The Leica '50 Jahre' Titanium M7 camera with matching 50mm f1.4 Summilux M ASPH lens certainly stands out as one of Leica's most beautiful editions.

It is not every day you get to handle a beautiful black paint M2, on the other hand, it is even more of a rarity to see an M2 black paint with a patina as beautiful as this one. On this Black Paint, M2 is a matching 5cm Rigid Summicron in brass mount and black paint. A combo that is made in Leica heaven.

When Jim Sullivan called me up one evening and asked if I would be interested in assisting him to photograph Dominque Crenn in one of San Francisco most esteemed restaurants I was ecstatic! A few weeks earlier Jim purchased a Leica SL system, leaving his Canon 5D gear behind. A bold move for a food and cocktail photographer who's bread and butter (pun intended) is made on the staple system of most foodie oriented photogs. Nevertheless, Jim, like myself, loves to use only the best tools he can get his hands on. Simply put be - different than the pack. Being in some of the most prestigious kitchens all over the world beckons the longing to attain the highest level of artistic finesse and elevated craftsmanship, and also I believe a sense of deviance from norms. But, I deviate from the story at hand.

I’m not much an of a digital shooter, in fact, I almost exclusively shoot film. When I do shoot digital, it’s mostly for weddings/professional work. When it comes to everyday life, I don’t find my bulky DSLR to be that inspiring or fun to shoot with. In contrast, the film cameras I shoot with are not only compact by comparison, but classic. For me, it’s much easier to connect with and feel inspired by a 35mm rangefinder from the 70’s than the most advanced digital cameras of today.

Recently I made the rookie mistake of booking the first flight into SFO. I arrived early to the airport on a Saturday morning only to find out it’s been delayed due to fog. Typical. Luckily for me, I get on the Oakland bound flight. After a short flight and an Uber, I get to the Leica store on Bush street. Walking in the first thing I notice is the soft diffuse light permeating through the large industrial windows. Nothing makes me happier than this type of light. Well except of course all the sexy Leica gear being displayed all around me. I am here to grab the 24-90mm lens so that I can test it for this weekend’s shoot.

Sometimes it is hard to keep things simple with all of the great gear on the market today. This is a simple yet elegant setup that features both film and digital and two focal lengths that are going to cover a lot of photographic needs. Of course, this would not be a complete setup without a few everyday essentials like the S.T. Dupont "0.95" fountain pen, or Tudor 79160 Oysterdate Big block Chronograph. Holding everything is one of our favorite bags on the market today. The Oberwerth Harry & Sally Casual bag which features enough room for these two cameras, and plenty of room for daily essentials and accessories. The Oberwerth casual line up is a beautiful series of bags that features super soft vegetable tanned leather, and an elegant yet straightforward design.

For years Yosemite was my home—three years to be exact. It was in Yosemite where my love for film began. I pretty much left digital behind for my personal work. Being limited to a couple rolls made me a more intentional photographer. Since I wasn’t taking as many shots, I also spent less time behind a camera which allowed me to truly experience what I was photographing. Experience is essential when you’re surrounded by that kind of beauty.

I began using the Leica TL lenses and initial "Leica T" the day it arrived at our store in Rancho Mirage three years ago. At the time I was regularly using the Fujifilm X-T1. That quickly changed as I fell in love with the Leica TL glass. I believe this is some of the best glass on the market. The TL and TL2 are unique. I love using them for their simplicity, and Avangard approach to mirrorless photography. I find myself handing my camera off to my daughter all the time because it is just that easy to use. The TL camera body had one major thing missing that I am sure many TL users would agree with. There is no EVF built into the camera. I normally shoot the TL2 without the use of the EVF because the added bulk was annoying and ruined the compact form factor that I loved the TL for. I never thought it would be possible to get an EVF into the camera body and retain the small footprint of the camera. Then comes the Leica CL, the CL is a more "functional" approach to the TL system. It is just the basics, and finally, it features a superb built-in EVF. I have been using the CL now for a couple days, and have taken it out for a full day of photography. So, without any further ado here are my initial thoughts on the new Leica CL.

Camera West opened their doors to the photographic community in Monterey California in 2000. Sean and Diana Cranor brought Camera West to the central California coast because they saw a need for a knowledgeable and well-rounded camera store in one of the most popular photography destinations in the world. Camera West's goal was simple: provide fine photographic products and offer the best service and support to its customers. After only a few years in their small space, Camera West expanded and opened the first "Shop in Shop" Leica boutique in the USA. Thus began Camera West and Leica's ongoing partnership. After several years in the Monterey and Carmel area, Camera West looked to reach the San Francisco Bay area and opened a store in Walnut Creek California, which encompassed a second Leica Boutique. Later, the Monterey store moved to Southern California, to the Palm Springs area. Camera West Rancho Mirage was formed with a new Leica Boutique built to serve the Southern California region. Camera West further solidified their relationship with Leica by opening the Leica Retail flagship store in San Francisco.

Ok, I admit it, I'm a camera bag extremest. I probably have a dozen different camera bags that are in my closet that I have collected over the past several years. I have Thinktank, ONA, Billingham, Peak Design, and now Oberwerth bags. All different sizes, all different purposes, and might I add ALL great bags. I might have too many, but I buy all of them for a different reason. What can I say, I love a good camera bag!