Copyright Robert Benson
Like any self-respecting photographer, I find it important to balance my pursuit of new technique with my pursuit of new gear. They go hand it hand; gear can complement your technique, and vice versa. Sometimes, I'll take the plunge and overspend for something that really appeals to me; if I had a credit limit remotely near this piece of equipment, I'd be maxing it out right now. Meet the Canon/Leica (Caneica?) 5d Mark II. It started life as a normal Canon 5d in the hands of Robert Benson, a photographer in San Diego who just happened to have a $6,500 Leica Noctilux f1.0 lens laying around, but no Leica camera to use it on. The M9 camera, perhaps his only viable option, was much too pricey for his budget. So, he did what anyone desperate enough to use a Noctilux lens would do - he cut apart his 5d Mark II to accept any and all Leica lenses and their equivalents. According to him, it was completely worth it, because the "look of a Noctilux shot wide-open is unlike ANYTHING else in existence". Based on his test shots, as seen below, I'd certainly be inclined to agree, as they do possess a certain, I don't know, indefinable quality. Rumor has is that the Noctilux lens, at f1.0 can take usable handheld shots under nothing but light from a single candle. All I know is, I want one.
The creator of the camera at f1.0 (Robert Benson)
Even the lowest ambient light makes for perfect handheld shots (Robert Benson)
But why go through all the trouble? Why not just save up for the M9? Well, Benson makes some good points regarding that. The M9 lacks live view, HD video recording, focus peaking (with the Magic Lantern firmware download), burst shot mode, and perhaps the most important thing: the 5d Mark II looks great at ISO 2000, whereas Benson describes the M9 at the same ISO as "LOL". I'll take that as "not as good". So, take one of the greatest digital camera bodies in existence, and pair it with one of the greatest lens ranges in existence, and you get something that I would take out a mortgage for. The very fact that it's such a mashup of huge photography brands is appealing enough to me, let alone the fact that it's made up of Canon and Leica.
Copyright Robert Benson
It may look a little chop-shopped, but the images speak for themselves. Want one? If you send $2,950 Benson's way, he will buy you the 5d Mark II, modify it in tandem with his machinist friend (35+ years of experience), and send it to you. Sounds good, right? Yeah, it does. But don't forget that you now need to acquire some Leica glass. If you total up the camera and the Noctilux lens, you're looking at a price tag of...(gets cell phone calculator)...gulp...$9,450. If you're that dedicated, then forget about that new car you wanted.
Who wants to buy me one?