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Leica M5 lightmeter


crow

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Well, I am wondering if there are light meters available so I could buy an M5 without a functioning lm, and have it replaced.

 

Is it an easy job for the repairman?

How difficult is it to have a new working light meter replace a non functioning one on the M5?

 

I guess since it is an old hands on all mechanical body it should be relatively easy for a camera repairman to deal with the issue.

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I don't believe Leica has spares, but some of the independent techs may, such as DAG or Sherry Krauter in the US. It would also depend on what is causing the problem: Cds cell / arm, meter movement, or something else in the circuit. The tech would have to find the problem to determine if there were spares.

There is a risk the needed part could be unavailable - and the meter operation is the main reason to have an M5 over other models.

I believe the meter cell / arm was a common failure.

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Not sure why you would want to buy a faulty M5 to repair it as it will probably be more sensible to buy a working one to start with.

 

If you have seen a faulty one for a bargain price, buy it and get a new handheld digital meter, which will be better than a repaired M5 meter in any case.

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We're talking not a very friendly croud with the M5, are we now?

What about all that talk about it being the last Leica totally produced in Germany, with the Leica logo engraved, with the solid metal body, less plastic?

I do own a CL and love it. Just thought I'd buy a larger rf base for my 90mm ELmar C, rather than change the lens on and off all the time. By the way the CL works perfect with the 40mm Summicron. And I love the cds meter.

 

M5, last of the Mohicans?

Remember, when plastic was invented everyone thought it'd last for ever. Then a few decades later most museum grade furniture made of plastic begun to degrade. Acrylics in painting too, they didn't outlast oil color. Of course wax has been the best painting medium since Christ was born. Something of a parallel thinking, hence my hypothesis that metal is better than plastic, M5 vs M6.

 

I am new to Leica. How much of the M6 is plastic, and if it is, is it better quality than the 60's made plastic? Any carbon in it?

 

Just thought I'd carry the thread towards the old/new comparison.

Have to admit, I am not a fan of hand held meter. Perhaps I'll change when I become more of a professional.

But in painting too, have been practicing it for 25 years, I don't like to mess with grinding my own pigment and oil medium, I prefer ready made good quality colors.

 

Is there a point here, metal vs plastic, old vs newer? And if it is, how much and what quality plastic is there in the M6?

Sorry don't mean to talk down on the M6, in fact it seems a beloved camera and certainly would like to own one. I am trying to gain more knowledge on it, and other Leica's.

Edited by crow
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We're talking not a very friendly croud with the M5, are we now?

What about all that talk about it being the last Leica totally produced in Germany, with the Leica logo engraved, with the solid metal body, less plastic?

I do own a CL and love it. Just thought I'd buy a larger rf base for my 90mm ELmar C, rather than change the lens on and off all the time. By the way the CL works perfect with the 40mm Summicron. And I love the cds meter.

 

M5, last of the Mohicans?

Remember, when plastic was invented everyone thought it'd last for ever. Then a few decades later most museum grade furniture made of plastic begun to degrade. Acrylics in painting too, they didn't outlast oil color. Of course wax has been the best painting medium since Christ was born. Something of a parallel thinking, hence my hypothesis that metal is better than plastic, M5 vs M6.

 

I am new to Leica. How much of the M6 is plastic, and if it is, is it better quality than the 60's made plastic? Any carbon in it?

 

Just thought I'd carry the thread towards the old/new comparison.

Have to admit, I am not a fan of hand held meter. Perhaps I'll change when I become more of a professional.

But in painting too, have been practicing it for 25 years, I don't like to mess with grinding my own pigment and oil medium, I prefer ready made good quality colors.

 

Is there a point here, metal vs plastic, old vs newer? And if it is, how much and what quality plastic is there in the M6?

Sorry don't mean to talk down on the M6, in fact it seems a beloved camera and certainly would like to own one. I am trying to gain more knowledge on it, and other Leica's.

 

 

 

There is no plastic in the M6...

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There is no plastic in the M6...

 

Well, there's the tip of the film lever and the little cap for the flash socket.....:D

 

Older meters deteriorate over time, so if you primarily want an M body with built in meter I'd go for the M6.

 

Or buy the broken M5 and if you don't want a hand held meter, read up on 'sunny 16' and learn to read the light yourself.

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OK,

I guess then that they only differ in that the M5 was 100% built in the old factory and was more of a 100% manually built camera as opposed to the M6...

"... M5 entirely in Wetzlar by hand using the traditional "adjust and fit" method." I am not sure but does this mean easier access when serviced?

 

And..."... the quietest of the M series".

 

Also :".. The M5 is the only full-size M with shutter speeds visible in the finder."

 

"The M6..."..albeit through the use of more electronic circuitry..." Does electronic circuity mean plastic in the M6?

Edited by crow
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Or if you want the last German leica with the engraving etc as you mentioned then buy an m4. No electronics. No meter. Just a pure instrument. And when you listen to the shutter you will be hooked. But if want the meter get the m6 classic. Also a great camera. But I love the m4

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OK,

I guess then that they only differ in that the M5 was 100% built in the old factory and was more of a 100% manually built camera as opposed to the M6...

"... M5 entirely in Wetzlar by hand using the traditional "adjust and fit" method." I am not sure but does this mean easier access when serviced?

 

And..."... the quietest of the M series".

 

Also :".. The M5 is the only full-size M with shutter speeds visible in the finder."

 

"The M6..."..albeit through the use of more electronic circuitry..." Does electronic circuity mean plastic in the M6?

 

Does any of this really matter to you?

 

How quiet do you need your camera to be? If it's an issue buy a camera with a leaf shutter, or a compact digital like an X2, virtually silent.

 

Do you need shutter speeds in the viewfinder? How will you cope without having other info such as aperture and ISO displayed? You can buy other cameras which show lots of info in the viewfinder if that's important to you.

 

What's with the fixation about plastic? There's no issue with plastic components in Leica M bodies.

 

Most people who buy the M5 now, do so because they just happen to prefer the larger body style above all. It's as good as any other film M body for the purpose of exposing a roll of film.

 

I suggest you buy a fully working example from a dealer with a 6 or 12 month warranty.

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I haven't bought my largeer than the CL Leica yet cause of the metering issue.

I think I need the lightmeter in the body, but like the idea there are no electric circuits involved, cause to my perception the simpler a machine the better it will perform time wise as well. But I am not so sure if I want to go that simple, with out a hot shoe meter extending or even hand held. I want the metering, I want to have both hands on the camera, and I want to go un noticed, with the quietness of the M5 shutter. I'd better look for a youtube video with both shutters firing, M5 and M6, just to see if there is a big difference in the noise they make. Noise I prefer not to have if possible. I'll see, or should I say"listen" first.

I may be ready for a lightmeter less Leica in a few years from now, in which case I might sell.

6 month or 12 month warranty I like too!

By the way, should I decide to get the M5 for the reasons I mention, and in case the lightmeter is working, how long will it last if I waist a film 36 exposure film every week or so?

Edited by crow
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I have both M5 and M6 (as well as 3,4, & 9) and both are great cameras. I had passed over the M5 when it first came out, but got the M6 when it was announced, then added an M5 a few years ago.

The M5 meter, like the CL, is a more sharply defined limited area (spot) than the M6, which acts more like a center-weighted pattern. I prefer the smaller spot pattern of the M5-CL, but they all work fine once you understand how they meter.

I believe a good M5 can often be cheaper than a good M6, but harder to find. I generally prefer smaller cameras, but the M5 handles so well I really like it.

But you can't go wrong with either. I understand there are structural plastic parts in the rangefinders of both, but not in areas where it is a limiting factor.

The M5 viewfinder is more flare-free than the M6. I think the M5 is the most thoroughly engineered and tested M model - just too great a change for the Leica traditionalists.

The M5 lightmeter used a mercury cell like the CL, and you have the choice of re-calibrating to use a 1.5V or use an adapter to lower voltage or use a Wein cell. Wein cells have limited life due to chemistry, so I generally use the CRIS-type adapter to fit a 386 cell and lower the voltage. Battery life should be equivalent to the CL.

...

One final thought: The Zeiss Ikon ZM is also a nice companion to a CL. Center weighted metering, but a great viewfinder, and option to use aperture-preferred auto exposure with all M lenses. Sometimes they show up cheaper than a working M5 or M6.

Edited by TomB_tx
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Crow:

 

It'll last you a life time, both the camera's I've had 2 M6's and I loved them, haven't touched a M5 yet though...

 

I think the M6 is the way to go, also since it's most like a Leica M, the M5 isn't really a M in my opinion.

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OK,

one really important thing is that I aim to use it mainly with my 90mm Leica lens so that the larger rf, than my CL, allows for a sharper focusing.

The M6 has the 0.85 finder, better for tele's.

Would a viewfinder magnifier, those Leica ones on ebay for 50 pounds in front of the M5, do the same if not better job than the M6 special 0.85x?

Spot I like, especially for back lit or subjects that differ greatly in terms of their tonal value.

This is why I also am an Olympus person.

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Not sure if it warrants saying so, but one of the main reasons for an external light meter is to take incident readings which are often better than reflected reading s given by internal meters.

 

Fwiw, I rarely meter for reflected light since going to my M3.

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The M5 was a great M... Lots of people don't like it's looks but IMO it looks fine and it fits so well in the hand.

 

The thing is I wouldn't buy any M that needs a lot of work because there are so many good ones available. (and they seem to be getting cheaper)

 

BUT A good technician may be able to get the meter functioning properly for not a lot of money. I know a local guy who can do wonders using parts from other manufactures etc.

He recently fixed an M6 that had been caught in the rain and the meter was non functioning. The quote to get it fixed by Leica was ridiculously expensive because of the cost of parts.

But he completely disassembled it, cleaned up the circuit board and after assembly it worked perfectly. No new parts were needed.

 

If you really want an M5 and you feel like taking the risk then go for it.

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I hope the weather in Australia isn't as bad as I saw it on tv.

You can always give me the name and address of this tech, he might be doing a better job for not so much money. That woman in NY is supposed to be real good and have parts but NY sounds expensive!

Again can I use something to magnify the finder image like a 0.85x does?

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Hello,

My M5's viewfinder is so nice that I have never needed to use an magnifier.

 

For you, I have just mounted them behind the M5:

 

-Leica x1.25 is very bright with this already clean viewfinder and 50's or 90's lines can be seen without moving around, all indications of lightmeter also, a very nice find for me

 

-just for experience, I have tried my Leica x1.4 and from now I will use it with 90mm and 135mm:

the viewfinder is a little bit dimmer but the focus is so "bright" and lightmeter indications (shutter and "cross-bar") can be seen with small move in the finder

 

Arnaud

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Arnaud that is absolutely great, works with out having to buy an M6 0.85x f.

Any advice on where to buy a many years to keep M5 with warranty perhaps,

or if it is easy getting one with a non working light-meter and have it replaced?

I know leia shop, also the one in Berlin, Austria. Foto Sandor, aperture uk, a german shop starting with the letter Z, and a lot of individual ebay sellers.

Edited by crow
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