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Why test the Leica EV1 in Poland?

A few months back I flew to Poland for a multi-city road trip (train trip). I arrived in Gdansk first to teach a two day 1:1 Leica workshop for a student who flew in from Australia.

From there I got the train to Warsaw and met up with Patreon buddies (Tobi) and .

I suggested we “needed to” visit the Leica Warsaw store as I knew the guys from a previous visit and understood that I might be able to test the Leica M EV1.

Leica Warsaw

If you’ve never visited I highly recommend stopping by if you’re ever in town. Great guys and very welcoming. We chatted for hours (2 days running).

EV1 Hands-On Test

On day one I requested the Leica M EV1.

Day 2 we went back to borrow it for a few hours.

I told Tobi and Thomas to borrow something too so between us we ended up with 3x M cameras and 3x lenses! (Leica EV1, M10R, M10).

Why Poland?

I don’t think I can borrow a camera for a few hours from Leica Mayfair in the UK, hence I planned it into my Poland trip. (I might be wrong). (They used to but they cracked down a lot some years ago).

First impressions?

I loved the easy to use EVF. It reminded me of a full frame Leica CL. Everything worked for me except the price tag!

Sadly we didn’t have a model to shoot so we just wandered around snapping photos and I used various lenses, new and old.

Sell everything?

I gave the Leica M EV1 a lot of thought.

I considered selling my Leica M10-P and Leica SL2-S to help fund a used Leica M EV1, but after much consideration the EV1 can’t match either camera.

Not as good as an M

The EV1 can’t replace my converted Leica M10-P as it has no rangefinder option (plus it doesn’t look as good). I’d need to replace the red dot and send the camera to Wetzlar to have the top plate engraved.

Converting my M10 to a M10-P: https://mrleica.com/leica-m10p-review/

Not as good as an SL

Compared to a Leica SL series cameras the EV1 also falls short on so many levels. Worse EVF experience, no video, no autofocus, no weather sealing, no IBIS plus poor battery life (vs SL2-S)

..but it is smaller and lighter.

Gear covered in video

Video discusses Leica M EV1 vs:

• Leica SL3

• Leica SL2-S

• Leica SL 601

• Leica M11-P

• Leica M10-P

Current state

As the moment my main camera is the Leica SL2-S. I love it but with a grip added it weighs 1.2kg. It’s too heavy. This is what made me lust after the Leica M EV1.

Future state

Looking forward I need to stop being lazy.

I used to be a ninja with M cameras but EVF cameras made me lazy. Rather than travel with the Leica SL2-S I should take the Leica M10-P (with optional EVF for emergencies).

Future state 2

The second option that I somehow overlooked is to travel with my older Leica SL 601 which only weighs 847g vs 1.2kg (But that requires packing a separate battery charger vs SL2-S. Boo!)

Almost great

If you saw my video on the Lumix S9, it’s almost the perfect Leica EV1 affordable alternative -

• Small

• Full frame

• Video option

• IBIS

• Autofocus option

• Flip-out screen

The S9 just lacks two key ingredients for a modern camera -

• Viewfinder

• Hotshoe

Read the full Lumix S9 “Leica Alternative” Article

Lumix S9 II

Talking of the Lumix S9. If Lumix release a new Lumix S9 II,

Even if it only had 2 upgrades,

Useable EVF + hotshoe,

I’d buy it instead of a Leica M EV1.

Price-value ratio is unmatched,

Even if it lacks the status and red dot.

It would sit along side my SL and M cameras and I'd pick the best tool for each job.

Leica Love vs Lumix

You know I love Leica but the CL and SL cameras came from Panasonic collabs so I don’t mind Lumix too. Like for like, say Leica SL vs Lumix S5, the Leica feels better but I can get great photos from both cameras.

Lumix camera + Leica lens + Leica Look preset = Happy Matty

(Leica and Hasselblad are my favourite camera brands but as Lumix use the same lenses as Leica (easily) those are my number two. Nearly all my digital cameras are either Leica or Lumix).

More from Poland

I struggle to find time to write up all my trips like I used to now I'm a YouTuber.

Here is a Poland article from a decade ago (See more model shot posts) -

June 2016 - Polish models with the Mamiya 6

is better at writing up any trips we’re on together so follow him to see this full Poland road trip in much better detail.

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If you’ve followed my work on YouTube and Instagram over the last three years or so, you’ll probably have noticed that most of my photoshoots now take place overseas.

To be more precise, I'd say 95% of shoots are overseas unless I'm booking London models when teaching my photography workshops.

That was never really the plan.

Before relocating towards London, I lived in Coventry and Birmingham (for around 15 years). That’s where I taught myself photography, and over time I built up a network of regular models. They became familiar faces, people I could shoot with again and again, and, more importantly, people I could spend time with.

When I moved to London, I lost that network.

Suddenly, I didn’t really have local models to work with, and so a lot of my photography became tied to travelling. I’d fly somewhere, find a model, arrange a shoot and try to make the most of the few hours we had together.

That worked. I’ve taken some great photographs doing this. I enjoy travelling, I enjoy meeting new people, and there’s something exciting about having to turn up somewhere with very little and figure things out.

But there were two limitations that I didn’t fully appreciate at the time.

The first was equipment.

When I travel, I like to keep things simple. Just 1 bag. No check in luggage. (See my Travel ebook).

Most of my trips involve a single 18-litre Wotancraft backpack, so I simply can’t take my entire lighting kit with me. Usually it’s just one light. Maybe a small LED panel or a compact flash plus a travel light stand. Whatever I can fit.

That forces me to be resourceful, which is actually a useful discipline. It also means I almost never get to experiment with the more elaborate lighting setup to the degree I used to.

The second limitation was much more important.

Time.

When you find a model overseas, particularly for a one-off shoot, you might have two or three hours together. Sometimes less.

You’re meeting someone you’ve never worked with before, you’ve got limited equipment, and you’ve got a ticking clock.

Again, that’s fine. I can usually produce some good photographs in that time. (I only invite models where I see some portfolio potential. What’s the point otherwise).

But this isn’t how I originally learned model photography and lighting. Yesterday I suddenly realised how much I’d been missing.

A completely different kind of shoot

Yesterday I photographed a local model.

I’ll talk about how I found her in another article, but she immediately ticked several boxes.

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First, I liked her look. She has a naturally pretty face with bright eyes, and because she was young, I was much more interested in creating face-focused portraits rather than making the shoot overly sexualised.

Second, we shot in my home studio.

That meant I could use everything. Think kid in candy store!

No worrying about what I could fit into a suitcase. No single-light limitation.

I could put out eight or nine different modifiers. I could use all my light stands. I could change the lighting completely and then change it again.

I could experiment.

And then there was the third thing.

Time.

She essentially said, “We’ve got as long as you need.”

We ended up shooting for around four hours, and we probably would have gone even longer if the person accompanying her hadn’t eventually needed food.

Four hours with someone you’ve just met is a very different experience from trying to squeeze everything into two.

And then there was a fourth thing that made the shoot particularly interesting.

It was her first ever photoshoot.

She’d never done this before and it was pure luck that she’d signed up for modelling the week that I designed to sign up to search.

For me, that’s gold.

Firstly, it reminds me of why I love teaching. You see the massive grin on a students face when they have that lightbulb moment and they suddenly understand exposure, or zone focusing, or flash photography or whatever.

The same is true showing a new model their first photos. Their eyes just light up and you see that massive grin. From there the photos get better and better as we’re working together as a team and now they’re as excited as I am as to wanting to get great shots.

I like new models not because I want to control someone, but because there are no established expectations yet. No fixed idea of how she “should” pose. No repertoire of poses she’s done a hundred times. No assumptions about what the photographer wants.

I can introduce ideas.

We can try try different stuff.

If it doesn’t work, we try something else. (The photos we did are not perfect but we were experimenting and we both came away with things we can do differently in future).

There is a willingness to experiment.

Obviously, there are boundaries, and those matter. But within those boundaries, she was incredibly open to trying things.

And that’s exactly what I love about photography.

I think I’ve finally remembered how I learned

It made me think back to the beginning of my photography, around 2011 when I started working with models.

I became reasonably good at photography surprisingly quickly. Within a few years of buying my first camera, I was already teaching photography and lighting. 2014 I ran my first Leica workshop in London.

Looking back, I think there were two major reasons for that.

The first was obsession.

When I get interested in something, I tend to go all in.

Photography wasn’t something I did occasionally.

I thought about it constantly, 24/7.

I wanted to understand everything. I wanted to know why a particular light worked. Why a modifier produced a particular result. Why one composition felt better than another.

And I shot constantly.

Three or four days a week, sometimes more.

But there was another ingredient that was probably even more important.

I had time with models.

Models would come over and essentially spend the day with me.

I’d make us cups of tea. We’d put some music on. They’d bring a huge pile of clothes.

And we’d just create.

There wasn’t a two-hour countdown hanging over everything.

We could try one outfit.

Then another.

Change the lighting.

Try a different modifier.

Move the light.

Change the composition.

Try something completely ridiculous.

And then try something else.

I had a muse, and I had time with that muse.

That combination is incredibly powerful.

Because playing is one of the fastest ways to learn photography.

Creatively, you can try more ideas.

Technically, you can experiment with different lights, modifiers, positions, ratios and compositions.

You can make mistakes without feeling like you’ve wasted half of somebody’s paid modelling session.

And eventually, through all that experimentation, you start to understand what you’re doing.

I’m not taking photographs just to get photographs

I think this is the bit I’ve been missing most.

I’m not really interested in taking photographs simply because I need more photographs.

I take photographs because I want to try things.

I want to experiment.

I want to see what happens if I put this light here.

What happens if I use that modifier?

What happens if I change the lens?

What happens if I completely change the mood?

That requires time.

Yesterday, for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was back in those early days.

I could play.

I could put up another light.

Try another modifier.

Change the setup.

Try something else.

There was no need to rush.

And it felt fantastic.

Maybe I’ve found a new muse

The really exciting part is that the model enjoyed the photographs too.

We’re hopefully going to shoot again next week, to improve on the first session.

And this time, I won’t be flying anywhere.

She’s less than half an hour away by train.

She’s local.

She’s available.

She’s interested.

And, because she’s relatively young and currently has some time over the summer, there’s the possibility of doing something I haven’t really had for years:

building a working relationship with a muse through repeated shoots.

Not just hiring someone for two hours and trying to get the photographs I need.

But creating together.

Trying things.

Learning.

Making mistakes.

Finding something that works and then pushing it further.

And perhaps that’s what I’ve been missing all this time.

I thought I was missing models.

I thought I was missing the freedom of my old bigger studio in Coventry.

But yesterday it dawned on me.

What I was missing was time.

Time to experiment.

Time to play.

Time to learn.

And maybe, finally, time to find a new muse.

Watch on Patreon

Want a fly-on-the-wall look at this shoot? I’m putting together a behind the scenes video showing how the shoot unfolded and sharing the lighting and equipment that I used. Coming soon on Patreon.

Special thanks to my past muses

I must say a special thanks to the likes of Harriett, Stacey, Amy, Gina, Becky.. I’ve dotted some of our old photos throughout this article. You probably had no idea what you were helping me build.

These were some of my superstar Coventry model friends / muses around 2014 (some later) that helped me teach myself photography.

I certainly couldn’t have imagined it back then.

After 8 long years of studying for my ACCA qualification (having already done a degree at University), I walked away from my Corporate finance career to become a full time photographer and YouTuber creator. Check out my eBooks for more.

None of this would have happened without the models who gave me their time and trust, and who came back time and time again.

I shot with some models for 10 years, say 17-18yrs to 27-28yrs, both in the UK and overseas.

Likewise, I hope it works both ways. If my photographs can give a model more confidence, or a way to express themselves, and perhaps lead to new opportunities, then hopefully we both benefited from our time together.

(As a bare minimum, if my models don’t go home on a high then I’ve failed. Our shoots should be like a feel-good spa day but without the rocks and oils).

I want to apologise for the rather downbeat tone of this article, but I’m simply trying to be realistic. (Normally I'm always a glass half full kinda guy).

Quick introduction

If you’re new here, I’ve been photographing models for the last 16–17 years and teaching others how to do the same since 2014.

Models

When I say “models”, for me these are often just regular people blessed with good looks.

I enjoy photographing beautiful people (mostly women), and I travel specifically to increase my chances of finding them. (For me, the genetics in some countries are simply better than others.)

The good old days

When I think back to my early days of model photography, I’d fly to Poland or Hungary and just “fill my boots” with model shoots before coming home.

At one point I was shooting six models a day from my rented apartment overlooking the beach in Poland.

Looking back, it almost sounds unbelievable.

At the peak

Life was pretty simple.

Morning run.

Massive breakfast (to last me the day)

Then shooting non-stop from 8:00am until 8:00pm, with back-to-back two-hour sessions. 1 in, 1 out.

See some of my old blog posts from Poland and other countries where I document the trips and share some of the results -

https://mrleica.com/leica-cl-35mm-50mm-portraits/

Building trust

As a model photographer, a great sign that you’re doing things right is when models agree to travel and live with you for a few days. They will only agree to this if they feel safe are happy to hang out for a few days.

I’ve done this multiple times over the years.

One of my earliest happy memories was travelling with Lindsey (from the UK) to Tenerife for some winter sun photos. At this time I wrote up every trip as a blog post.

You can read about this trip here -

https://mrleica.com/model-photography-tenerife

More recently I travelled with Sophie from the UK to Lanzarote. First just us two and then again with my Patreon friend Tobi (follow his on Substack for an insight into our current trips as I rarely get chance to document them now - ).

Remember getting PAID to shoot beautiful models?

It feels like a distant memory now… or perhaps just a dream.

10-15 years ago beautiful models actually paid me for their photos.

One of the highlights of my photography career came after a very glamorous Polish model (living in the UK) found me on Google and contacted me asking for a paid shoot.

That led to more shoots together, then us travelling to Tenerife together for a multi-day paid shoot in the sunshine.

For me that was a genuine career highlight.

A highly focused, top-tier model requesting clothed and nude shoots. Amazing locations, great results ..and getting paid to do it!

Great times. See the article I wrote from that trip here -

https://mrleica.com/model-photography/

What changed?

If you photograph models today, you might struggle to find two models for one day.

So why was it so easy back then?

When I think back, it was before Instagram and before smartphones with decent cameras.

When a foreign photographer came to town (me) offering free photos, people jumped at the opportunity, especially if a friend had already worked with me and loved the results.

Word spread quickly and models were easy to find.

People used to need photographers

Years ago, if you wanted beautiful photographs, you needed a skilled photographer.

Think back to the Helmut Newton era (and photographers like him).

Photographers held all the cards.

We were the ones in demand.

The tables have turned

Today almost everyone owns a phone capable of taking very good photos and almost zero skill or camera knowledge is required.

In many ways, everyone has become a photographer and the scarce resource is no longer photography.

Today it’s beautiful people in good shape (especially at a time when obesity has become increasingly common) that are the minority in demand.

These models now hold the cards, not photographers.

The equation has flipped 100% and traditional “skilled” photographers are no longer required in most situations.

AI and filters

If smartphone cameras were not already changing everything, AI and filters are accelerating it even further.

Why would someone put themselves through the hassle of arranging a shoot with a stranger (a photographer), when they can ask a friend to take a few photos and then use AI to make themselves look even better than reality?

From their perspective, it’s an easy decision.

No more hidden gems

Before social media, if there was someone who looked like a supermodel working in a small town, you’d only discover them if you happened to visit that part of the world. (I was lucky that my former finance career took me to towns across Europe on a regular basis).

See the “Quitting my career” YouTube video -

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Often these individuals didn’t even realise how exceptional they looked because everyone around them saw them every day.

One girl I worked with a lot in Ukraine when she was around 17 years old went on to work for a top Paris model agency. (Kodak even reached out to use one of our photos in a marketing campaign)

Today there are very few of these hidden beauties to seek out.

If someone is genuinely stunning, social media usually finds them very quickly and their popularity skyrockets making them unreachable.

(When models have 50K-1M followers there is a very high chance that they won’t see or read any attempt you make to contact them).

Beautiful women have moved on

I watched this happen first-hand.

Many of the beautiful girls I photographed during my early trips to Ukraine (as one example) were head-hunted once social media really took off and were soon whisked away to another city or continent.

People with money can offer model-looking people a seemingly better lifestyle, and I saw many leave their hometowns for new pastures.

(This was well before the current Ukraine conflict and displacement.)

Cabin crew

Another observation from the last decade that I saw from my frequent travelling.

10-15 years ago it wasn’t unusual to see top-tier models working as airline cabin crew.

Certain airlines always seemed to have noticeably attractive crews depending on the country they were based in.

Today that’s pretty rare. Many of the flights I catch regularly now have at least 50% male cabin crew from Morocco rather than model-looking girls from Europe.

Beauty has become easy to monetise

So why is this?

Because social media has empowered beautiful people (women especially).

Why earn a cabin crew salary when Instagram, YouTube, brand deals, or OF, can generate vastly more income?

Think of some of the popular YouTubers today - Above average pretty people showing you how they travel the world, van life living, building a house in a new country, survival skills, DJs.

The key ingredient to success is they all use their good looks to hook in new viewers (and often dress to maximise views).

..Or now live on a yacht

I’ve watched multiple models that I used to photograph move on to completely new lives.

One long-time model friend from Poland, who used to work in bars and as a promo girl, now lives on a luxury yacht with her boyfriend in the Caribbean.

A London girl who did part time modelling with me in the past did something similar and now shares Instagram stories from her yacht lifestyle.

Just two examples of many.

Surgery

To add to what I see as the unfolding decline, cosmetic surgery has become increasingly common.

Lip fillers, nose jobs and other procedures are now almost mainstream.

Fuelled by social media and constant comparison, it often feels like everyone is chasing the same “perfect” face (and figure).

If your lips are too thin, get fillers.

If your nose isn’t quite right, have it altered.

At this rate, all models will look the same in five years.

Natural beauties are becoming extinct

Within the model scene and for people who enjoy being photographed, it’s becoming harder and harder to find people who haven’t altered their appearance.

Modern cameras are incredible but no amount of camera magic can fix a bad lip job.

Tattoo epidemic

When you think it can’t get any worse, there’s also the tattoo trend.

I’m not talking about a tiny tattoo on an ankle.

I’m talking about neck and face tattoos, full sleeves and large areas of ink.

People see influencers covered in tattoos and decide it looks cool so look to do the same.

Like Pringles

The trouble is, tattoos often seem a bit like Pringles…

“Once you pop, you can’t stop.”

One tattoo becomes five.

Five becomes ten.

Ten becomes a sleeve.

Then whatever skin is left.

Just my opinion

I’m sure plenty of people love tattoos and oversized lip fillers.

That’s completely fine.

But as someone who tries to create timeless beauty photographs (images that could have been taken decades ago), these modern enhancements immediately date a photograph.

To me, they just look very… 2026.

Age gap

Another challenge that naturally comes with time is the growing age gap between photographers and models.

Fifteen years ago I was in my early thirties (although my baby face probably made me look mid-twenties), and many of the models I photographed were around 18–25.

We were closer in age, conversation flowed naturally, and it was easy to relate to one another.

Fast forward to today and I’m coming up to 50 yet many models are still around the same age.

These days I probably photograph more people in the 25–35 age range because I genuinely find it difficult to judge whether someone is 16 or 18, and I have absolutely no interest in approaching anyone who is underage.

Occasionally I’ll work with an exceptionally confident and mature 17-year-old, but only where their parents are supportive and they’re clearly well beyond their years in terms of maturity.

In another ten years I’ll be approaching 60 so walking up to an 18-year-old to ask about a photoshoot will likely feel even more unfamiliar.

That said, there are plenty of photographers in their sixties producing fantastic work with models, so perhaps I’m simply overthinking it.

So how does the future look?

As you’ve probably gathered from the tone of this article, I’m not hugely optimistic about the future of model photography as a hobby.

I think the landscape has changed permanently.

That said, I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom.

There are still ways to improve your chances of finding great people to collaborate with.

And that’s the important part.

More connected than ever

One upside of social media is that we’ve never been more connected.

In theory, it’s never been easier to find models.

(If you’re interested, my free eBook includes lots of tips on finding people to photograph.)

For me, it’s simply a numbers game.

Ask enough people and eventually someone will say yes to a free photoshoot.

Be realistic

Another easy way to hear more “yeses” is to be realistic with your expectations.

When I first started photography, I was happy to photograph anyone who was a little prettier than average.

Fifteen-plus years later, that’s changed. I’m no longer shooting to gain experience.

Today I only shoot if I can genuinely see portfolio potential. Someone who could produce work on a level similar to my existing portfolio.

Naturally, that makes things much harder.

If I lowered my standards, I could probably arrange far more shoots but because I’m aiming for the top 1–5% of people, there’s a much greater chance of being ignored or rejected.

If your goal is simply to photograph more people, just be a little less selective. Your pool of potential models instantly becomes much bigger.

Just remember that the top 0.1% of attractive people are probably approached for photos several times every single day. To them, we’re likely just more background noise.

Some people always want photos (and attention)

There will always be some people that want photos. You probably know the type.

Some individuals genuinely love being in front of a camera. They enjoy the attention.

Offer those people a free photoshoot and there’s a good chance they’ll say yes.

Don’t know where to start?

If you love the idea of model photography but aren’t sure where to begin, my complete A–Z Model Photography Guide eBook covers the entire process.

Inside you’ll find:

• How to find models.

• Shoot planning checklists.

• Things to remember before and during and after a shoot.

• Creative ideas to keep your photography fresh.

• Practical advice based on more than 16 years of photographing models.

Whether you’re photographing your first model or your hundredth, I hope it helps.

Fly on the wall

If the model photography topic interests you but you prefer to just observe from afar, check out my model shoot behind the scenes videos on Patreon.

..or just FastTrack

Short on time? Fast track your learning by joining an organised model photography workshop.

Take my 1:1 workshops for example - https://mrleica.com/workshops/

Photographers fly to me or I fly to meet them. I arrange the models, they bring their camera and after just one day they are likely a year further ahead than I was when I taught myself.

Do a few sessions like this and you’ll soon have the skills and confidence to arrange your own photoshoots with models!

Matt Osborne

More info at mrleica.com

As with some of my other Substack phototrips I team up with my two pals (Tobi) and for this Gdansk trip.

Thomas is half Polish and knows the city well and I should be half Polish I’ve visited Gdansk so many times. It would be Tobi’s first visit so we were exited to show him around!

Polish girls

Ever since first visiting Poland on a work trip i’ve been a big fan of Polish girls. You could say i’m now addicted as i’ve been going back multiple times a year ever since.

The only Polish model to fly to visit me in the UK was one of my first contacts and friends Agnieszka -

In the early days I always stayed in a city called Sopot. I shot for a local model agency so I had a constant stream of models, shooting 6 girls a day at the peak, 2hrs each back to back non-stop all day. Those were good times!

These days I might shoot 3 girls in a day on a busy day but more likely only 1 or 2..

One of the models Mum’s owned a hotel on the beach so I got to stay for mates rates prices. As the years past it was time to explore new pastures so I started to stay in different parts of Gdansk instead (the neighbouring city).

As the years past most models grew up and moved on with their lives but I’ve keep in touch with a few of the originals for over 10 years.

Teresa no longer lives in Poland but I did manage to catch her in 2024 -

If you’ve bought my model photography photobooks most of those photos are generally taken in Poland + Hungary (and in recent years the Czech Republic) plus perhaps a few in Spain, Spanish islands, the UK and a couple of other countries.

I visit countries in search of great models and when I find them I tend to go back to meet them again. That’s why I love visiting Poland and specifically Gdansk.

Old stuff but no girls

I contacted some of my Polish model friends and all the regulars were busy during the days we were there. Instead of photoshoots we explored the city instead.

I’d photographed the local girls on my previous trips some months earlier so I was happy to capture some old stuff this time instead. Also when use 3 friends get together we don’t really need models to entertain us. We have fun on our own just hanging out.

Special camera for the trip

The main goal for this trip was to try out my new Frankenstein camera, a Mamiya 645 1000s that I bought especially to pair with Leica lenses. (I used to own this camera and the Mamiya M645 Super in the past but i’d sold them).

So yes you heard that right. I bought a medium format Mamiya 1000s film camera to pair with a Leica lens that i’d just bought. The first thing I needed to find was a lens adapter and then I was all set.. or so I thought anyway!

Not so easy

It turned out that not all lenses fit the official lens adapter including THE one Leica lens that i’d bought the camera for. I did some freelensing and used the 200mm f4 the most as that lens actually fit the camera (and worked to infinity). It’s mostly an adapter issue so i’ll try to find a solution and try again.

Mamiya 645 cameras are one of the best value medium format cameras if you want to dip your toes into 120 film cameras -

Mamiya 645 + Leica lens

As a long time Leica guy this was an exciting moment. For the first time I would capture Leica lens magic on larger 120 film negatives. To be more specific, as the camera name suggests I’d be shooting 645 film format with Leica glass instead of the usual 35mm film in Leica cameras.

Test photos

Here are a few photos from the test roll -

What Leica lenses will work?

For this approach you have to use specifically Leica Visoflex lenses (and even then only the longer lenses will work to infinity). I’ll let you check out the video for a visual but there is much more to come - I’ve ordered more adapters, Tobi is machining my existing adapter to fit more lenses. Once he finds time to do that i’m sure a follow-up video will come if it’s a suceess.

Previous 2025 Gdansk trips

I’d been in Gdansk multiple times already in 2025. On one trip I tested the new TTArtisan 40mm f2 lens if you saw that video -

Leica workshop in Gdansk

On another occasion I met one of my UK Leica workshop students in Gdansk and arranged a day of Polish models for him. Here are some sample photos from our day with Amelia and another model.

Message me if via the blog or Instagram if you’d like to join me in Gdansk for a workshop.

Passion project (photobook)

Gdansk is also one of my long term passion projects. That being, I’m documenting the city regeneration (specifically the Gdansk docks area) and turning those images into a photobook.

After being a regular in Gdansk for over a decade I saw how fast things were changing so I started to document with my cameras. Each visit I took various film cameras and made time to go and explore between my photoshoots.

I’m happy I started when I did but equally I wished i’d thought about it 5 years sooner.

I used to photograph models in the old shipyard factory remains which were later turned into modern apartment blocks.

Gdansk photobook

I printed a small run of Gdansk zines in December 2025 not expecting any interest and they all sold within a few weeks. After accidentally selling my own copy I decided that for 2026 I will make a larger B5 size book design. Bigger photos, twice as many pages and more images.

These photos have a more gritty urban nostalgic feel and completely different from my usual model photography. If you’re interested in getting a copy of the next book, be sure to add your email and preferences to the mailing list.

Photograph things before they are gone

It’s sad, there was a little cafe in the Gdansk docks where the shipyard workers went to eat each day. I visited with Thomas on our last trip and inside they had old photos etc.

I thought it would be nice to take a photobook for them so we visited only to find that the cafe had gone. Sad as the cafe was like a little time capsule with memories and old photos from the shipyard. I’ve take it upon my self to try to record the city’s old shipyard remains before it’s all gone.

Gdansk 2026

I’ll be back again soon enough. I’m thinking to take either a 6x6 folding camera like my Voigtlander Perkeo II or a Hasselblad for some nice 6x6 negatives of the city for the book.

More BTS from this trip

For a more in-depth write-up from this specific Gdansk trip check out recent article.

Gear reviews

For write-ups on all the cameras and lenses I use visit MrLeica.com.

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Colour film project 2026

As part of my self inflicted colour film experiment for 2026 i’m shooting colour film for a few months and I bought the chemistry to develop (and scan) at home.

More on that in a future article but to note all the following images were home developed and scanned (Epson v800).

Czech Republic 2026 recap

In the title I say Prague but to be exact I was in both Pilsen and Prague.

I was in CZ to photo models and (aka. Tobi) joined me part way through. You can see some of the model photography in the prior notes i’ve posted plus BTS videos on my Patreon.

This roll of Kodak Portra 400 film was given to me after the photoshoots were finished so what will I photograph? Let’s find out!

The trigger - SNOW!

With the photoshoots over and only 1 day remaining of the trip i’d come to the conclusion that I wouldn’t shoot any more film. That all changed when I opened the curtains to see snow falling outside our hotel window in Pilsen. Tobi and I jumped into action and headed out with our cameras.

Not enough light

My first problem was I wanted to take photos but there just wasn’t enough light. Shooting wide open at f1.4 (on a Voigtländer Nokton 40mm Classic) at 1/30 on my silver chrome Leica M4 just wasn’t fast enough to freeze action (obviously).

As such the first few photos were not great but you get a sense of the snow. I like the yellow trams and tungsten lights against the blue hour glow reflecting off the fresh snow.

The reality looked much darker than the film shows… and way less pretty!

Wandering the streets

Despite the snow falling and heavy cloud cover it was getting light pretty fast so we took photos as we walked and headed in the general direction of the railway station.

Train spotting!

When I don’t have models to photograph I enjoy bridges, trams and railways. I like the lines, the infrastructure and old looking stuff (old trams, trains etc that look like they were shot in a prior era).

I also prefer mixed lighting for when shooting colour film as you’ll see in the next article*

More light

As it got brighter it was easier to shoot but the photos lacked the mixed lighting that I like. (For the wider shots I was now using the new Artralab 28mm f2.8 lens. See the video below if you missed it on YouTube).

Time for breakfast

One of the highlights of each day in Pilsen was our buffet breakfast. They served both oats and eggs so I was a happy man. I live on this stuff!

When we entered the breakfast room (still with cameras) we saw a guy with a great hat and I managed to get this shot without feeling too awkward (while pretending to photography Tobi).

Onto Prague

It was then time for us to pack up and check-out. Tobi would kindly drive us to Prague where we’d spend the day before my evening flight back to London (and Tobi drives back home to Germany).

Follow as he’s done a write-up for this trip in much more detail*

Arriving to Prague

First stop, coffee and sugar hit for Tobi. (I eat weird so I just had water til I got home.. I’ll write another eBook when I get time.. works like a charm!)

You can see in these iPhone photos my first error.. I only brought my 28mm Artralab for the day so this would be a disaster once it got dark.

Buying a new lens

Quick shout out to Foto-Skoda, our favourite camera store in Prague! This was the day when I bought the Canon 100mm f3.5 LTM lens. Amazing lens, see the video -

Prague after dark

I managed to get these photos using 1/30 second and hoping I had enough light at f2.8 on the Artralab lens.

Added mist filter

For the final few photos I asked Tobi to be my model and to get more halation on the bokeh I handheld a 1/8 K&F Concept mist filter over the lens. We both kept still and 1/30 was just enough light at f2.8 (standing under a string of LED lights). Not a bokeh lens but decent sharpness wide open from the little Atralab.

Portra 400 verdict

I’ve never been a huge fan of Kodak Portra 400 for the simple reason that i’m not looking for perfect colours when shooting film. I rather shoot a film stock that gives a more stylised look such as Kodak Gold 200 on a sunny day, Lomo 800, or Cinestill 800T for after dark.

Spoiler..

In the full colour film write-up to follow I will likely say that Cinestill 800T is unmatched (excluding similar films like Amber T800).

Cinestill for me wins easily over Portra in low light and mixed light conditions (both colours, halation, detail, everything). It’s a complete waste of money to shoot Cinestill 800T in midday sun but it works and you do get results. One film does it all. More on that next time.. Subscribe!

Camera

All film photos were captured using my silver Leica M4. See more on this camera here or visit MrLeica.com for all reviews.

Thanks!

Special thanks to for the film loan. I’m very pleased to have captured so many memories on a single roll of film. (I am enjoying colour film for documenting my travels.. again more on that to come).

Trains vs planes

If you follow me on Instagram you’ll know that I fly multiple times each month for photoshoots. Ryanair flights are cheap from London to Europe so most of my photography now happens overseas.

The one drawback to my highly efficient travel strategy (see my Travel ebook for how to) is I only fly with one small backpack. This limits what I carry.

One big advantage of travelling by train is I can take 2 backpacks included a larger one (loaded to the max) without worrying about oversized baggage fees. As I needed to take Thomas something and bring something back I decided to do the Eurostar route rather than fly. The silly thing is it’s cheaper to fly but at least I was able to work on the way.

Plan for the trip

The goal for the trip (other than to hang out and have fun) was to test the following -

1. New Mandler 35mm f2 vs Leica KOB

2. Leica Summarex 85mm (vs various 90mm)

3. Shoot Leica Monopan 50 film vs Adox HR50

Surprise visit! Delfshaven (Classic camera store)

Thomas had a nice surprise for me on day one. He took me to a local used camera store in Delft (which seems to be pretty famous in The Netherlands) - Fotohandel Delfshaven.

The guy in the shop recognised me from YouTube and gave us a warm welcome. That lead to a 3+ hours chat, tour of the shop and both me and Thomas buying new (old) lenses. (Not yet disclosed but video to come!).

The guys know their stuff and have everything you can think of. We even tried the black paint new Mandler lens on a black paint Leica M3 in the store! Talking of Mandler, let’s cover that next.

King of Bokeh replica

Mandler just released their version of the famous Leica Summicron 35mm f2 v4 KOB lens. Thomas owned the original KOB so that allowed me to do a head to head shootout. See the video for the results and here are a few sample photos.

KOB Replica - Is it a keeper?

Yes! I’m still using the lens today (when I don’t need edge sharpness)** A follow up video is coming together with details on how to buy this lens outside of China. (They’ve been busy behind the scenes and it just gets better!)

This photo was shot on a recent workshop trip in Fuerteventura with my Leica M10-P

Leica made an 85mm lens?

The next test was another shootout, this time using Thomas’s lenses - Leica Summarex 85mm f1.5 vs Leica Thambar 90mm f2.2 vs Leica Summicron 90mm f2 (Pre-ASPH & ASPH). See the YouTube video to hear my thoughts.

In brief, the Summarex was always going to be too big for my usual compact travel setup but I appreciated the opportunity to test the lens against 90s that i’m more familiar with.

Leica now make film!?

Lastly, you might have seen it on YouTube, I tested the new Leica Monopan 50 film against the rumoured identical film Adox HR50. Visit the blog post for full details and I link the video below which explains my findings.

Former student

Thomas is a former student become best mate. We first met together when I ran a 1:1 Leica workshop in Gdansk. (It’s funny, Thomas actually found me because of my Nikon F5 YouTube video - Over time I brainwashed him to join the Leica team!) (I still own Nikon film cameras, as does Thomas).

I met Thomas for more workshops in various countries over a few years and now he doesn’t really need me when it comes to photoshoots.

For October, Thomas arranged all 4 of our models (and all for free - as I teach) (Just read my Model Photography A-Z Guide for how). We shot 4 girls across 2 days in various locations and a third photographer friend Sigi joined us on the last day.

Here are a few BTS photos (sorry most of my BTS is video clips so I share those on Patreon).

Model photography with Leica cameras

If you’re interested in joining me for a 1:1 workshop, whether in London, Gdansk, Budapest etc, get in touch and we can find a date to fit your schedule for 2026.

Thanks for having me!

Big thanks to Thomas (and Olga) for having me! (Thomas is now on Substack - .. we just need him to post something!)

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

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Enjoyed this trip summary? Consider subscribing - 3 more trips to write-up for 2025!

As someone perhaps known for his black and white photography (MrLeicaCom on Instagram), shooting colour film is me very much me stepping out of my comfort zone. I’m OK at B&W, I’m less great with colour!

Let me share my 3-step plan for colour film in 2026 ..and note, this isn’t my first rodeo. 8-10 years ago I was shooting a lot of ECN-2 movie film. I’ll explain..

My recipe for disappointment

What I love in my favourite Leica 35mm B&W film negs is the fine grain, high resolution and simplicity of no colour distractions. Great, so the plan to shoot colour C-41 film is likely going to lead to upset then! Lower resolution, MORE grain and very easy to make crappy photos (and not in a good way).

BUT.. when you nail a shot on colour film it can capture a mood that can’t be felt on B&W.. especially with the use of mixed lighting to evoke emotions (warm light vs cold light etc etc).

1) I’m older and wiser (In theory)

The last time I shot a fair bit of colour film was 8-10 years ago. I know a lot more now so will try to be smarter when looking for images - use of light, time of day, adding coloured light via LED for portraits (as a portrait guy), colour correction filters for lenses, styling models for colour (not for textures and patterns) + matching models outfits to the location colour palette, picking the correct film for the task (and over exposing when it helps).

Film choice? Let’s talk about MOVIE film!

2) Movie film hits differently

My reason to shoot colour film is to achieve better (more interesting) colours than with digital. I love how colour film can just surprise you with some wacky colours or off-tones that just work so well yet i’d never have the vision to edit a digital image in the same way. To stack the odds in my favour I will go back to the colour film stocks I used to love the most Kodak Vision3!

In 2026, it’s now commonplace to find the cool kids shooting respooled Kodak Vision3 films. Back in 2016 it was much less common (and film was far less popular 10 years ago than today). At that time I sourced a selection of 400ft tin short-end Kodak Vision3 500T, 200T and 50D films.

This was around the time Cinestill came to market with their Cinestill 800T (and later 50D etc). Fun fact - I was a Beta tester for Cinestill 800T and I used to chat to the brothers on Facebook before the Cinestill brand exploded).

A decade on, I still have film in those big tins waiting to be shot in my fridge. Yes i’ll now need to overexpose them 1-2 stops like V3 50D at ISO 25 (+1) but I think it will be fun to try these films again. Expired movie film will mean more grain but they should also help capture those interesting colours and the nostalgic vibe i’m craving.

» BLOG - Leica vs Nikon (Photoshoots with Kodak Vision3 500T)

3) Developing & costs

The problem with colour film is the expense - both buying the film and then lab costs for developing and scanning. I’ve always developed my own B&W film which makes it super cheap and I scan my own negatives too (all formats).

Over the last 8 years or so I just wasn’t shoot enough colour film to make it worth buying the chemicals so I had the occasional roll lab developed. Previously, I used to buy the big Tetanol C-41 2.5L kits and that worked out very economical (if you shoot a lot of colour film.. or collect them up before developing).

Today we have the option of the Cinestill C41 Colour Simplified power kit which isn’t expensive. You can do like 18 rolls for £25 (more if you want to risk it). No more postage fees, no more time waiting for labs, no more risk of you film getting lost etc. I prefer to work on my own film as I have full control (and it’s really rewarding when it works out!)

I know what you’re thinking.. you’re like Matt, that sounds great but movie film is ECN-2 not C-41. That would be correct BUT my favourite way to shoot Kodak Vision3 films is to cross-process it by developing in C-41 chemistry. This boosts the contrast and saturation and just gives the images a bit more pop. All the images shared in this article were cross processed at home.

» BLOG - Developing C-41 film at home

All I need now is patience

To reap the full reward of affordable home C-41 developing I now need to be patient. The goal is to start shooting colour film (along side my B&W film for my sanity backup!) and then WAIT.

With B&W film I can shoot a roll in the morning and develop and scan when I get home (like yesterday). With colour, I now need to shoot multiple rolls over a few months until I reach around 12-18 exposed rolls and then I can make up the chemistry and have a developing session.

The Cinestill C41 kit can last 8 weeks+ if stored correctly so if i’m being impatient.. probably.. I will shoot 6 rolls, make up the kit, check the results then if all good shoot another 6-12 rolls over the following 8 weeks. That is likely the smart option just in case the film is “too bad to use”.

» BLOG - Cinestill 50D vs Kodak Portra 160

Film is like the lottery

I see colour film like playing the lottery. Colour film usually results in disappointment for me but OCCASIONALLY it comes good. If you don’t play you never have the chance of hitting a winner! (Note I don’t play the lottery and this is why I normally shoot B&W film! Haha)

Don’t hold back

When film is expensive I always hesitate before clicking the shutter and that can lead to many missed opportunities. If you develop your own C-41 film, and price it for say 6 rolls (£25 for 6 rolls is still cheaper than a lab if you pay postage etc). With this mindset every roll after the 6th roll is free to develop (say you develop 18 rolls that’s 12 rolls of free developing!)

Likewise if you can then source some free expired film to experiment with you now have free film and free developing so now you really can let rip and shoot whenever and whatever you want. Shooting more means practice = better results. This is exciting for me!

As I also have expired C41 120 colour film from the same period I can also shoot this and develop in the same chemistry. 120 film is better for expired film as the extra grain is less overpowering in the final image. (I can also try 35mm film in 120 cameras like I used to for pano shots!)

» BLOG - Cinestill 800T

Follow the journey

Hopefully I can inspire others to shoot more film in 2026. If this sounds like fun feel free to share this with film friends and subscribe. I’ll take you along for the ride and post my results and learning points on Substack as I go.

Make lasting connections

Quick story - A guy called Tobi first discovered me back in around 2017 when he saw my Kodak Vision3 images on Flickr (below). Tobi went on to join my Patreon community when I set that up and a few years later he invited me to meet him in Italy for a body paint photography event. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I agreed and flew out to meet him.

Since then Tobi aka. has become one of my closest friends and we regularly travel together. All thanks to me posting some Kodak Vision3 images on Flickr!

Film stocks

If you’re not sure what colour film stock to try first see my list of FILM REVIEWS on the blog for sample photos or check out videos from my buddy who has reviewed many films for YouTube.

Discovering Budapest

In the past, I worked as a Senior Auditor for a US Company and I helped look after our EMEA region. One of our biggest sites was in Tiszaújváros, Hungary. (Hard to pronounce so everyone called it T-Town). This was a Greenfield site in the middle of rural Hungary where the Blackberry phones were assembled (if you remember those).

Most months, I’d be in Hungary for a 2-week stint, the routine was the 6:00 flight from the UK to Amsterdam, change, then catch the old Malev airlines flight to Budapest. From Budapest i’d meet my colleagues and we’d hop in a taxi to the factory. This meant at each end of the trip we’d see Budapest and it was around that time that I was getting into model photography.

For most of my life i’ve been an extreme introvert and despite my senior position for this company. (I later found my voice after making myself present on YouTube but it wasn’t easy). It would take me 1-2 weeks to build up the courage to approach a girl in the office and invite them for a photoshoot. Coming from the UK I was in awe at the local Hungarian girls. They were beautiful on another level.

I became know at the factory as “the guy with the camera” which my boss wasn’t a fan off. I built trust with the local girls and every time I visited we organised photoshoots around my work hours. I’ve since quit my Audit and Accountancy career (for YouTube full time) but I still visit Budapest multiple times a year to photograph the local girls.

Blue skies, old trams, many bridges

If you’ve read my Travel ebook you’ll know that I love Budapest for 3 main reasons. A higher chance of blue skies (aka. sunshine), the old yellow trams (found on certain routes) and the many bridges cris-crossing the river Danube. That and of course the mentioned beautiful Hungarian models. (Hungarian girls are just built differently!)

Perfect location

If I have new camera lenses to test for YouTube then Budapest ticks all the boxes. I can meet local models friends (and their friends) for portrait sessions (some may call it glamour) and then explore the city in my ‘downtime’ (aka, travel photography).

Budapest with different film formats

I love to reshoot the same location with multiple film formats as it keeps things fresh. Check out some of these YouTube videos of me using 35mm film cameras, 6x6 Hasselblads and even a 4x5 camera. (I’m tempted to take my Linhof 4x5 setup in 2026 as I just loved the process).

Budapest with 35mm film

I’ve enjoyed photographing Budapest with a range of 35mm cameras. Leica iii Barnack cameras, Leica M cameras, Nikon FE2 and the Contax T2. I don’t use many automatic film cameras so using the Contax T2 in Budapest was a refreshing change.

Budapest with medium format cameras

I’m normally a black and white film guy but for this trip I loaded up 2 Hasselblad cameras with Cinestill colour film to compare them.

Budapest with a large format camera

This was my first time flying with a 4x5 camera. Field cameras actually pack up quite small it’s impressive what you can fit into a carry-on size flight bag.

4 visits in 2025!

I just had to check my calendar to see how many times I was actually in Budapest in 2025 - 4 trips! February, April, June and October 2025. Let’s recap some of the highlights.

Feb’25 - Running with cameras

One of my favourite ways to explore a city is by running. My goto camera for running is my 1931 Leica Ic paired with a Voigtlander Heliar 40mm f2.8 LTM lens. These cameras are smaller than the popular Leica M cameras and lack the rangefinder, making them better suited to the vibrations of running (and pounding the tarmac).

My latest YouTube video shows a perfect companion if you enjoy active sports and want to take photos / make videos! (It shows how I carry my cameras when I run too).

Leica iii cameras

Here are a few sample photos with my various Leica iii Barnack cameras -

Leica Visoflex system

In 2025 I discovered the Leica Visoflex system (blog post to follow) so I took an ultramarathon style running vest to Budapest and filled it with camera gear. I often do my usual running loops along the river and up to Gellért Hill for a nice view of the city.

Apr’25 - Teaching a Leica workshop

In April I flew to Budapest to run one of my Leica workshops. I say Leica workshops but often photographers meet me to learn portraiture and lighting. Daniel flew in from the US and I arranged two models for our day together. He wasn’t using a Leica but we still got great photos! :)

Leica SL2

The camera I was using for the trip was my newly purchased Leica SL2. The YouTube video includes footage from Budapest.

Jun’25 - More workshops in Budapest

In June, I was back again for more teaching. Paulo flew in from the US to meet me in Budapest for a day of model photography. He brought his Leica cameras and I was helping him get the look he wanted. The next day was another workshop with two more models for teaching. Buddies Sigi and Thomas () arrived from The Netherlands and I was helping them with their model photography. Great fun!

The video below was shot during this trip (for a visual)

Oct’25 - Leica M4 visits Budapest

For the latest trip, the goal was to enjoy the silver Leica M4 that I’d just purchased on eBay. This camera is so rewarding when paired with a compact silver 35mm lens!

My primary lens choice for this trip was the new silver edition of the Funleader Artizlab 35mm f1.4 lens. Amazing value lens and sharp at the edges for travel photos.

Can’t stay away!

Drafting this article on a plane in early 2026, I’ve just booked my first trip of the year back to Budapest. More models I want to work with, more running with cameras and more exploring! Subscribe so not to miss that.

Hungarian model comes to London - March 7,8,9

If you enjoy nude photoshoots and are looking for a more exotic model (meaning not British), my friend Reb will fly in from Budapest in March and we’re looking to run a few workshops in central London.

The dates will be March 7th, 8th, 9th 2026. If you’re interested please get in touch. (Note, the level of the session is up-to nude so she can wear clothes too!)

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

Subscribe!

Enjoyed this trip summary? Consider subscribing - 4 more trips to write-up for 2025!

If we step back to the 2025 summer roadtrip, Me, & had met in Germany, visited Wetzlar and Nuremberg and then it was onto Pilsen in the Czech Republic. I’ve had model friends in the city for a few years and each time we try to find new faces. The goal was to catchup with the girls and make some new images.

2024 recap

Before we get into 2025, here are a few photos from the end of 2024 when all 3 of us visited the Czech Republic. (Tobi and I had been perhaps 2 more times before that earlier in the year). See old Substack posts for more of these trips with sample photos/ BTS.

2025 Countryside ranch

Usually we stay in Pilsen centre in our favourite hotel but I fancied a change so I did my usual search (see my travel ebook) and found hunters lodge available to rent. Thankfully we had Tobi’s car as it was located way out in the countryside.

Think bigger

Our booking cost a similar price to normal hotel rooms but included not only the lodge but full access to the rose garden, out-buildings and all the surrounding forest. What a fantastic playground for a photoshoot!

Please see write-up as he has more BTS from this location. (I’m new to Substack so all my old BTS is video clips not photos - See YouTube vids below for a visual).

Again if you’re interested in how I plan all these overseas model trips check out my various ebooks.

For behind the scenes videos from my trips check out the videos on Patreon.

Car full of lighting gear

Tobi kindly packed his car full to the roof with lighting gear and drove it from Germany. Lights, tripods, big scrims, reflectors, we had literally everything!

If you want to learn about different types of Portrait Lighting see my Lighting 101 blog post.

New portrait lens

For portraits I was testing a new autofocus lens for YouTube. TTArtisan sometimes release some real gems and this one exceeded all my expectations. It shouldn’t be this good for the price! Nearly all my images were shot with the TTArtisan 75mm f2 AF lens on this first trip (on my Leica SL2-S).

Familiar faces + Newbie

For our models we had a mix of old friends from our previous visits plus a new girl I’d approached on Instagram.

I love scouting regular girls that haven’t modelled before but look pretty. As someone that has taught model photography workshops for over a decade (usually to fellow Leica users) I enjoy working with a ‘blank canvas’ and building up the shots from there. I tell new models every minute detail, hair, clothes, makeup, accessories, posing and we get the shots. (See my model photography A-Z guide).

1 on 1 portfolio trip

After getting on really well with my new muse I arranged to fly back to meet her, this time both meeting in Prague. Here are some sample photos from session 2.

Autumn escape

Before the weather turned too cold and wet I suggested to Tobi that we head back to the lodge for one more trip to meet the girls. Tobi picked me up at Nuremberg airport and we headed back to our Pilsen retreat before winter closed in.

More new gear to test

For this trip I had the new 35mm M lens from MrDing to try out plus some new small flash units Godox had sent me to test. See both videos below for more from this trip.

Models and photos

Rather than photo more models and spend less time with each we opted for less girls and longer sessions. This works well especially on location where time is lost walking around, setting up lighting gear etc.

Camera gear

The plan was to try to create some portfolio-worthy shots for my photobooks so I used two main setups for film portraits.

1. Leica M7 + 75mm Nokton

2. Hasselblad H3D + 100mm f2.2 + 645 film back

See Flickr for more but here are a few samples -

Photo exhibition

If you follow me on Patreon you’ll know that Tobi setup an online photo exhibition to share his favourite 10 images from our Czech Republic shoots. He kindly invited me to join him so I submitted 10 black and white photos to add to his colour images. The exhibition closes soon so check the link below if you’d like to see the photos (it’s free).

Exhibition link - https://bit.ly/4pbC8rN

More planned for 2026

Our first trip to the Czech Republic is already booked for 2026. I’m flying ahead to meet one model for two days then joins me and we’ll go to meet the others. Subscribe to see that and more to come for 2026!

See Tobi’s write-up from the Czech Republic for a richer more detailed explanation of what we got up to -

Photography Diary

21 – Pilsen and Prague, Part Two of the Roadtrip

On the road again! This is the second part of our summer roadtrip, the one that started in Wetzlar and Nuremberg…

Read more

9 months ago · 4 likes · Photography Diary

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

Subscribe!

If you enjoyed this trip summary consider subscribing - 5 more trips to write-up for 2025! Uff :)

The goal for the Brighton trip last August was to team up with my Patreon buddy Tobi, aka. , who’d fly in from Germany. The rough plan was just explore, have fun and take photos.

Back again

I’d been to Brighton for photography multiple times since 2021 so I knew the basics of where things were around the pier area. If I remember well it was Tobi’s first time so I was excited to “show him around”. Well the couple of streets I recognise anyway as I normally just stay on the front and near the pier. (I love bridges and old piers for photos ..plus old trams/ trains* ..in addition to the usual models I shoot).

“Just to have fun”

The previous statement is kinda true if you love geeking out over camera gear like us, but in reality we had work to do. Between us, our todo list for Brighton included:

1. Homemade Leica M9M roadtest + interview (me + Tobi)

2. Mass 35mm Leica M lens test (me)

3. Laser rangefinder-lightmeter test (me)

4. Canon cameras old vs new shootout (Tobi)

Great excuse to get out and take photos

One thing I love about my “job” as a YouTuber is i’m always testing gear. This means planning outings or trips to test stuff which in turn leads to me taking more photos. Any excuse that means using your camera more has to be a win, right?

What gets you out taking photos?

I guess for regular folk you can set yourself projects or work towards making a photo book. Just having some sort of goal will help to keep you shooting (I think).

Personally I love my testing but I’m constantly work towards making photobooks. I've got several books that have been decade long projects and it’s starting to get to the point that I have enough images to select the best to put some books together. That’s on my todo list for spring 2026!

See the blog newsletter for updates on books

Sun means colour right? (Film with Leica MD-2)

If you’ve ever seen me on YouTube (or elsewhere) you might know that I shoot 99% black and white (digital and film). The problem was it was forecast a heatwave in Brighton and even as a B&W guy, you can’t go the beach with only B&W.

Knowing this I loaded up a roll of Kodak Vison3 250D into my Leica MD-2 and paired it with a small Voigtlander Color Skopar 35mm f3.5 for most of the images. (Annoyingly most of the photos are on another hard drive that isn’t with me right now but here are a few favs for a taster!) Lab dev + scan (for speed for YT).

1) Homemade Leica M9M Monochrom

The Leica M9M conversion, aka ‘Chopstick M9’ as I called it. The name made sense to me after Tobi used a basic chopstick to scratch off the RGB layer of his Leica M9. Watch the video if you don’t believe me and wrote a post for his Substack too.

2) Mass 35mm Leica M lens test

My first project was to do a multi 35mm lens test for YouTube. I’m always wondering how various lenses compare so I love these sorts of experiments for my own knowledge. I love using the right tool for the job, and as a creative, picking the correct “paint brush” can make all the difference to the final image. See the video results.

3) Laser rangefinder-lightmeter test

My second goal was to test a laser rangefinder/ light meter unit from CHI. This magic little device works with any camera and is perfect for vintage film cameras that don’t have a rangefinder (or lightmeter*).

Knowing this I took my Leica MD-2 (similar to my MDa), aka. a blind Leica, these strange looking cameras have no viewfinder or rangefinder. (To learn more see the MDa video linked below). To test the CHI meter I also packed my vintage 6x6 Voigtlander Perkeo II folding camera.

The laser is a brilliant little device that will work on any camera including older digital Leica cameras that have no LiveView. Perfect if you want to use a non-rangefinder coupled lens!

For this I took my Leica M262 (that has no LiveView) and paired it with a Leica Summicron-R 50mm f2 lens. Worked perfectly and fantastic colours from this combination. See the laser video below for more details.

4) Canon camera shootout

I’ll confess, I know a lot about Leica cameras but almost nothing about Canon cameras. From memory Tobi was shooting a modern Canon R5 vs an old flagship CMOS body vs older flashship CCD body.

The results were really surprising! Follow for that. I’m not sure if he’s posted the results yet (I’m struggling to keep up on here already and it’s only been a month!)

Great trip with like-minded nerd

I find it very easy travelling with Tobi as we’re both Leica shooters and both quite technical (he’s just way smarter than me!) Add to that we’re both experienced model photographers and we both enjoy a morning run, it makes it so easy for these trips to go smoothly and without friction.

Different writing styles

As a former accountant, auditor and long time blogger (setting up MrLeica.com in 2013), my writing style has become very fact-based. It’s all I know.. but I will try to lighten up a bit now i’m on Substack!

Tobi’s writing style is the complete opposite. He still has the strong underlying technical info like I share but written in a much more poetic writing style. (I have to thank Tobi for inspiring me to join Substack).

Check out the Brighton Substack HERE to experience this trip in much finer richer detail!

Camera gear

For this trip I had a pile of gear, much of which is seen/ covered in the videos shared above. I basically packed things I needed to test rather than for an artistic look/ project. That is one downside as a YouTuber - I’m normally using whatever lens I need to review not the best lens for the creative project!

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

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Arriving

My journey started with a late flight from London to Nuremberg. kindly picked me up at the airport and we met who arrived by train from Poland. It was then on to our Airbnb to sleep.

My besties

As with every trip, we got through the door of the Airbnb then just sat around the kitchen table chatting about life and cameras for hours. It’s always great to hang out with like minded, smart guys so I enjoy the chat. (I met Tobi and Thomas through my Patreon and they’ve since become my closest friends).

2024 Trip - Photo recap

We did a similar trip in 2024, here are a few reminders!

Leica Wetzlar

This would be my second visit to the Leica Park HQ in 12 months. Last year I visited to have my Leica M10-P firmware updated (after they had converted it from a M10) -

When I visited last time Leica Wetzlar engraved the top plate of my black Leica M-A to match the M10-P -

We also asked why Leica repairs take so long -

This time I was only there as a ‘tourist’ with no plans to buy anything. It was Tobi’s first visit so Thomas and I enjoyed showing him around.

Bucket list

If you love Leica cameras as much as we do you should definitely put visiting Leica Wetzlar on your bucket list. Leica Park itself is very visually appealing with the fantastic architecture. You have the museum section with every Leica camera and lens you can dream of, the gallery, the Leica cafe. Everything for a fun day trip.

Leica cafe

We’d arranged to meet Michael, a local photographer and long time Patreon friend so we sat down to enjoy a coffee and some 100 year anniversary Leica cake.

Sitting there in the cafe reminded me of my last visit when we accidentally bumped into fellow YouTuber from GrainyDays. It felt strange sitting having coffee with a guy off the “telly”! Super nice guy. (Partner in crime, was not there this time!)

2024 - *Jason was in town for his photography exhibition (and to get his Leica M6 engraved). It was the same day that I got my Leica M-A engraved. Small world and great minds!

Wetzlar photoshoot

After walking around Leica Park for a few hours it was time to meet Kim, a local model we’d accidentally bumped into in the car park in 2024.

Spontaneous photoshoot (2024)

Last year we did an unplanned in the moment photoshoot with Kim and her car next to Thomas’s Mercedes, side by side. I was amazed we were allowed to do this in the middle of the park.

Pre-planned photoshoot (2025)

Ahead of our 2025 trip I wrote to Kim and invited her to meet us and Leica Park again. This time we had time to style the shoot. I asked Kim to prepare a timeless elegant look and she didn’t disappoint. Kim was also able to get her Dad to meet us and bring his classic 1973 Opel Commodore which looked fantastic.

100 years of Leica video

Summer 2025 I was down a big rabbit hole with anamorphic lenses. I’d purchased one lens specifically (Blazar Mantis 35mm T2) to record the roadtrip for YouTube. I used it for both photos and videos with my Leica SL2-S and loved the results.

My only regret looking back was shooting video pulled me away from the photography aspect. I wish I’d shot a lot more film with Kim, including medium format film, with a Hassy 501c or similar.

SEE MORE - Anamorphic photos from this photoshoot - THIS ARTICLE

Check out the video YouTube video from this trip for a visual -

Timeless iconic images

You’ll likely know I’m a model photographer (see my Instagram), but I love classic cars too. Pairing these two elements together is a marriage made in heaven for me.

One of my favourite images of 2025 was Kim with her Dad’s Opel shot from above with a Leica M7 + Brightin Star 28mm f2.8 lens.

Car photoshoot

The photoshoot seemed to be over too soon. I loved every minute! Kim was in her element, even with Tobi and Thomas shooting alongside me. By the end we had two other local photographers ask to join in. Marco parked his car to next to where we were shooting so we could get a few shots with his little Triumph too.

Next stop, Nuremberg

From Wetlzar, Tobi drove us to Nuremberg. We stayed at the same place as last year so it felt like home. We all slept well after an action packed day!

Alarm goes and we needed to go to Lidl to fetch supplies for breakfast. I then prepared the usual cooked eggs, ham, cheese (with a fresh fruit and oats chaser) to set us up for the day.

Revisiting Bilderfürst in Fürth

First stop was the film store. It was great to see Corey and the guys again. (Corey is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to film developing so I always enjoy chatting his ear off!)

Back at Leica Nuremberg

Next, onto the Leica Gallery in Nuremberg! Again, really good guys in there.

Czech Republic calling

Next time..

From Nuremberg our journey continued on to Pilsen in the Czech Republic. (I’ll continue the trip in my Czech Republic write up, to follow).

Camera gear

As mentioned I had my Leica SL2-S for digital plus my Leica M7 for film. I also had the compact Lumix S9 with me for video work (mostly).

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

Detailed write up of this trip

For a more descriptive and detailed report of the trip I recommend this post from - HERE. (I skimmed over much of the details).

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A special thanks to Patreon Arno (and Helene) who kindly invited me and a group of Patreon friends to stay at his home in Toulouse for a long weekend. I flew in from London, from Germany (see his Toulouse write-up), from The Netherlands, Grom from Paris and Rex from the USA.

Lads weekend away

Considering i’m nearly 48 and the guys range from late 30s to 50+, it still felt like a lads weekend away. I slept in a bedroom surrounded by teenagers stuff and it just added to the “crashing on a mates floor” feeling (even though I had a nice mattress etc).

Talking til the early hours

I’m sure your the same with your photography buddies - as soon as we arrives the chat started, the cameras came out and we had the best time, well into the early hours.

I feel very fortunate to have met such an amazing bunch of guys thanks to setting up my Patreon 4 years ago.

Patreon

If you’ve never heard of Patreon, it’s a bit like how some people use Substack where extra content and services are shared behind a pay wall. We have over 1000 members around the world and usually around 280 paying Patreons on different tiers. Each month there are 2x 1hr group zoom calls plus annual meet-ups. OK onto the cameras!

The next morning

After limited hours of sleep, it was already time to get ourselves up to catch a train into Toulouse for the creative meet-up. I was snapping away with my M7 before we even left the house - so many new ‘things’ capturing my eye!

Film cameras for the trip

My film camera of choice for Toulouse was my recently purchased Leica M7 + Zeiss Biogon 35mm f2 ZM lens. I was playing around with flash so I had that with me too. (Most photos shared in this article were shot with the Leica M7*).

Digital camera for Toulouse

For the model photos I had my digital Leica SL camera with me too. I was testing the new Thypoch Simera 21mm f1.4 lens for YouTube - the video gives a visual of our trip.

Say hello to strangers!

As we wandered the streets of Toulouse with our cameras round our necks a cool guy approached us on his skateboard and asked if he could tag along. I shrugged my shoulders and said yes why not, not knowing what lay ahead. Pete then casually told us that he had a Pentax 67 in his backpack. I already liked this guy!

Our new friend!

Pete went on to hang out with us both days and was instantly one of the gang. He worked for the Cirque du Soleil so brought some of his buddies over to join our creative meet-up. Here are a few more Substack exclusives shot with my Leica M7 -

Creative Meet-up

Our host Arno had kindly organised a 2-day creative meet-up for locals. We had around 10 people show up each day then it was our job to take a few photos for them. Here is a limited samples (film + digital).

Over in a blink

Before we knew it, it was already sadly time to part ways and say our goodbyes. Everyone had their own busy work lives to get back to but had managed to carve out a few days to be with friends. Thanks Arno (and Helene) for having us in your house. A memorable trip (and to Pete for having the “balls’ to gatecrash our “party”. We were so glad you did!)

Thinking back..

Looking back, what I enjoyed the most, other than being with likeminded great people, was documenting the “event” on film. I really enjoyed photographing the “day to day”scenes.. perhaps moreso that the photoshoots.

As a model photographer i’m used to staging photos to make everything look pretty (see my Instagram). It was nice to create real memories by photographing friends in a candid fashion. Having a flash definitely helps with this and in hindsight my small flash was a little underpowered (you can’t really see it in the photos).

Photo trips - Great for candids!

If you love film photography as much as I do you don’t necessarily need models. A group of friends and a trip away gives you all the ingredients you need - just photo each other! (Normally when I travel with only 1 other it’s difficult to capture candid action shots but in a larger group there are many more interactions to photograph). Loved it!

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

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After enjoying photo trips to Lisbon in 2023 and 2024 I thought i’d try Porto for 2025. Before we get into the photos, as this is my first Substack trip highlights post I should probably point out my routine.

Frequent travel

After becoming a full time blogger / YouTuber almost 4 years ago (this video) I now work from my laptop. I try to plan two overseas trips each month to make “content” and take photos. My Travel Guide eBook details how I travel so cheap and with just a backpack for 4-5 days, usually within Europe.

New travel buddies

In the past I used to travel mostly solo (or with a model occasionally) but after becoming a YouTuber and setting up Patreon i’ve become great friends with and . We now often travel together so you’ll see more of them in other trips. Porto was a solo mission.

Porto (1) - Kit list

For my film photos I packed the following gear with a strong focus on the Leica Visoflex system that i’d recently discovered -

• Voigtlander Bessa T

• Leica MD-a

• 1931 Leica Ic (my running camera)

• Leica Visoflex housing

• Leica Tele-Elmar 200mm f4

• Leica Hektor 135mm f4.5

• Leica Elmar 90mm f4

• Leica Elmar 60mm f3.5

• Funleader Artizlab 35mm f1.4 (New)

• Voigtlander Skopar 21mm f4

• Kentmere 400 (Pushed to 800)

The idea was to use the Bessa T (with built-in light meter) to meter the scene and as my wide lens setup. I would then using Visoflex housing on the MD-a and Leica Ic.

Porto (1) - Reason to visit?

I normally travel to collaborate with overseas models but I was visiting Porto for trams, bridges and steep narrow streets. (I like those too!)

Porto (1) - Film photos (Flickr)

Porto (1) - How did it go so wrong?

If you saw the YouTube video (below) I was having great fun shooting film in Porto but when I got home, disaster. I screwed up. All photos shot with the Leica Visoflex housing came out blank. Thankfully I still got a few keepers from the Bessa T (above) but I knew I needed to go back.

TRY AGAIN!

Porto (2) - Kit list

For my film photos I packed this kit (with the goal to create some great negatives that I can print in the darkroom (my bathroom). (I took fast lenses for portraits + small lenses for walkabout).

• Leica M6 Classic (with new light meter from ACR)

• Leica MD2 (See MDa post above)

• 1931 Leica Ic (my running camera)

• Voigtlander APO-Skopar 90mm f2.8

• Thypoch Simera 75mm f1.4 (New)

• Thypoch Simera 50mm f1.4

• Thypoch Eureka 50mm f2

• Voigtlander Heliar 40mm f2.8 LTM

• Voigtlander Color Skopar 28mm f2.8

• Kentmere 400 film (pushed to 800 for better contrast)

• Fomapan 100

Porto (2) - Reason to visit?

I needed to go back for my unfinished Porto tram and bridges photos but this time I would also meet a local model, Anna.

Porto (2) - Film photos (Flickr)

Porto (2) - Film portraits (Flickr)

Porto (2) - Try again

For the follow-up trip in March I was treated to some morning fog hanging over the bridges so I couldn’t have been happier. That plus Anna turned out to be a super star and we had a great shoot.

Summary

It looks like i’ll need to go back a third time for more of the same!

Learn more about specific cameras / lenses

For full reviews on any of the mentioned cameras or lenses visit - https://mrleica.com/reviews/

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