I love my… I love my M-A

[ktmrider2]

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I am thinking of making the plunge into MA ownership.  However, I am not sure what I would gain over my mint black chrome 50th anniversary M4.  I know it is a new camera and not fifty years old and I know about all the frame lines.  To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.  The black chrome finish is identical to the M4 although I admit the MA looks better, almost a stealth camera.  In chrome, it looks like every M2 or M3 I have ever owned.

I am in the Philippines and may go to Hong Kong at the end of December, 2023 to purchase the camera.  I have noticed a difference in price depending on the finish with the chrome the cheapest.  And the camera seems to be about $1550 cheaper than in the USA with a chrome body going for $4040US and black chrome $4170.  But I can also pick up a chrome M2, M3, or M4 for $2000 and add the 50f2.8 Collapsable Elmar for $800.  Whichever finish I get I would like the lens to match.  I don't mind black on chrome but hate chrome on black.

Thoughts?

Edited November 23, 2023 by ktmrider2

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ktmrider2 said:

Thoughts?

Can't see any benefits from such a change unless you need a second camera body or you want to keep your special edition M4 in mint condition. 

[28framelines]

20 hours ago, ktmrider2 said:

I am thinking of making the plunge into MA ownership.  However, I am not sure what I would gain over my mint black chrome 50th anniversary M4.  I know it is a new camera and not fifty years old and I know about all the frame lines.  To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.  The black chrome finish is identical to the M4 although I admit the MA looks better, almost a stealth camera.  In chrome, it looks like every M2 or M3 I have ever owned.

I am in the Philippines and may go to Hong Kong at the end of December, 2023 to purchase the camera.  I have noticed a difference in price depending on the finish with the chrome the cheapest.  And the camera seems to be about $1550 cheaper than in the USA with a chrome body going for $4040US and black chrome $4170.  But I can also pick up a chrome M2, M3, or M4 for $2000 and add the 50f2.8 Collapsable Elmar for $800.  Whichever finish I get I would like the lens to match.  I don't mind black on chrome but hate chrome on black.

Thoughts?

I would much prefer a BC 50th anniversary Leica M4 haha

[burchyk]

23 hours ago, ktmrider2 said:

I am thinking of making the plunge into MA ownership.  However, I am not sure what I would gain over my mint black chrome 50th anniversary M4.  I know it is a new camera and not fifty years old and I know about all the frame lines.  To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.  The black chrome finish is identical to the M4 although I admit the MA looks better, almost a stealth camera.  In chrome, it looks like every M2 or M3 I have ever owned.

I am in the Philippines and may go to Hong Kong at the end of December, 2023 to purchase the camera.  I have noticed a difference in price depending on the finish with the chrome the cheapest.  And the camera seems to be about $1550 cheaper than in the USA with a chrome body going for $4040US and black chrome $4170.  But I can also pick up a chrome M2, M3, or M4 for $2000 and add the 50f2.8 Collapsable Elmar for $800.  Whichever finish I get I would like the lens to match.  I don't mind black on chrome but hate chrome on black.

Thoughts?

I wanted the 28mm, brand new with warranty and no branding.

Don't need the self timer, can probably get one of those mechanical gizmos for a rare occasion.

M3 style advance lever bugs me as it is quite sharp and pokes me in the ribs when on a strap.

Prefer the M3 style rewind knob (I tend to lose grip on M4 style when in a hurry, annoying).

[Vlad Soare]

8 hours ago, 28framelines said:

I would much prefer a BC 50th anniversary Leica M4 haha

When I first read your post, I thought you wanted a Leica M4 from the year 50 BC. 😂
Like this:

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[f8low]

On 11/23/2023 at 3:06 AM, ktmrider2 said:

To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.

If you haven’t yet, try the M-A viewfinder side by side with your M4/M2 in Hong Kong.

[a.noctilux]

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4 hours ago, f8low said:

If you haven’t yet, try the M-A viewfinder side by side with your M4/M2 in Hong Kong.

At night for example, with plenty artificial light, my M2/M4 finders have some reflections, too many to be relaxed,

not any reflections with M-A.

Daylight with contre-jour situation can be another flarey VF for older M.

Maybe it's just me.

[ktmrider2]

Unfortunately, the M4 is in Anchorage so there is no way to compare them directly on this trip.  Traveling light with the emphasis on scuba diving, I brought my GR3 and a GoPro in an underwater housing.  I have been looking at prices in Hong Kong and they are about $1600 cheaper than in the US (black MA $4170 and chrome MA $4040).  I could purchase one and easily sell it for what I paid for it upon getting back to the US 1 April 2024. Or sell the M4 so lots of options.  I hear lots of claims about a better viewfinder but essentially all Leica did when they made the MP was replace a condenser they removed with the M4/2 to save money (thus going back to the finder on M2/M4 and M5 bodies). 

A flight to Hong Kong from the Philippines is $250 round trip.  My problem lies in deciding I want a second M film body as I simplified my system about 3 years ago (have done this a few times in the past 50 years).  Additionally, one dealer has lots and lots of used film bodies in stock (like 4 M4's, 7 M3's, 2 M2's etc) and lots of M glass.  If I could find an M2R, I would buy it immediately as the M2 viewfinder is my favorite but I really like the M4 film loading.  The things I gain with the MA is simply that it is a new camera and I have not purchased a new Leica since the mid 1990's.  Of the used classic M's, I would pick up another M4 or M2 for about $2000 and the 50f2.8 collapsible Elmar.  I have plenty of M mount lenses back in Alaska.

I may also look at a black paint MP.  A meter in the camera is useful, especially if you want the simplest kit for travel.  With the M4, I keep an incident meter in my pocket.  

 

[archive_all]

On 11/24/2023 at 6:15 PM, ktmrider2 said:

 If I could find an M2R, I would buy it immediately as the M2 viewfinder is my favorite but I really like the M4 film loading.  

 

There is this loading attachment from Cameraworks-UK and it's almost as good as the M4 style. https://www.cameraworks-uk.com/product-page/leica-rapid-load-kit-rlk

[colint544]

On 11/23/2023 at 2:06 AM, ktmrider2 said:

To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.

Agreed. I've never used an M-A, but I understand that the viewfinder is as bright and contrasty as you like. I do have an M2, it's well-maintained, and in good shape, and it has the best viewfinder/framelines of any of my film M cameras. Way better than the M6 I used to have, where the viewfinder patch would sometimes white out. That uninterrupted solid rectangle for either 35 or 50 lenses (less so for 90) is just perfect. The view through my M4 or M5 is cluttered and distracting by comparison.

[RayD28]

Does anyone haver a link that visually compares the viewfinders for M film cameras?  

[UliWer]

Not really a link ...

M3:   35mm (with goggles) and three frames , 50mm always visible

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!

 

M2: three frames (no 135mm)

 

M4, M5, M4-2:

Four frames, 135mm added to 35mm:

 

M4-P, M6, M7, M-P, M9 to M11: six frames  (35/135mm, 50/75mm, 28/90mm)

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by UliWer

[RayD28]

36 minutes ago, UliWer said:

Not really a link ...

M3:   35mm (with goggles) and three frames , 50mm always visible

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!

 

M2: three frames (no 135mm)

 

M4, M5, M4-2:

Four frames, 135mm added to 35mm:

 

M4-P, M6, M7, M-P, M9 to M11: six frames  (35/135mm, 50/75mm, 28/90mm)

 

 

Wonderful. When you write “M-P”, is that the film camera or digital?  Where does the MA fit in the illustrations?

[JMF]

1 hour ago, UliWer said:

Not really a link ...

M3:   35mm (with goggles) and three frames , 50mm always visible

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!

 

M2: three frames (no 135mm)

 

M4, M5, M4-2:

Four frames, 135mm added to 35mm:

 

M4-P, M6, M7, M-P, M9 to M11: six frames  (35/135mm, 50/75mm, 28/90mm)

 

 

May I correct your post?

The M2 window frame lines you're sharing are incorrect .

M2 "complete" frame lines are shown below:

 

 

Partial screenshot taken  from this link:

https://photothinking.com/2021-04-22-leica-m2-the-sibling-classic/

Another links shows them too:

https://emulsive.org/articles/guides/find-your-perfect-leica-or-m-mount-film-camera-with-the-help-of-this-interactive-tool-and-reference-data#

 

Best, JM.

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by JMF

[JMF]

The M-A frame lines were previously shared here on LUF:

 

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!

[UliWer]

vor 31 Minuten schrieb JMF:

M2 "complete" frame lines are shown below:

Yes, I manipulated the graphic for the M6-frames, so the lower frame line wasn't right.

[JMF]

1 minute ago, UliWer said:

Yes, I manipulated the graphic for the M6-frames, so the lower frame line wasn't right.

I like your avatar .

[UliWer]

vor 49 Minuten schrieb RayD28:

When you write “M-P”, is that the film camera or digital?  Where does the MA fit in the illustrations?

Of course I meant the MA when I wrote M-P

[RayD28]

@UliWer @JMF

Thank you for all this good information. 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[f8low]

On 11/23/2023 at 3:06 AM, ktmrider2 said:

To me, the M2 viewfinder is the best Leica has ever made if you can live with 35/50/90.

 

9 hours ago, colint544 said:

Agreed. I've never used an M-A, but I understand that the viewfinder is as bright and contrasty as you like. 

Framelines are highly subjective but looking through a CLAed M2 with one eye and a M-A with the other... I'd say brightness and contrast are clearly better on the M-A. I would be curious to know if it's the other way round for someone...