OpenTube

The Leica M2 - My Family Heirloom

Aly's Vintage Camera Alley

3,058 views

In this video I talk about my Leica M2 and why it is special to me and my family. I also share the basic specs of the camera if you are possibly thinking about purchasing one for yourself. This video is very special to me and I hope you enjoy it.
If you would like to contribute something to the channel a donation can be made:
https://alysvintagecameraalley.com/do...

Items mentioned in the video:
Leica Meter https://tidd.ly/3XDZuuH
Leica Grip https://ebay.us/DvT4VL
Purchase a Leica M2 from KEH https://tidd.ly/4oSKqWk
or to buy from Leica online store https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinm...
To buy the Summicron 35mm f2 lens that I use https://tidd.ly/488anKm
Also, check out my beloved Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 at KEH https://tidd.ly/43IEtCK
or buy it from Amazon https://amzn.to/4oSo7QB

You can also get a 10% discount off of Brevite with my link.
https://www.brevite.co/ALYSSA46561

Link to buy My Zines:
Riding In Cars with Color Film
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue...
Riding In Cars With Film
https://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue...

Follow me on social media:
Facebook:Facebook: alysdigitalandfilmphotography
or
Facebook: alysvintagecameraalley
Instagram: Instagram: alysvintagecameraalley
Instagram Black and white work: Instagram: avca_bw

To see my vintage cameras: https://alysphotography.myportfolio.com

To read my reviews in print visit my blog: https://alysvintagecameraalley.com

My Portfolio: https://alysphotography.myportfolio.com
.
.
.
.
.
.
My Equipment
Video Lights
https://amzn.to/3p5wubW
Light meter
https://amzn.to/38o2gKx
Camera for video
https://amzn.to/3qMKcXI
Video Mic
https://amzn.to/37GqH7b
tripod
https://amzn.to/3mC0n27
Audio Recording
https://amzn.to/3nBP2k1

DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps to support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for your support!

20 Comments

@AlysVintageCameraAlley Creator 8 months ago Pinned

Items mentioned in the video:
Leica Meter https://tidd.ly/3XDZuuH
Leica Grip https://ebay.us/DvT4VL
Purchase a Leica M2 from KEH https://tidd.ly/4oSKqWk
or to buy from Leica online store https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=36118&awinaffid=2127969&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fclassic.leica-camera.com%2Fen
To buy the Summicron 35mm f2 lens that I use https://tidd.ly/488anKm
Also, check out my beloved Voigtlander 35mm f1.4 at KEH https://tidd.ly/43IEtCK
or buy it from Amazon https://amzn.to/4oSo7QB

@davecrissinger8967 8 months ago

Hi Aly, I have been a viewer of yours for awhile now and I enjoy seeing your beautiful family journey through your photos. You are an inspiration to people who love photography without being a Professional. I feel that I can see a whole story with one photo and I can hear you speak through the lens. What you get from your film photos brings me back to my younger days. This week my Wife and I found out that we are going to be Grandparents for the first time and I can't wait to captures photos of our Grandchild, Who knows, maybe I can pass my passion onto them. Thanks for sharing this photo with us.

@Democratiser 4 months ago

I love your authenticity.

@rodmund83 5 months ago

Your video resonated so much with me throughout. I have my grandfather's camera - a praktica however, its non functioning and i keep it for the same sentimental reasons you mentioned. Also, 15 years ago I used my own Leica M2 to take the first photos of my then newborn son and it meant a lot ot me. Fast forward to 2014 and I was a single dad and money was tight. I sold my M2 with it's lenses thinking i would just buy it back once life got back to normal.. then the camera price hike happened and it became unrealistic for me to buy that kit back. It sat on my mind as my one and only regret for the next 12 years until this week, i have finally re-bought an M2 and replaced my beloved camera! The lenses will still have to wait but this camera will now remain with me for the rest of my life, to become an heirloom of it's own one day.

@OMGitsmercer 6 months ago

I loved the personal aspect of the video.

@pedroguedes3509 8 months ago

I relate very much to your relation with family history and heritage. I've been researching and building my family tree for over 6 years now and also talking to the most senior relatives, gathering stories and recording their memories, since I know that it only takes one uninterested generation for all of the family history to die. I took the job of "the family genealogist" and never regretted it. Also, as a film photographer I want to leave my work and cameras as heirlooms for the generations to come. Your video felt like a warm hug. Thank you so much for it.

@BillSmith1 8 months ago

That's why I treasure my dad's Nikon F and early Leica M3 and they still get used.

@sophietucker1255 8 months ago

For me that would be my Hasselblad 500C. It was made in 1965 and I've had it since 1978. It belonged to a family friend that ran a small portrait studio out of their home. They let my mom use it and their studio to make my high school senior yearbook photo. My family was still young and I used it to record many family get togethers and outings. It has a very special place for me and I'd be very sad if anything happened to it. One of my sons and my grandson both are into photography and I'd like to see one of them get it but neither is all that interested in film or medium format. Maybe the best thing would be for someone outside the family to get it and use it. Great cameras like these need to be used

@jamesmoore9511 8 months ago

I really like my M2R - No batteries required like my M9 does.

@connieg9620 8 months ago

Awesome video. 1:54 so knowledgeable about cameras. I’m so proud of you my daughter.

@fergusfitzgerald977 1 month ago

Film is beautiful ! strangely I don't do family photography - do other stuff !
It's a wonderful thing to use photography to document and celebrate family !

@Francisco_Chung 8 months ago

I love Leica M2, on some days more than M3. Thank you for the vid 👍🏻

@CW-CCC 8 months ago

Yes indeed, love that sound. I'm an M3 double stroke owner. It was the camera that got me hooked on Leica. To your point, all the manual fiddling creates some bond with these cameras. I really never thought I would be a Leica-fanboy, but here I am now.

@Dooley_Friday 8 months ago (edited)

Hi Aly! What a lovely video and tribute to loved ones past, present, and future. I'm also a button rewind user and I found that holding it upside down when rewinding negates the need to hold the button down. Give it a shot, I hope it helps on your copy!

@familymanbarrett 8 months ago

Great video Aly. Like you I am a film photographer for many years. Owning a Leica M was always a grail kind of thing but I never got one for one reason or another. In December 2023 my mother, brother and dad passed away within weeks of each other and of course I began to think about my own mortality. My son shoots film also, me having gotten him into the hobby in 2019. So a few months after their passing, I picked myself off the floor and bought myself an M2. There were M2, 3 and 4s available at the camera repair/shop in my area but the M2 felt the best to me when holding it.

The thought behind buying a Leica was that this was something I could leave for my son if if something were to happen to me. And until that day comes I will enjoy using it.

@AlexLuyckxPhoto 8 months ago

What an amazing story Aly! And what a great legacy you're leaving to your beautiful daughter! I have several cameras from family members, both my family and Heather's family. The K1000 from my Opa Luyckx, an Agfa Box 50 from my Opa Oosthoek (whom I never met), my Oma Luyckx's Instamatic. My wife's paternal grandfather's Kodak Pony 135 Model C (reviewing that on video this year), and his step-mom's Jiffy Kodak II.

@marmndc 8 months ago

Hi, it’s me, your daughter.

Beautiful camera! Been looking for one lately, or maybe an m5.

@Caballeroshot 8 months ago

Lovely video, and very well said regarding legacy. My kids will inherit my M2 as well, they're already shooting film with point and shoot cameras and digital but someday I'm sure they'll want to dig into my Leica stash.

@tomislavmiletic_ 8 months ago

Chron's? Wellcome the club, you're not alone.

@vanandpillai9424 8 months ago

Thank you for sharing this, your Leica M2 and the intention behind it is really beautiful!
I love my M2 as well. I would set my frame counter to 38, and leave it, each time i'm done with a roll, it would be back at 38. Also, after you've loaded your film, don’t advance, pull up the rewind knob and rewind slightly to tension the film, you'll feel a slight resistance, when that happens, push back down the rewind knob and advance the film. You’ll get 38 frames including a film burn. :)