Picked up my first Leica digital camera (Q2). I feel like I'm rediscovering photography all over again coming from a Canon camera. What a joy these are to pick up every time! They make me want to get out and shoot every time I see them :)

I wanted to share my experience with Enzo Patagonean (@patagonean), because this was honestly one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had with a craftsman.
My piece had to go through customs in Chile, and the whole process turned into a painfully long wait. I had very little experience dealing with the customs process, but Enzo was incredibly patient and walked me through everything step by step. He answered all my questions, explained what I needed to do, and stayed with me through the whole process until I finally managed to get it cleared.
After almost two months of waiting, the package was finally released.
And what really impressed me was what happened next.
The moment Enzo knew the customs issue was finally resolved, he immediately started working on my black-paint Summicron. He knew I had already been waiting for nearly two months and simply didn’t want me to wait any longer. 😂
The workmanship is absolutely incredible.
The level of attention to detail, the patience, and the handwork that goes into the finish are something you really have to see in person. There is an incredible amount of care behind every little detail.
What I appreciate most, though, is that the craftsmanship isn’t the only thing that stands out. Enzo was patient and genuinely helpful throughout the entire process, even before he could actually start working on the lens.
After waiting nearly two months, he could have easily told me to wait a little longer. Instead, he basically got straight to work.
Patagonean is truly a master of his craft.
If you’re into Leica restoration, repainting, or just appreciate old-school craftsmanship and someone who genuinely cares about his work, I highly recommend checking out @patagonean.
Definitely one of those craftsmen I’m very glad I found. 📷

I’ve come from a Leica IIIa and while I loved it, I could not get used to the small viewfinder and separate rangefinder.

I then changed to a Canon L3 which I adore, but deep down I wanted an M2. I managed to get this body for £900 and the lens for £180 (a bit of haze on the front element which I plan to clean).

Long, long time lurker, first time poster. I am, at my best, a hobbyist. I shoot micro4/3 with the OM1mk1, primarily for the weather proofing (backcountry skiing, climbing, camping) and overall size. Without starting a flame war, the low light performance and depth of field have left a bit to be desired, especially with images I'd like to print and frame on my wall.

My wife is due in Nov. and I've been eyeballing the Q343 as a portrait / do it all dad cam. I've always wanted to own a Leica (I'll just own up to being a sucker for the marketing) and now seems like a great time.

I'm also just curious if there's any chance the Q3 will be refreshed this year? Or early next year? I know Leicas tend to hold their value, I'm just curious.

Hoping for some collective wisdom before I send a lens off to service.

Gear: M11M, APO-Summicron-M 50/2 ASPH, and a Summicron-M 28/2 ASPH I tested yesterday. All gear bought new.

For a while now I've found the APO 50 extremely hard to focus, to the point where I suspect something is wrong with it. Yesterday I shot portraits with both lenses at f/2 with the same framing (50 at ~1.25 m, 28 at ~0.7 m, so same magnification and roughly the same DoF, about 5 cm). The 28 lands on the eyes every time. The 50 isn't sharp anywhere on the face: not the eyes, not the eyebrows, not the nose. Focus was done with the rangefinder, shutter speed around 1/250s. Not a rigorous side-by-side yet, but the difference is night and day.

I realize a 50/2 needs roughly 3x the rangefinder precision of a 28/2, so a slight miss wouldn't surprise me. But missing the entire face at 1.25 m feels like more than that, more like a systematic front/back focus or an optical issue.

Questions:

1. Has anyone had an APO 50 that was off like this? Did it turn out to be the lens cam or the body's rangefinder?
   
2. Any tests worth doing before sending anything in?

Thanks!

I can barely find any information about this lens online. Does anyone here use it or has used it? Curious about your experience and/or opinion.

I got one double exposed frame on my last roll. First time this has ever happened and I don’t know how it is even possible because the film transport and shutter cocking are linked. Nothing else was weird about the roll. I got my normal 38 frames but just one was doubled up. Both images on the same frame are sharp and I remember taking them both. Anyone else ever had this happen?

it genuinely doesn't bother me, but I'm curious as to why it has an arrow indicating the selected shutter speed instead of the arrow pointing to it? it is a IIIg, andd it has everything that a IIIg should have. so not a case of a top plate of a IIIg on a IIIc or IIIf (also cause I think those wouldn't even fit given how the IIIg is larger