sblitz Posted March 17, 2013 Share #101 Posted March 17, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 17, 2013 Posted March 17, 2013 Hi sblitz, Take a look here I love my M4. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
johnwolf Posted March 18, 2013 Share #102 Posted March 18, 2013 Honestly, I'm not sure yet if I love my new M4-P. It's my first film M and first film experience in over ten digital years. We're just now getting acquainted. But I expect the larger question will be, do I really want to go back to film? I want to give it a try. John Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/141350-i-love-my-m4/?do=findComment&comment=2274776'>More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted March 18, 2013 Share #103 Posted March 18, 2013 M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. Agreed! I bought my M4 new in '68 when I could have had a new M3 for the same price. I never regretted getting the M4 instead. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveYork Posted March 18, 2013 Share #104 Posted March 18, 2013 (edited) M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. Don't tell that to the M5 guys and gals. Edited March 18, 2013 by SteveYork 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted March 19, 2013 Share #105 Posted March 19, 2013 :-) ah but its true, not to say M5 isn't a good camera, but it in this world of things that go beep in the night where no adventure is possible without an outlet to recharge the battery, its wonderful to have in your hands mechanical craftsmanship rugged enough to be a favorite of cameramen in vietnam, and need only enough film in your pocket to bring home the shot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 19, 2013 Share #106 Posted March 19, 2013 (edited) M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. Call me weird, but I honestly prefer the rewind on the Barnacks and M3/2/P to the angled one first seen on the M4. In my honest oppinion all Leicas the film Ms have a very nice sounding shutter for us that enjoy machines and I don't considder the M4s to be the last great ones. They are great, but so are the ones that succeeded them, and that includes - despites its DX coder idiosyncracies - the M7. Carl Edited March 19, 2013 by cbretteville Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveYork Posted March 19, 2013 Share #107 Posted March 19, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) :-) ah but its true, not to say M5 isn't a good camera, but it in this world of things that go beep in the night where no adventure is possible without an outlet to recharge the battery, its wonderful to have in your hands mechanical craftsmanship rugged enough to be a favorite of cameramen in vietnam, and need only enough film in your pocket to bring home the shot. Yes, I understand the sentiment, but the juice required to operate only a meter is very small. Not like an M7, where it seemed I was changing batteries every 6 months, but the batteries in my Leicaflex and M5s last hundreds of rolls. I've owned a bunch of Ms over the last two decades and in terms of craftsmanship + practicality I liked the M5 the best. Indeed, it's the only rangefinder I have left. Too bad I came to it so late (I shoot mostly Leicaflex now). I was actually a bit nonplused with the one M4 I owned several years back (before I dropped it into the ocean by accident). I just expected something more, something more 'magical.' And remember, that handheld meter runs on batteries too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falstaff Posted March 19, 2013 Share #108 Posted March 19, 2013 M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. Yes, in fact it was soon after Nick started this thread that I picked up mine from the nice people at Red Dot. I do enjoy using it. Call me weird, but I honestly prefer the rewind on the Barnacks and M3/2/P to the angled one first seen on the M4.Carl Me too - so I had the rewind crank changed to a straight M3/2 type. Took about 30 secs. Falstaff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted March 20, 2013 Share #109 Posted March 20, 2013 After a while you really don't need after except for critical type shots. And more to the point I enjoy looking through the viewfinder and seeing only the frame lines. No distractions. Not for everyone that's okay. Don't need the price zooming. Just saying after the M4 things changed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 20, 2013 Share #110 Posted March 20, 2013 Me too - so I had the rewind crank changed to a straight M3/2 type.Took about 30 secs. The rewind or the windon crank? I can beleive swapping the wind on crank took you 30 seconds (it did on my M6), but how do you fit the knob of an M3/2/P the angled rewind axle of an M4? Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalArts 99 Posted March 20, 2013 Share #111 Posted March 20, 2013 M4 is the last great Leitz More modern than 2 or 3 in loading and rewind. Not as many made and most want meter ttl. No battery and a shutter click that is pure poetry for anyone who enjoys machines. I agree that the modern loading and rewind is a big improvement in real world and practical everyday use. And while I may like the looks of the M3 and the current MP film advance lever and rewind lever (I think the MP really has them primarily for nostalgia/marketing reasons), the actual everyday use of the M4/M6 style loading and rewind is so much better. Fast film changes are often times paramount for me. And I even prefer the plastic tipped two-piece advance lever as it's more comfortable on my thumb tip and won't eventually rub my baby soft skin off.... The only big thing I found lacking (for me) with the M4 is that it doesn't have a finger guard for the lens release button. I'm not sure why that was (and it returned with the M6.) I often hold the camera in my right hand with my thumb on the rear and two fingers on the front just past the self timer lever, and down at my right side (with the strap wrapped around my wrist.) I found that I was getting too close to releasing the lens lock as my forefinger was so near the button. So I had DAG install the M3 finger guard on my M4. I also had the frame lines masked out leaving only the 35 and 50. I prefer less clutter, too. And remember, that handheld meter runs on batteries too. My meter only needs food, water, and sleep. And sometimes a hat to keep it warm in colder weather. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falstaff Posted March 20, 2013 Share #112 Posted March 20, 2013 The rewind or the windon crank? I can beleive swapping the wind on crank took you 30 seconds (it did on my M6), but how do you fit the knob of an M3/2/P the angled rewind axle of an M4?Carl Sorry, I was not clear. It is the wind-on crank for advancing the film that I had changed. Falstaff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen.w Posted March 20, 2013 Share #113 Posted March 20, 2013 Sorry, I was not clear. It is the wind-on crank for advancing the film that I had changed.Falstaff Did you do it yourself? I'm considering this 'upgrade' for my M6. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 20, 2013 Share #114 Posted March 20, 2013 Did you do it yourself? I'm considering this 'upgrade' for my M6. No problem doing it your self. Remove one retaining ring and replace the original with a straight one. I did this on my M6 with a wind on lever purchased from DAG. I've since put the original back. You should use a flexiclamp to losen and fasten the retaining ring, it is easy to get marks on it if you use a pair of pliers. Carl 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted March 20, 2013 Share #115 Posted March 20, 2013 I received some film today. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falstaff Posted March 20, 2013 Share #116 Posted March 20, 2013 Did you do it yourself? I'm considering this 'upgrade' for my M6. No I didn't but it was done by an ex-Leica tech while I watched. No problem doing it your self. Remove one retaining ring and replace the original with a straight one. I did this on my M6 with a wind on lever purchased from DAG. I've since put the original back. You should use a flexiclamp to losen and fasten the retaining ring, it is easy to get marks on it if you use a pair of pliers. Carl As Carl says, do not use pliers. The man who did it used a rubbery material to get a good grip to the top retaining ring and just unscrewed it, changed the lever and screwed the top back on. Falstaff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted March 21, 2013 Share #117 Posted March 21, 2013 I received some film today. I have a couple of those cans, just need a way to turn 400 ft into something a little easier to work with. Really looking forward to trying XX. Carl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted March 21, 2013 Share #118 Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) It took a while but I eventually found an Alden loader capable of 200' so I'll split the roll half. I also look forward to trying this film. I'm in the process of going through the 50+-page thread over at RFF which is really an interesting (and time consuming) read. Edited March 21, 2013 by philipus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted March 22, 2013 Share #119 Posted March 22, 2013 Alas, my M3 is up for sale, but my nearly new 1983 M4-P arrived today! I have an original M4-P brochure I picked up new in 1980 when I bought my used M4-2 at Pacific Camera on Girard St. in La Jolla. I couldn't afford the M4-P. I was pleased with the M4-2. Now, thirty-three years later, I have my M4-P to go with my brochure! <chuckle> L1004595 by chief1120, on Flickr L1004597 by chief1120, on Flickr 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveclem Posted March 22, 2013 Share #120 Posted March 22, 2013 When you post pictures like this you need to accept responsibility for giving the plastic in my wallet the jitters. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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