For at least the last ten years, it’s been a struggle for me to manage to own both a film and a digital camera (with interchangeable lenses) at the same time.  Around 2012, I was using a full Nikon system (F3/D700 + lenses) but when I decided to switch to a Leica Q Digital, I ended up selling all of my good Nikon glass to manage to afford it. Then, I really missed shooting film and had to sell the Q, to get an M7 and a 1977 Summicron 35 v3. I then managed to add a Voigtlander 50mm f/1.2 and a Voigtlander 21mm f/4 to the mix, with the goal of (one day) buying a digital M body to accompany them. Four years later, I finally managed it (thanks to a miraculous contribution from my aunt 🖤). I have now acquired a used digital M (typ 240) to accompany my M7. The plan is to shoot mostly black and white film on the M7 (cheaper to buy, easier to develop and scan) and color on the M 240. With the way film prices are now, I am definitely not able to afford shooting color film anymore (at least not as much as I would like), so this makes me enormously happy. The M 240 might be a 10-year-old camera, but it’s still the best digital camera I’ve ever owned. 24 Megapixels and super usable ISO up to 3200 is really all I ever needed anyway.

Excuse the long post, as I’m getting to know this–at a first impression–rather opinionated and particular camera and its quirks :) All photos were shot in raw DNG and lightly adjusted in Lightroom. I have not messed with the camera’s colors yet, trying to first see what it can produce on its own (without extra presets etc.). All photos where shot in the last three days (in a trigger-happy haze).

With the old Summicron 35:

my favorite street shot of the bunch:

Lee’s birthday portrait:

With the modern Voigtlander 50mm 1.2:

I’ve always loved how the Voigtlander 50s render colors under natural light. Loved it in the Nikon version and love it in this:

Here’s a sleeping Fouf, for scrolling all the way to the end:

There’s plenty of new things for me to get used to–like stronger contrast than my previous experience with RAW files, more intense colors, easily blown highlights, quirky auto WB at night–but I’m excited. I can shoot color again!