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An M5 for my Daughter


rsh

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Today, I gave my 14 year old daughter an chrome M5 with a 50 mm Summicron. My first Leica was an M4 with a 50 mm Dual Range Summicron that my parents purchased for me in 1970 for $250.00. I was 16 and heading into my second year at Culver.

Edited by rsh
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That's a terrific combo, she'll love it. The M5 is a fantastic platform for the 50mm. Remind her not to meter with the camera in the vertical shooting position, a simple mistake made by many first time M5 users.

 

Kent

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That's a terrific combo, she'll love it. The M5 is a fantastic platform for the 50mm. Remind her not to meter with the camera in the vertical shooting position, a simple mistake made by many first time M5 users.

 

Kent

 

I don't have an M5, so my interest is academic... but can you elaborate Kent on why it wouldn't meter properly when held in a vertical position? I've never heard that and am most curious.

 

Wonderful gift to your daughter, Richard. I hope she takes to it and we see her around here.

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Richard--Congratulations on your daughter and your taste.

 

The M5 is the most 'Leica-like' of all Leicas in my opinion, taking technology beyond what was thought possible at the time.

 

You are aware that the batteries the M5 originally required are no longer drugstore-available, right? Wein offers a special battery that does the job. And many people on the forum say they've squirreled away and frozen PX-13s from eBay.

 

But don't make the mistake I did of thinking the alkaline cells that look the same will work the meter correctly.

 

Shirley Kräuter (and maybe Dan Goldberg?) will modify an M5 to use the alkaline cells. The only drawback to that is that if you later send the camera to Leica for repairs, they will necessarily return the camera and metering system to its original specification. (Of course, both Sherry and Dan could also repair the M5 without changing out the metering circuitry.)

 

I hope your daughter comes to like the M5 as much as I do. But then, if she doesn't, neither did the Leica world of its day. :o

Edited by ho_co
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Caroline got one of the three M5s that I own. Sherry gets all of my business and has worked on every M5, including updating the cameras to use alkaline cells.

 

Leica New Jersey no longer repairs film Ms. All are now sent to Germany.

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Thanks, Richard. I was afraid I might be preaching to the converted. :o

 

And I was unaware that the older cameras all go to Germany. Quite a tidbit of news there!

 

Older cameras? When I last looked Leica had two film cameras in their current lineup.

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Rumor, David. Strictly rumor. They keep those in the line-up just so they can say, "Why, of course we're shipping M bodies..." :p

 

 

Or maybe I should say, "Oh, but it's only the older ones that need repair." :rolleyes:

 

 

Or, "Ah, but compared to the achievement of the M5, those don't count." ;)

 

 

 

Obviously, my error; thanks for calling me on it. :o

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She did appreciate it. I am not certain how well she will do with an M as she has learned on Digital, but I applaud her willingness to give it a try.

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I was going to say, don't be too hard on her when she comes back one day with a pink Fuji digital she's swapped for :D but clearly she has already become frustrated with the limitations of digital and wants to try the real thing!

 

Do post a photo or two for her.

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For me digital or film is irrelevant (although digital is more convenient) but what is relevant for me is the way Leica lenses draw a picture. I made some pictures last saturday at a wedding and they were not sharp (my fault) but they did catch my attention for some (intangible?) reason. It is as if there is more light, or more texture, they look real..

 

So if your daughter "gets it" this time round it is an immediate succes, if not, it will still remain lodged in her brain and she probably will "get it" later on in life.

 

My father (long deceased) told me about f/numbers and guessing exposure and stuff, while I was not really listening, but I am still hearing him now. He was not even a "serious" amateur he was just taking snapshots during holidays etc. as his father had taught him, and he passed this on to me.

 

So from my point of view this is a wonderful present! Maybe we will see some of the pictures she made posted here.

Edited by SJP
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