" a camera...I just don't "get" it.

So much bla bla! Just use the medium you like and have fun making the photos that come out of this...

@unknown_visualist

Poor youngsters.

Its called co driver ffs lol not passenger ahaha

Minolta All day, everyday.