Leica M8 v. Nikon D700 at Angkor Wat

Actually it was never a contest.  I recently spent a few days at Angkor Wat and surrounding area in Siem Reap, Cambodia and brought a M8 and three lenses, the Summicron 35mm f/2, the Summilux 75mm f1.4, and the Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 and the Nikon D700 with the 14-24 f/2.8 zoom and the 135mm DC f/2 lenses. I figured that the two kits would complement one another.

In addition, I brought a Gitzo 1227 Mk2 tripod with G1275M head.  I carried the gear in a Thinktank Rotation 360.

The D700 failed miserably.  In fact in the first 30 minutes and after 10 shots.  The electronics in the camera packed up, causing the camera to not power up.  I tried to revive the camera by reinstalling the battery, installing a second battery etc.  Nothing worked.  Done.

So for the next few days I relied on the M8, mainly using the Summicron 35mm f/2. And the M8 succeeded in the extreme conditions.  The temperature reached a high of 36 Celsius and the humidity was 85 percent.  The tropical sun was constantly beating down on you and you felt like you were going to melt.

I will be posting on Angkor Wat in the next few days.  It is a wonderful venue for photographs.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and a Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Sunrise at Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I woke up early every morning to catch the sunrise over the Oakland Hills.  The sun rising high enough to illuminate the tops of the buildings.   And as I was in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, I walked towards Pier 39 and then back to the hotel.  Other than the typical jogger, there were very few people in the vicinity.  This makes for a very peaceful and introspective walk.  Nothing to distract you except for the beauty of the bay.  Lost in thought about composition, lighting and camera settings. And hot dogs.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 lens and Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lenses.

A day in Boston last month

We spent several days in Boston a few weeks ago and found it to be one of the most picturesque cities I’ve visited.  Although it doesn’t have the New York skyline or San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge,  the beauty of its downtown area  from the harbor to the Boston Commons and beyond is without peer.  I only wish the weather was better when we were there.  Although it was early April, winter weather hadn’t broken yet.  A bit on the chilly side.

It was the first day of the baseball season but due to the rainy weather, the opening game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay was cancelled.  Bad luck for me.

Photos taken with Leica M8 and Summilux 75mm f/1.4 or Voightlander Ulton 28mm f/2 or Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 lens.

Random scenes from San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf

Night or day, with or without people, the area around Fisherman’s Wharf is photo rich.  It all depends on you and your camera.  The secret to satifying photography is taking photos.  Under all conditions.   And with a bit of experimentation thrown in for an interesting perspective.  The more you shoot, the better you will become (with a bit of hardwork, experience and luck).

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and a Noctilux 50mm f/1 or a Summilux 75mm f/1.4 or a Summicron 35mm f/2 lens.

Walking Pier 39 in San Francisco one sunny morning

Ok so Pier 39 is wall to wall tourists who wander about along the Embarcadero waterfront north towards the San Francisco Maritime Aquatic Park.  Besides the myriad of shops and restaurants at Pier 39, the Aquarium Of The Bay is also located there.

Over the years, the flavor of Pier 39 has not changed.  It’s a great location for families to spend time in a tourist environment that is both predictable and beautiful.  This area is a tourist magnet, no doubt about it.  But so what?   Tourists visiting this area enjoy themselves and usually come back with a favorable impression of San Francisco (although they may be a little cold).

I used to live in San Francisco years ago and didn’t spend much time in this area except to have dinner at Scoma’s at Fisherman’s Wharf.  On this trip we stayed near the wharf and found this location to be central to visiting other parts of San Francisco as well as other destinations in the Bay Area.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 and Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lenses.

Walking the San Francisco Maritime Aquatic Park

Just beyond Fisherman’s Wharf at the far end of Jefferson Street is the San Francisco Maritime Aquatic Park.  In the early morning sunlight, the walk from the Hyde Street Pier (Hyde at Jefferson Sts.) to the curving pier to the west is a natural stress reducer.   From the bright blue of the bay and the sky to the sunlit Golden Gate Bridge to the west, the views are as inspiring as can be found in any urban environment.  The sounds of the seabirds and the gentle surf, the scent of the seawater and solitude of the bay with the city as a backdrop is very special.

Photos taken with a Leica M8 and Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 or Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lens.

San Francisco cable car and the “F” line trolley – perfect pairing

Cable car approaching Beach - Hyde turnaround

Many  visitors to San Francisco (and Fisherman’s Wharf) place a cable car ride on the  “must-d0” list.  And of course it’s a lot of fun to catch the Powell – Hyde cable car at the Beach – Hyde turnaround near Fisherman’s Wharf and then cross Russian Hill and Nob Hill to end up at the other turnaround at Powell and Market.  But it’s no fun to then line up for the return trip to Fisherman’s Wharf.  On the particular day we rode the cable car, the line at the Beach – Hyde turnaround was at least 100 passengers deep and the return was approximately 200.

Cable car at Powell turnaround

As a fun alternative, walk across Market from the cable car turnaround and take the F Line trolley that travels down Market Street to the Ferry Building then along the Embarcadero to the its turnaround on Jones Street at Beach Street in the heart of Fisherman’s Wharf.   And about three blocks from where you started your journey on the cable car.  These trolleys are antiques and are as interesting as the cable cars.

I also recommend that you buy an unlimited use one day pass for $11 for all SF Municipal Transportation Agency (affectionately known as “Muni”) lines including the cable cars, trolley cars, and buses.

All photos taken with a Leica M8 and Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 lens or a Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lens.

A F line trolley across Market Street from the Powell St. turnaround

Trolley heading down Market towards the Ferry Building

Same orange trolley at the Ferry Bldg.

F Line trolley at Jones Street turnaround in Fishermans's Wharf area

Leica Noctilux 50mm f/1 and Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lenses, food and bokeh

The Noctilux is known for its low light capabilities, very shallow depth of field and a creamy dream-like bokeh that is the realm of very few lenses.  My Noctilux is a third generation version and is capable of brilliant images although a slight issue with back focus can make it difficult to nail the perfect focus.

The Noctilux also holds its value so that if you buy one, you can use it for as long as you want and yet be able to sell it for what you paid for it.

Check out Edwin Puts’ thorough review of the f/1 version of the Noctilux on his “TAO of Leica” website.  His site is a real treat.

However, I also enjoy the Summilux 75mm f/1.4 which is known as a portrait lens.  It has razor sharp focus with good  bokeh and like the Noctilux, the ability to isolate the subject from the background.  And its much easier to focus.  It doesn’t have the extreme low light capabilities of the Noctilux but f/1.4 is nothing to laugh about. And this lens also retains its value.

The first two photos were taken with the Noctilux.  Note that the top photo was mainly lit by candlelight.  The bottom three with the Summilux. There is some distortion and “smearing” of the bokeh  in the Summilux photos caused by the curved shape and thickness of the glass counter.

All photos taken with a Leica M8 and Noctilux 50mm f/1 lens or Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lens.

Farmer’s Market near Jatujak Market in Bangkok

Under the roof is an open air market

Across Kamphaeng Phet Road from the Jatujak (or JJ) Market is a terrific farmers market that focuses primarily on all types of Thai food and the ingredients to make Thai food.  In addition to fresh and live seafood, there are large sections of prepared foods for takeaway and fresh vegetables and fruit.  It is know in proper English as the “Marketing Organization for Farmers”  (MOF) Market (but never ask for it by its English name as no one will know what you’re talking about).  It is locally known as the Talat (market) “Or-tor-kor” which derives its name from the Thai initials for MOF.  There is also a sizable food court with most dishes ranging in the 30-50 baht range.

It’s a great place to take photos as the structure itself is tall-roofed with great sightlines.

You can get to the market by crossing Kamphaeng Phet Road from Jatujak.  This can be done above ground or by walking into the MRT Kamphaeng Phet Station and crossing underground and then up on the other side.  I recommend this second option as there is no traffic to be concerned about underground.  This link will show you the location of the market and its proximity to Jatujak Market.

The photos were taken with a Leica M8 and Noctilux 50mm f/1, Carl Zeiss Biogon 21mm f/2.8 and Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lenses.

Fresh seafood

All kinds of Thai food

Neighborhood temple in Bangkok

Most neighborhood temples (wat) do not have the grandeur or fame of temples such as Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha), Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) or Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn).  I visit Wat Pasee off of Thonglor (Sukhumvit 55) Soi 20 about once every month or so and find myself photographing the smallest things.  And that’s the subject of this posting.  Some of the best subjects to photograph are the smallest more intimate objects.  I am drawn to light and shadow,  fine details and vivid colors.  And I like to fill the frame in the viewfinder with this intimacy.

So why didn’t I post a photo of the Wat Pasee in its entirety?  Two reasons.  I wanted to emphasize details.  And I accidently deleted photos showing the temple.  Well, maybe next time.

Photos were taken with a Leica M8 and a Summilux 75mm f/1.4 lens.