London STREET PHOTOGRAPHY - The Leica M6

Join me shooting street photography around London as I put the legendary Leica M6 to the test with the 50mm Summilux lens, shooting exclusively at f/1.4. The unique combination of this classic camera and fast lens brings out incredible depth and character and rendering.
In this video, I also had the pleasure of meeting up with fellow street photographers, including James Parsons which was a pleasure. James, a talented street photographer with his own KZbin channel, adds his perspective as we explore the vibrant streets of London together.
Watch as we capture the essence of London, from its iconic landmarks to its hidden corners, all through the lens of the Leica M6. Whether you're a photography enthusiast, a Leica fan, or simply curious about street photography, this video is packed with inspiration and practical tips.
If you enjoyed the video, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more street photography content!
In Association with: www.reddotcame...
Links:
Instagram - @Jamie.dop
Website - www.jamiekeith...
Homeless Portraiture Book - www.jamiekeith...
Kit used:
Camera - Leica M6
Lens - Leica 28mm Summicron / 50mm Summilux
Film Stock - Fuji C200
Video - Iphone 14 Pro Max & GoPro Hero 12
Music - Artlist
Leica M6
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Leica 50mm Summilux
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Leica 28mm Summicron
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[@paulahall6453]

Love this 👌🔥

[@jamie.dop_]

@@paulahall6453 thank you Paul. Appreciated! J

[@BrianMR87]

Can we appreciate and praise Jamie’s ability to nail shots on the street? Makes me want to pick up my camera right now lol 😂. I started shooting film after using a Leica M8.2 for a couple years recently and love watching your context over and over. Been watching Jamie since 2016 CrossFit style cinematic videos! inspiration 🙌

[@jamie.dop_]

@@BrianMR87 ahhhh Brian, here from the CF days! That really does mean a lot. Thank you for sticking with me. Still training CF but not filming it much these days. Thanks for the support and the message matey. J

[@drsharabi]

Great inspiration, as usual. Shooting street (or people) at f/1.4 is quite challenging because of the shallow DOF and the slower manual focusing process... but this is a worthy experiment. Keep posting these videos they're really creativity enhancing.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@drsharabi Ahhh thanks so much. A very nice comment to receive. Appreciate the time to message. Will do my best to keep knocking up videos as regularly as possible. J

[@JenniferDiez-Jones]

Great vid and great photos!

[@jamie.dop_]

@@JenniferDiez-Jones thank you long term and loyal subscriber!! 😜

[@elguapo5620]

Love your work! I always shoot wide open with fast lenses-that’s what they’re made for. If I had a KZbin channel, I’d call it 'Wide Open.' Although, it doesn’t quite sound right, does it? 😄

[@jamie.dop_]

@@elguapo5620 haha I’d still Subscribe to your channel with a name like that! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment. Appreciated :)

[@ZenoWatson]

Brilliant Jamie. From one street shooter to another keep up the fine work! Subbed

[@jamie.dop_]

@@ZenoWatson legend Zeno, thanks for taking the time to watch. Hope you enjoy the rest to come. J

[@thestreetroamer]

Nice one mate! Great to bump into you on Ox street!

[@jamie.dop_]

@@thestreetroamer cheers fella. Always good to meet fellow photographers! Thanks for watching too :) J

[@aartb2836]

Great work. Enjoyed watching.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@aartb2836 appreciate the support and the message. Thanks so much :)

[@sc1]

Nice one. Very impressed how quickly you nail focus on the rangefinder.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@sc1 ‘nail’ is generous! Haha but thank you. The more you turn that focus dial the more you too dial into the feel and it starts becoming easier as I am sure you are aware. Just like using anything, hold the new camera even when not shooting, with learning softwares just live on the program and your speed comes. Still think I have a long way to go! Appreciate the comment. J

[@matthewelsdon7949]

Really enjoyed, thanks

[@jamie.dop_]

@@matthewelsdon7949 kind of you to say fella. Much appreciated. J

[@maxdronov]

this man looks too funny with all these expensive gears

[@jamie.dop_]

@@maxdronov which man? All cameras are expensive and everyone in this video has one!

[@gishanhewage]

Great Work Man, Awesome Cheers 👍

[@jamie.dop_]

@@gishanhewage thanks so much. Kind of you to leave a comment too. J

[@I-SelfLordAndMaster]

I have a question for you guys, in a couple of months I will be purchasing a Leica M6 non TTL to add to my increasing collection of cameras. I am currently shooting on 5x4. What problems have you met as far as safety is concerned whilst photographing in the streets, it’s not the ideal situation carrying a few grands worth of equipment around your neck especially in some of our more challenging urban surroundings? Are there any tips you can give?

[@jamie.dop_]

@@I-SelfLordAndMaster I truly believe this has been made up by non Leica users as jealousy to be frank. Safety is the same with whatever camera you have. No thief truly know the value of a camera. More likely to steal your phone when using that to photograph. My Canon 5DSR and a 70-200 looks far more expensive than my M6 and 28mm Summicron. Isn’t it funny that the only people dissing Leica don’t have a Leica….. If you are concerned then, sure, cover the red dot. Keep it in a shoulder sling bag until you snap if you are in a rough area. Finally, when I walk through places like Harlem in NYC or parts of Brixton, you just act like you are the toughest guy on the streets. Confidents and ego is key!

[@IntrovertAmateur]

Well, the reason I use primes is because they are small and don't erect ... damn you got me there 🤣😂 Awesome to see you with James! I follow his channel for quite a while now and now looking at my YT sub feed, I follow a lot of you guys in the UK :D Wish I could visit London again soon - been there quite often in the past, but now with two small kids it's a different story regarding travaling :) Amazing shots at 1.4 mate! I wonder how you are able to focus that quick and nail the critical focus at the same time. I did shoot some test street photos at 1.4, but simply was not able to nail the focus. Sure might be because they were moving targets, but you were able to nail even moving persons :) Did you now upgrade from a previous 50mm Lux to the latest one? Mainly because of the close focus for your work with the SL2? And one last question since I was always wondering about your good audio :D: Do you record your audio externally next to your Iphone or do you record exclusively with your Iphone including the audio? If it's the second option, do you do any audio post processing? In a city like London I don't hear any background noise, which would distract from your dialogue, which keeps me curious for a couple of videos now :D Anyway, I keep repeating myself, but keep up your awesome work! You are an inspiration for me how to create awesome content with a minimal gear setup.

[@T-Prime848]

Beautiful shots man really inspiring Well unfortunately I don’t shoot analog because it’s too dam expensive here in Germany so I depend on my Fuji,s film simulations Thank you for this video Keep up the good work …

[@jamie.dop_]

@@T-Prime848 totally understand. Those Fujis have incredible colour and film simulation. Can get wonderful results using them. Enjoy and thanks for commenting. J

[@nicolasfilsdejean]

Hi there and thank you for an excellent video, ful of great shots. On the topic of the Summilux: my eyesight might be failing me but I am not impressed at ll by the sharpness....? I would like to now your thougts on this question : details are there but it lacks the 3D pop3 I was hopping for. Thanks

[@jamie.dop_]

@@nicolasfilsdejean firstly thank you for watching and taking the time to message. If it is sharpness you are looking for, I truly believe this lens will not disappoint. However, I was shooting street at F1.4 and it is rarely %100 in focus, and it is on 35mm film. If you see this lens on digital you will find out very quickly it is seriously sharp! And taking your time with images like portraits, which is a slower process, it is sharp at 1.4 on film. However, if you are looking for sharpness then F2.8 is as sharp as anything iv seen whilst still carrying over some character in the out of focus areas. Thanks again for the message. J

[@derweissmantel]

Thanks for the Video, really nice colors. Which film did you use? Greets Dennis

[@jamie.dop_]

@@derweissmantel Fuji C200. Had a few random rolls left. Wanted to use before I fully go b&w. Appreciate the message fella. J

[@cameraramblings4107]

How you getting on wit the M6? I’m really loving the experience. Only just shot my first two rolls, £76 in already! Terrifying , I’m going to persevere but i do hope the popularity of 35mm film brings the prices down a little as they ramp up production and get the marginal cost down. I can at least hope! There is something great about the tactile nature of shooting with is, if you know you know. I need some encouragement though t stick with film cause even one roll a month developed is about £450 for the year. It’s a shame the cost is such a barrier to the art. Perhaps we can all get together and get arts council funding for the film!

[@jamie.dop_]

@@cameraramblings4107 I know, so £££££ but it is worth it still for me. I find deals where I can to buy and develop film. It’s an investment for sure. People spend more on other hobbies whether it be skiing, shooting, nightlife or the pub. This feels a little more worth it! I do agree though, it would be so much appreciated if there was a way to reduce the costs of this process. Maybe one day it will finally become easier to develop your own film and also have film more regularly available and cheaper…. But we will see, and until then… enjoy shooting! J

[@nelmur]

Super cool. Love being able to shoot the 50 Lux wide open. Great toning work on your scans too. You've made Portra look as rich as some of Ernst Haas' work.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@nelmur thanks so much. It’s actually Fuji C200… need to change that in description! Haha thanks for the message and now the heads up!

[@jimtalenthand]

nice video! what’s the music at 5:30? love it!

[@jamie.dop_]

@@jimtalenthand all music is from artlist. Afraid I don’t have that information to hand but I can look back at my editing project when next in the studio and let you know. Please remind me if I haven’t responded. J

[@sumioendo6518]

👍🏻🤛👊🇨🇺🇺🇸

[@noseyparker6622]

Be careful with the photos of children you keep taking. It could land you in bother these days.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@noseyparker6622 these is nothing against the law to do so. And they are all taken with good intentions and often I will go up to the parental figure and take their email to pass them the moment. Thanks for you concern though, appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and comment. J

[@jamie.dop_]

Did you want to continue this conversation?

[@I-SelfLordAndMaster]

I avoid taking photos of children at all costs. You only need one disturbed person to acuse you of something that we all know isn’t, and you’re finished your life could take a drastic turn for the worst. Imagine being a registered sex offender and being innocent as we all know you are. It’s just not worth it don’t even ask the parents, just don’t take them.

[@PURE.EVIL.]

It is not easy to catch all the variations of the black faces there, in the former muslim capital of Europe

[@angelofechter5666]

You too far from subject ❤

[@jamie.dop_]

@@angelofechter5666 because I’m using a 50mm or because I’m positioning myself too far from subject? As you sent a constructive yet not that nicer message yet popped a heart at the end….?

[@angelofechter5666]

@@jamie.dop_ Sry i should have elaborated. I actually went back to the video again to check. Most of the photos look really good. Some of them feel like the background doesnt add enough though.There I feel like the subject could take more space in the frame to have a bigger emotional impact. do you know what i mean? 13:36 very nice subject, would be better to see it from closer, 2:31 same story, my eyes want to see the subject bigger in the frame bc the rest of the elements in the frame dont provide anything interesting to look at. 8:32 amazing moment, very eye catching but again imagine seeing the emotional expression from a tiny bit closer to make it more impactful. I mean this pic could be from a movie scene i just feel like it has a lil bit too much headspace. If i could see his face closer i would feel more and want to stay looking longer. Also i wasnt there so i dont know the limitations etc. dont know if any other framing i have in mind would have actually worked out. Obviously this is your art. im only telling you how i feel and im only 1 person. I still hope it can be helpful in some sort of way.

[@saintpreferred9223]

Stay out of London.

[@jamie.dop_]

@@saintpreferred9223 are you saying that to all 9 million people that live there or just me? Do you care to share your reason or just want to throw out a comment with no real thought or care?

[@jamie.dop_]

Gone a little quiet over there? Just simply asking for an explanation. Seems pretty unusual to leave such an open ended threat out there?