Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Shutter trip...

That sort of thing is very difficult to explain to non-users of meterless M (M3 to M4-P).

I have no idea what is the level of "long shutter stroke", maybe just the "feeling" of shutter is different.

 

Anyway, I have observe that the "feeling" of shutter trip on my two M-A is not the same, but I don't know which one is better :wub: .

:ph34r: Maybe, it's kind of manual adjust in factory by two excellent people.

 

Arnaud

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

x

There is definitely minute variation in shutter release feel between Leica film bodies, including across the same model (I recently, and somewhat obsessively, compared two M-A bodies and noticed one had a little more of a "hair trigger" feel about it) . Perhaps not all that surprising considering that the cameras are mechanical and not assembled by robots.

Edited by wattsy
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

With one year of M-A , and as long time user of MP (I don't have one any more) in the past, I use also some older Ms, I must admit that M-A is not just meterless MP.

But if people (who have never use one M-A) believe that I can not help.

 

For me M-A is just the long waited new M that come to reality last year.

 

Arnaud

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

With one year of M-A , and as long time user of MP (I don't have one any more) in the past, I use also some older Ms, I must admit that M-A is not just meterless MP.

But if people (who have never use one M-A) believe that I can not help.

 

For me M-A is just the long waited new M that come to reality last year.

 

Arnaud

A serious question from someone who has used an MP, but had not the opportunity to use an M-A: Where do the differences lie in your opinion?

Link to post
Share on other sites

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/236926-i-love-my-m-a/page-6

 

:p Maybe cosmetic changes, but that count a lot for me.

 

Page 6 and post #101 resume very well, as "new" small differences included in M-A : ISO dial, no detent in shutter release, no battery cover, complete framelines, and so on.

And when you use one, you may/or may not appreciate those things compared to MP.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

A serious question from someone who has used an MP, but had not the opportunity to use an M-A: Where do the differences lie in your opinion?

 

The only practical difference is the absence of a light meter. But that has some important esthetic implications. If you want a pure film photography experience reduced to its bare elements, like an M3, for example, but in a new Leica camera, where the photographer must think about light conditions and choose the right aperture and shutter speed, then the M-A is for you. The experience of using the M-A is quite different from using a metered camera.

Edited by AAK
  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

One year and over 100 rolls of film later the M-A is still one of my best camera buys ever. I have no idea if it is better or worse than any of the other M film cameras and to be completely truthful I never did really care. Mine has been a very strong, reliable and smooth running camera from day one. The only shots that I have missed came about because I forgot to remove the lens cap. (Yeah..still doing that after all these years. :D)

 

I guess that all that just means that the M-A is a proper Leica.

  • Like 8
  • Haha 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

One year and over 100 rolls of film later the M-A is still one of my best camera buys ever.

Does your (or anybody's) M-A's frame counter advance beyond 38? Mine doesn't—which isn't too bad as I hardly ever get more than 38 frames out of a roll anyway ... still wondering.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't have an M-A, but I don't remember the counter going past the number 38 on an M6, M7 or MP.

 

I always get 38.5 or 39.5 frames per roll (depending on brand of film).  If I load the film in the dark, I can get up to 41.5 frames from an M camera.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Does your (or anybody's) M-A's frame counter advance beyond 38? Mine doesn't—which isn't too bad as I hardly ever get more than 38 frames out of a roll anyway ... still wondering.

 

Normal.

 

The two M-A 's counter stop at 38.

So numbering " I = 39" and "40" are for free :) and would stay always mint .

Link to post
Share on other sites

The M-A is my favourite modern Leica, no doubt. If Leica would add a la carte for things like the 0.85 viewfinder, I would be tempted despite having two magnificent M3's and an M5! So thanks Leica for helping me resist temptation  :)

 

By the way, the M3 film counter goes to 40. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I never thought I would be, but I'm sorely tempted by the M-A. I had intended to thin out my Leica gear quite severely, as I have a good deal invested in it and it will fetch more if I sell it rather than wait for my wife to do it. I'm in the odd position of having achieved a partial remission from a leukemia, but there's no knowing how long till I relapse. I had intended to keep either the MP or M7 along with two or three favourite lenses, but then I thought to myself that I have all sorts of meterless cameras in the house that I use quite happily, why not have the same freedom with my final Leica? For example, yesterday I cleaned up and took out my wife's Olympus PenFT that she bought secondhand in 1978 and had such fun using it - obviously without the mercury 625 battery for which it was designed. It's true I could simply take the battery out of the MP (which would also let me continue to enjoy the black paint and the engraving that pleases me), but it seems perverse to take out a battery to cripple a camera, at the same time it seems that using one that has nothing beyond the mechanical basics is noble and fun. No one ever said humans have to be logical!

 

I think I shall have to have words with my enabler, Jean at Camtec, and see if he has any words of wisdom to help me out.

  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Chris,

 

Taking the batteries out of your MP is not going to "cripple" the camera since the camera doesn't use batteries. 

 

The light meter uses batteries.

 

By taking the batteries out you have simply turned off your light meter for the time being.

 

No different than leaving a lens hood at home when you go out to take photos.

 

Next time you go out to take photos you can take your batteries or/& lens hood or not, as you please.

 

Yours when you want them. Not there when you don't.

 

About being sick & getting better: There are a number of people who regularly write on this Forum today who have gotten equally unpleasant diagnoses in the past. Who: If they had followed the direction you are considering: Would have had few photos to show & little to write about for a long time. That would have been a great loss for all of us. As well as for themselves.

 

Sometimes when the World is complex it is a good idea to maintain your infrastructure & proceed in the direction of travel that takes you to where you want to be. Sometimes that is the best way to get thru what is in between.

 

Best Regards & Good Health,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

So if the M-A (in silver) is the nicest looking camera on the planet. Which lens most looks the part? I think a lot of the modern lenses from the digital era fail to match the iconic retro looks.

That's a tough one, and it's hard to find a bad answer. The 50 lux, the 35 cron.... no wrong answer here. There are some combinations that just look right. The IIIf with the collapsible lenses just looks perfect IMO. I think you can put a lot of lenses on an M-A and it will be a thing of beauty. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Shutter trip...

That sort of thing is very difficult to explain to non-users of meterless M (M3 to M4-P).

I have no idea what is the level of "long shutter stroke", maybe just the "feeling" of shutter is different.

 

Anyway, I have observe that the "feeling" of shutter trip on my two M-A is not the same, but I don't know which one is better :wub: .

:ph34r: Maybe, it's kind of manual adjust in factory by two excellent people.

 

Arnaud

and a MP inaudible too

Best

Henry

Link to post
Share on other sites

and a MP inaudible too

Best

Henry

Hello Doc, I agree that the MP and M-A play same music ;) .

 

 

So if the M-A (in silver) is the nicest looking camera on the planet. Which lens most looks the part? I think a lot of the modern lenses from the digital era fail to match the iconic retro looks.

Post #275 suggest:

 

Maybe the Summicron-M 50th Anniversary dixit "50 Jahre Summicron" 11615.

But a chrome Summicron 35mm version I can be very nice also.

 

Black lenses are not to be neglicted either, if taking pictures is more important than "look" :)

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...