Guest nafpie Posted January 28, 2011 Share #21 Posted January 28, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Food Very good. "protozoan" sounds to me like the codeword for a lenshood used by Nicéphore Nièpce. Codewords for lenshoods were introduced by Leitz years and years after Nièpce. Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 28, 2011 Posted January 28, 2011 Hi Guest nafpie, Take a look here Which is your most iconic M and why?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
zlatkob Posted January 29, 2011 Share #22 Posted January 29, 2011 ..but for the later M2 they used the first M3 styling proposal! It is interesting that the original, cheaper styling has lasted. There is a little more info on Janke here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/Heinrich_Janke It is possible that the costlier styling of the M3 somewhat helped it win initial public approval. I prefer the look of the M2's simpler design, although perhaps the little frames on the M3 are functional too, helping to keep one's fingers off the glass, and giving a little extra protection to the glass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
azman Posted January 29, 2011 Share #23 Posted January 29, 2011 Here's a perspective from a person new to Leica and doesn't own an M - promise not to laugh. I interpret 'iconic' as meaning what recurrent image pops into my mind when i think of it. When i think Leica M, i see eyebrows in my minds' eye, and that eyebrow is inevitably the front window frames, probably on the M3. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
telewatt Posted January 29, 2011 Share #24 Posted January 29, 2011 in the magazine "Leica Fotografie" 5 sept/oct. 1956 you can find a story "News photokina 1956" and a picture of the new M focusing stage with a camera M3 but engraving "M2" I never noticed it, but in "Leica Fotografie" 6/1961 you can find a note to this picture in the story "Leica up to M3" .... 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! regards, Jan Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! regards, Jan ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/142737-which-is-your-most-iconic-m-and-why/?do=findComment&comment=1572677'>More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted January 29, 2011 Share #25 Posted January 29, 2011 Is the one you posted the original copy of the magazine of 1956 ? Really intriguing... the "M2" is clearly recognizable... the s/n isn't so clear, but I'd bet it is surely not a "M2" number... and not surprisingly the frame counter is clearly M3... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
telewatt Posted January 29, 2011 Share #26 Posted January 29, 2011 Is the one you posted the original copy of the magazine of 1956 ? Really intriguing... the "M2" is clearly recognizable... the s/n isn't so clear, but I'd bet it is surely not a "M2" number... and not surprisingly the frame counter is clearly M3... yes luigi, this is the original page of the magazine... regards, Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. No Posted January 29, 2011 Share #27 Posted January 29, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) M3 it is ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 30, 2011 Share #28 Posted January 30, 2011 The iconic Leica is the M3 for me too because it's synonymous with so many iconic photos that were taken with it. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob139 Posted January 30, 2011 Share #29 Posted January 30, 2011 Another vote for the M2, because of the more pure design. Not a fan of the 'art deco' rims on the front. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted January 30, 2011 Share #30 Posted January 30, 2011 Another vote for the M2, because of the more pure design. Not a fan of the 'art deco' rims on the front. That's your favourite M but does that make it iconic? Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob139 Posted January 30, 2011 Share #31 Posted January 30, 2011 Yes, for me it is the M. In fact it is the iconic camera for me. If I were making a drawing of the M, it would look exactly like the M2. The 35mm framelines are one more reason to contribute to this title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share #32 Posted January 30, 2011 That's your favourite M but does that make it iconic? Pete. Its very easy to get sidetracked my personal experiences and inevitable favouritism (I probably like the M4 most, of all the Ms that I've had) - hence my original question. FWIW I don't think that the original Calypsophot was as good as its later Nikon dervatives, however it IS iconic because it instigated a characteristic design which lasted over 20 years. It looks to me, from the responses, that the M3 'initiated' the M design which is still largely, fundamentally based on it, and this appears to be the reason for it being the iconic M? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 30, 2011 Share #33 Posted January 30, 2011 It looks to me, from the responses, that the M3 'initiated' the M design which is still largely, fundamentally based on it, and this appears to be the reason for it being the iconic M? ...except that it appears it didn't. The "cleaner" design that eventually saw the light as the M2 came first, according to what I am seeing above. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
telewatt Posted January 30, 2011 Share #34 Posted January 30, 2011 ...except that it appears it didn't. The "cleaner" design that eventually saw the light as the M2 came first, according to what I am seeing above. Regards, Bill . yes Bill, but this nobody knew in public.... regards, Jan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share #35 Posted January 30, 2011 ...except that it appears it didn't. The "cleaner" design that eventually saw the light as the M2 came first, according to what I am seeing above. Regards, Bill Bill OK, I see what you are saying and I read about this, but I personally think that: a. whilst the M2 has the 35mm frame and the 35mm is probably the focal length that I personally would most associate with the Leica M b. and whilst the M2 has the 'cleaner' (historically earlier design) lines, which I too prefer to those of the M3 the M3 was the FIRST production camera, and is clearly the camera favoured by most posters as being iconic. So despite the historical fact about the M2 styling being down to an earlier design, the M3 has more association with being the first M Leica and in most poster's minds is perceived as the original (though not necessarily the best). The Calypso(phot) was probably identified as being the original 'Nikonos' type camera (at least in Europe) because Cousteau was wily enough to get Nikon to supply Europe with the original Nikonos 1 cameras badged under the "Calypso-Nikkor" name. This is probably why the Calypsophot is so well remembered, despite far less of the original being produced and many of them having reliability problems too. Perhaps historic facts don't always override historic perceptions! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 30, 2011 Share #36 Posted January 30, 2011 Perhaps historic facts don't always override historic perceptions! Too true! Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deirdre Posted January 30, 2011 Share #37 Posted January 30, 2011 Iconic underwater cameras: Nikonos V, which I have one of. Iconic M for me: the M9, which is the first I shot. I don't own one, though; I settled for an M8. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl E Posted February 4, 2011 Share #38 Posted February 4, 2011 A serious question. I'm writing a piece on 'iconic' underwater cameras and lenses and am including those which really progressed the effectiveness of underwater photography. So my list goes Calypsophot, Nikonos 15mm and then Nikon F (with its actionfinder it provided the first clear reflex reviewing system). Which got me to thinking; which Leica M would be regarded as the most iconic? I can make suggestions for M2, 3 and 4 models, but what do others think? In my opinion the "iconic" M is the M4 by far. Not only does the M4 in my view consolidate the best of the M2 and the M3 into one, complete design, but it is also the camera that started my interest in Leica when I at the tender age of 13 wrote the local Leica agent and requested a brochure (which I have still got 40 years on) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbretteville Posted February 4, 2011 Share #39 Posted February 4, 2011 The M3. Carl B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob139 Posted February 4, 2011 Share #40 Posted February 4, 2011 The M3.Carl B No, no, no Carl, I made it quite clear earlier that it is the M2! Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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