New member of family - M5

[innerimager]

My M5 arrived and I put a roll of XP2 through it. Question for M5 users- In very low light, I find it very difficult to see the metering bar and shutter speed. In normal and less than normal light the finder is very bright as is the meter bar itself, but in a dark room, it's quite faint. Do you see this? I also may have some trouble with slow shutter speeds, under 1/30, underexposing, but I may have missed the exposure because of the above problem. I'll test it further. Maybe a trip to Sherry Krauter is in it's future. But I did get some images I liked from the 1st roll, so not too bad! I really like it's construction, feel, and shooting with it. best....Peter

[rsh]

I have three M5s, and yes the metering is indeed difficult to see in low , low light. You may want to check with the person you purchased the M% from to see when it was last CLA'd. Sherry does great work.

[innerimager]

Thanks Richard, that's helpful to hear. This M5 is in mint condition, seems to have been used very little, likely never CLA'd, so I'll get that done anyway. Do you recommend adjusting the voltage to take 1.5V batteries? best...Peter

[lmr]

M5 is an unsung hero. Loads of features, I inherited mine from my Dad who bought it new in the early 70's along with the 50mm Cron. It is a 2 lug and in a great user condition.

Agree that in low light, it is hard to see the meter bar and X hair exposure.Not impossible, but difficult. As a common practice, when buying used (unless you know the seller), send it in for CLA. After that, it wil give you years of worry free service.... else, you will be wondering if you need to send it in or not.

Of course, shoot a couple of roles first. Just to enjoy it prior to sending it off.

If you have not read this... here is the "Overlooked Greatness" Leica M5

I still enjoy using mine.

[rsh]

By all means, Change the battery voltage. Sherry will recommend you do.

[innerimager]

Fortunately, Sherry is more or less on the way to visiting my son in Ithaca NY, so I'll be dropping the M5 off within the next month, time to run a few rolls through. thanks....Peter

[rsh]

She lives in Campbell. I really like her a lot.

[innerimager]

She's really passionate about the M5 in particular. Can't go wrong when passion is added to high technical ability. I've used Don at DAG for lens work and been very pleased, but Sherry's feelings about the M5 makes sending her my "new" camera a no brainer.

[rsh]

Due to my friendship with Sherry, I have never used Don.

I had Sherry put the newer frame lines in all of the M5s I own, but that is personal preference.

[roguewave]

Peter, as I don't own a M5, I can't comment on those matters. The images are wonderful. #2 is very lovely. Great exposure.

[mooky]

Congratulation's on the M5. It's by far (IMO) to be the best of the mechanical M's. The metering field is actually 'framed' - a huge treat in itself when compared to the M6 I tried - and sold.

I've used DAG many times, I believe years ago I had an idea of trying to squeeze the back-lit bulb from an SL2 finder into the M5 to illuminate the readout and asked him if it could be done. He did some great 'customizing work' on my SL mot putting in the SL2 metering cell and adding the SL2 shutter dial. But I don't recall if the M5 modification was do-able....

It's always good to have a top service person to call on, and like DAG, I hear Sherry's reputation is stellar. Best of luck with, and enjoy the M5.

[innerimager]

Thanks mooky- "Mechanical M" is very much how I relate to the M5. My M7 will be used with a rapid winder mostly in AE mode, and thus shoot like my M8. When I want to slow things down and control everything, the M5 is suited wonderfully.....Peter

[peter55]

Hello Peter,

I have accidently stumbled upon your M5 thread. I'm still using mine mostly for B&W and some color. I have not really had much trouble with dark rooms and seeing the patch and meters. I actually find the M5 to be my favorite low light camera. But I would put this down as to the almost silent cloth shutter not shattering my frame of mind as I make an exposure, that and the profoundly moody resulting images I sometimes achieve in capturing with the M5 and Summilux. I wish you very good fortune with your M5.

I'm also considering purchasing an Epson RD-1s for digiatal B&W. I am still impressed with the digital files of the landscapes I took using your RD-1 camera and my Leitz Wetzler 50mm f1/4 lens last summer down at the Nissaquague River. I could just barley swing purchasing an M8 but I am facinated with the annalog controls of the Epson.

Do you have any insightfull thoughts for me? I do appologize for going off topic. Again all the best to you.

[gvaliquette]

Originally Posted by innerimager

Thanks Richard, that's helpful to hear. This M5 is in mint condition, seems to have been used very little, likely never CLA'd, so I'll get that done anyway. Do you recommend adjusting the voltage to take 1.5V batteries? best...Peter

For what it's worth, I can report from personnal experience that the CRIS-Cam MR-9 adapter with the silver oxide cell works very well in a Leica CL and the MR meter for earlier M cameras.

I also have had Sherry Krauter work on my equipment on several occasions and cannot recommend her highly enough. I am fortunate enough to live within easy driving distance of Sherry's home, and generally drop in my equipment personnally. I have fond memories of each such occasion.

Guy

[innerimager]

Ben- I hadn't noticed your kind words about the images, thank you.

Peter- You know it was handling your M5 that put the idea in my head to get one. I think it's a great example of a truly manual camera. As to the RD-1 for B&W, it's a cool camera to shoot for sure. I only had one briefly and sold it when I got an M7, but it has a film camera way of shooting when you fold the LCD screen, and it does have some internal B&W processing. It's also good at ISO 1600, better than the M8, so lends itself to B&W low light for sure.

Guy- Thanks for the info. I think I'll have Sherry peg it at 1.5 since it'll be in her hands anyway.
best....Peter

[innerimager]

Shot a second roll, used an Wein cell 1.35 battery and maybe the metering was more accurate in low light as a result, but it was very accurate. I'll use these till I get the M5 converted to 1.5V.....Peter

[gvaliquette]

Originally Posted by innerimager

Guy- Thanks for the info. I think I'll have Sherry peg it at 1.5 since it'll be in her hands anyway.
best....Peter

Peter:

Makes sense. The only reason why I chose the CRIS-Cam MR-9 adapter with the silver oxide cell solution is that, since the MR meter is NOT modified, I can carry only one spare battery for both.

Guy

[peter55]

Nice shot Peter. Is he your Son? Your B&W images have a rustic appeal to them. Especially the first one in this thread. I like it so very much. I'm have been thinking, after viewing your recent photo's posted here, about showing up at your door with a present of a box of stick charcoal, large drawing paper pad and a quality full size eisel for you. I should add a can of spray fixative, as the charcoal needs to be affixed properly for a long term life.

Anyway, getting back to our M5 film Leica's. I thought the M5 was a 1.35v camera. I use the 1.4v Waldgreens Hearing Aid Batteries size 675. They are as you remember Zinc Air Batteries. If you are using 1.35v Wien Zinc Air Battery I would think your metering is spot on.

I thought I'd let you know that after viewing your photographs here I passed on the digital Epson RD-1s. Instead I treated myself to several Leitz lenses, the 35, 90 and 135mm. All of them are the older film versions, and why not, as my M5 is an older film camera. So now since I already have the 50 Summilux my kit is complete. You are a good influence on me!

[bullis]

Originally Posted by innerimager

My M5 arrived and I put a roll of XP2 through it. Question for M5 users- In very low light, I find it very difficult to see the metering bar and shutter speed. In normal and less than normal light the finder is very bright as is the meter bar itself, but in a dark room, it's quite faint. Do you see this? I also may have some trouble with slow shutter speeds, under 1/30, underexposing, but I may have missed the exposure because of the above problem. I'll test it further. Maybe a trip to Sherry Krauter is in it's future. But I did get some images I liked from the 1st roll, so not too bad! I really like it's construction, feel, and shooting with it. best....Peter

An M5 was my first experience with the Leica, that would have been in 1974. When I shot with it, I realized that I could move massive amounts of film through it, fast, still seeing what I was getting. SOLD! The M5 that I had borrowed for those jobs (dancers in very dark places, yes it is hard to read the meter!) from the dealer wasn't available, so I got an M4, then an additional M2, eventually a iiif, then another M2 and once again, now, a 2 lug M5 in gorgeous condition, but it, too, needs a trip to Sherry which will have to wait a little while since we've a few other priorities which have to take precedence (bummer!).

I ran some film through the M5, and learned that the high speeds are unbalanced. The message here is that a camera in beautiful cosmetic condition has probably been hardly used at all, and the lubrication polymerizes, the springs may get tired, etc. as it sits in the closet. I'm using it anyway (on slow speeds, of course) mostly with the CV 1.4 40mm Nokton in the single coated version, which has been modified to engage the 35mm framelines. This is a rather wonderful challenge, actually; I really love 1) tight crops and 2) not really being sure of what I'm getting so I can build new braincells as I challenge my intuition. Here's an example. I had to use every mm of the negative right to the edge.

I just realized that I've posted this image elsewhere in this forum. Sorry if anyone is tired of seeing it!

Larry

[innerimager]

Wonderful image Larry. Thanks for sharing your M5 story. I really dig how this 1970's camera generates a thread like this today. I basically traded a D2Hs for my M5. It was (is) an excellent DSLR that 4 years after it's birth has a few breaths left. But no one will be buying a D2Hs 35 years from now, that's for sure, while we'll be positing images from our M5s, (and other film Ms), well, l those of us still around, otherwise our kids will have to do it! best...Peter