Got My Leica R6 Body

I got my Leica R6 SLR body in the mail today. I chose the cheapest R6 on eBay $375USD and was a bit worried how it would turn out. I do not need to worry any longer the body looks to be in great shape. Now I am waiting on the 60mm macro f2.8 lens hopefully it will arrive later this week and I can take it out shooting. This camera is known for its toughness in all conditions and is basically a 100% mechanical machine with a few electronics thrown in, the camera can operate properly at all shutter speeds without a battery, the only things the battery runs are the self timer (go figure) and the light meter. Size wise its a bit lighter than an Leica M6 body but physically its almost identical in size, its just a tiny bit wider at the lens mount pentaprism. I expect the 60mm lens to be quite a bit bigger than the M rangefinder lens but overall I should be able to carry this camera and 3 rangefinder M cameras at the same time.

I hope this new body with the combination of the new lens will allow me to create some strong close up work. I also hope it is tough as a tank tool and will last me the rest of my life. I am very excited about the possibilities!! Lets make some frickin pictures!!

In Salgado's book "Workers" last night at work I was looking closely at a wonderful shot he did of a workers hands, I hope to do some of that in the dump later, closeups of work, hands, tools, faces maybe even the garbage (flies), shacks etc. I want to show up close the life of the people there, tell their stories more completely, more honestly and more compassionately.

From "Workers", Sebastiao Salgado