Q&A: Which Leica M Should I Buy?

by Johnny Martyr Here's a DM from a reader in France: "Hi Johnny, how are you? My name is Victor and I live in Paris. I was intrigued by your article about camera shops in Paris. I am trying to start in the photography world, more as a hobby than anything else, and I wanted...

Q&A: I’m Afraid to Shoot 3200 ISO Film Because It Doesn’t Cold Store Well So I Push 400 to 3200 Instead

by Johnny Martyr I recently got a question in response to posting some Kodak TMAX P3200 photos. The gist of it was that a photographer is learning how to achieve higher ISOs by pushing 400 speed films (which he referred to as "traditional films") instead of using 3200 speed films (as if these are not "traditional")...

Q&A: Why Do You Use 0.85x Leica Rangefinders instead of 1:1 Voigtländers?

by Johnny Martyr Yesterday, long time photo buddy Brent Legum Levenson asked a really great question on my Facebook page. He was referencing my Leica M6 TTL cameras which have 0.85x viewfinder magnification. "Any reason you got the .85? I think I’ve only seen the .72 versions in person. Also, I liked that the Bessa R3s...

Q&A: How Do I Shoot Landscapes With a Barnack Leica and a 135mm Lens?

by Johnny Martyr Yesterday in the Leica III Users group on Facebook, someone asked:"I just got my camera back and am wanting to put my 135mm Elmar to use. Does anybody know of a good video or guide on how to use the lens? Am I just overthinking it? The Summitar 50mm is pretty intuitive,...

Q&A: Is it Hard to Find Clients for a Documentary B&W Film Photographer?

by Johnny Martyr Comedian Nikki Glaser and musician Anya Marina recently posted photos that I took of them in Baltimore. I got a slew of new follows and DM's about my work. One of them was a good question that I get from time to time. There were a few from other photographers whose question...

Q&A: It Pays to be Pedantic

by Johnny Martyr My college linguistics professor Judy Lombardi was fond of saying "things are what we say about them in our social world." The older I get, the more this concept sinks into my brain and guides how I strive to communicate. I don't claim to know everything, but when I do know something,...

Q&A: How Do I Protect My New-to-Me Leica M?

by Johnny Martyr Okay, so this isn't a true "mail bag" question because the most recent iteration of it that I've answered was posted to a Facebook group. But I have gotten this question a few times as a DM over the years too. "I just got my first Leica, an M6, how do I...

Q&A: How’s the Build Quality of the Leica M6 TTL?

by Johnny Martyr My daughter and I checking out the selection at the Leica Store Paris - photo by Stephanie Lee Isaiah Hervé and I follow one another on Instagram. He takes beautiful, serene landscape photos that just blow me away. His work is very fine and nuanced and nothing that I have the patience...

Q&A: Should I Go Pro?

by Johnny Martyr I get a fair number of DM's asking various questions about shooting film. I do my best to answer thoroughly; as if my response was something that I myself would depend on. If you've written me and not received a response, it's likely just because I'm trying to respond in the most...