Wheeling in luxury like a true gentleman

[Sundowner]

All I know is that with that insanely nice camera of yours, you'd better be posting some pretty amazing photos for us to see

I don't post any of my serious work online; not only because a monitor is an abysmal substitute for seeing an actual silver or platinum print in person, but also because I don't have a scanner or a computer at home. Too much time in front of one in the daytime makes its absence enjoyable! Besides, if I had a computer here, I wouldn't have time for wine and cheese and gentlemanly leisure-wheeling and high brow wisecracking.

Also, my Leica is not insanely nice: it gives Leica collectors chronic nightmares because I actually use it and only make the repairs that it needs. Total piece of shit... except for where it counts.

 

[qslim]

I'd like another one as a 99 in Estoril Blue coupe.

The last one I had was a 98 in Hellrot Red with Modena interior.

Nice, Estoril Blue was a killer look. This was the last 99 I had... Gave it up when we were looking to finally leave Fl for lands that possibly require emissions tests. Stage 5 Dinan software, exhaust, suspension, and a bunch of other crap. You could tell the difference between driving over a dime or a quarter. I bought if from a collector in Louisiana who got it to "check a box off" but couldn't ever drive it because it hurt his back too much.

 

[Chris]

Nice, Estoril Blue was a killer look. This was the last 99 I had... Gave it up when we were looking to finally leave Fl for lands that possibly require emissions tests. Stage 5 Dinan software, exhaust, suspension, and a bunch of other crap. You could tell the difference between driving over a dime or a quarter. I bought if from a collector in Louisiana who got it to "check a box off" but couldn't ever drive it because it hurt his back too much.

View attachment 99637

That's a looker! I love the slightly arched factory wing that came on the later model E36 M3s. I kept the M-Contour wheels on mine, as those were always my facoty wheels.

The E36 M3 is a very good looking car, no doubt about that.

 

[KMET]

looks fun

 

[Locky]

N

I also have an M3; mine is from 1959, and it was built by Leica in Wetzlar, Germany. The lens on the front of it was built ten years earlier in 1949, and when used together, the combination will make any of the latest and greatest DSLR images look like they were taken with the cheapest digital point-and-shoot technology from 1998. Once or twice a year, I send that camera and lens to a mysterious Chinese man that specializes in repairing them (he used to be the head repair guru for Leica in Asia; now he's "retired") and each time, it costs about $400. In the course of three years, the repair and upkeep costs on the camera exceed the purchase price.

Extrapolate that to the cost of BMW's M3.

The same is true of my other German lenses...some of which easily outstrip the 1949 Leica lens in terms of image quality, tone, and feel. The trade-off for this performance is constant maintenance to keep them at the absolute pinnacle of function, because - once you begin to understand, accept and require that level of performance - anything less is simply unacceptable.

Now... extrapolate that to cars, as well, and you'll understand how and why race teams spend so much money.

I have never had the luxury of shooting a M3 yet. Which lens do you have. The Elmar, Summicron or the Summarit?

 

[Sundowner]

N

I have never had the luxury of shooting a M3 yet. Which lens do you have. The Elmar, Summicron or the Summarit?

I've shot all three, but the lens to which I referred is none of them; it's a collapsible 50/f2 Summitar screw-mount. This one focuses with that particular body much better than the Summicrons I've used, and it's just as sharp...which doesn't actually matter: I use it because I like the way the mid-tones show up in the final print. Also, make no mistake: shooting an M3 is like running your hand over the hip of a beautiful woman wearing nothing but silk knickers...but it will have far less tolerance than she for any and all ineptitude on your part.