DDudenbostel
Active member
I saw my first Leica in the mid 50's. My dad was into photography and used to take me to the camera shops with him when I was a kid. I always thought the looked very cool. When I got to college I was deep into photography and during my sophomore year in 1968 the chief photographer of the university paper was goi g to Alaska for a newspaper job and hired me as his replacement. Henry was a hardcore Leica user and had 2 M2's and a new M4 plus a great selection of glass from 21 to 200mm. Another friend who shot for a nearby news paper used Nikon SP's. Both friends let me shoot their cameras and both had their good and bad points. The M's just seemed right for me so I purchased a used but like new M2 and 50 summicron in 1968. I soon added two more bodies an lenses from 21-200mm. I wound up with 2-2's and a 3. Eventually I traded most of the gear in the mid 70's for a Linhof Technika and three lenses. It wasn't long till I had a couple of new M bodies and lenses. Since then there has been only a shirt period when I didn't have M's. One period in the 70's was in a moment of insanity when I bought 2 SL bodies and an SL MOT. Unfortunately they were a disaster.
Still using M's 45 years later. I still have one of my early M2's an ALaCarte MP and M9.
Still using M's 45 years later. I still have one of my early M2's an ALaCarte MP and M9.
Last edited: