rivi1969 Posted October 3, 2018 Share #1 Posted October 3, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Good evening, For my upcoming December Korea/China trip I would like to bring a Leica M film body along with my beloved M8. Here in my city, there is a very well stocked store who sold, process and scans many different types of film at a very decent price so I am eager to get my film M. I left film many many years ago when I sold my Nikon F3, Leica R5, and Hasselblad 500CM cameras so I am pretty new to the differences between the M film series, I already found some interesting articles I am reading, but I would love the opinion of actual users. I am able to invest $1200 USD, so my question is which M would you choose for that money? My current M lens is a 35mm f2 and I have no problem using an external light meter. My findings indicate I can find an M2, M3, M4 or M5 within that range. Oh, and if there is a fine, trusty dealer you can suggest to deal with will be great too. Kind regards, Ricardo Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 3, 2018 Posted October 3, 2018 Hi rivi1969, Take a look here Film Leica M recommendations in the $1000-1200 range?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
alb59 Posted October 3, 2018 Share #2 Posted October 3, 2018 Hi Ricardo I’ve been using an M4-P for the past 30 years and it’s a solid performer. It’s the best value M film in my opinion. It has the 35mm frame. Regards Alex 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JMF Posted October 3, 2018 Share #3 Posted October 3, 2018 Good evening, For my upcoming December Korea/China trip I would like to bring a Leica M film body along with my beloved M8. Here in my city, there is a very well stocked store who sold, process and scans many different types of film at a very decent price so I am eager to get my film M. I left film many many years ago when I sold my Nikon F3, Leica R5, and Hasselblad 500CM cameras so I am pretty new to the differences between the M film series, I already found some interesting articles I am reading, but I would love the opinion of actual users. I am able to invest $1200 USD, so my question is which M would you choose for that money? My current M lens is a 35mm f2 and I have no problem using an external light meter. My findings indicate I can find an M2, M3, M4 or M5 within that range. Oh, and if there is a fine, trusty dealer you can suggest to deal with will be great too. Kind regards, Ricardo Ricardo, get a nice M2 to use your 35mm lens and enjoy the spare cash on your trip ! My 2 centavos, JM. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted October 3, 2018 Share #4 Posted October 3, 2018 M4 -- has the modern film loading, very fast, which the M3 and M2 do not have, brass built, solid strong (M4-2 was designed to cut costs), fast rewind crank (not a knob), and no flare in the viewfinder (unlike the models after). It doesn't have 75mm frame lines, but you guess easy enough with the 50mm frames .... this is the one buy and if you drop it, you pick it up and keep shooting . . . .. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mute-on Posted October 3, 2018 Share #5 Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) M2 or M4, without any doubt. I have both, and whilst I agree that the faster film loading and rewind of the M4 are convenient, unless you are a photojournalist it makes little difference. I would go with the M2. It is the purest of 35mm lens Leica M bodies (uncoupled 35mm frame lines), and better built than the M4 IMO. Edited October 3, 2018 by Mute-on 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted October 3, 2018 Share #6 Posted October 3, 2018 For a 35mm lens, M2 or M4 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted October 3, 2018 Share #7 Posted October 3, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) Buy a Nikon F2 Leica M4-P. If you like it and want to buy other lenses it's the first in the range to have all the current framelines. It's much more reliable and better bang-for-buck than an M2, also easier to use with less of a faff changing film. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB_tx Posted October 3, 2018 Share #8 Posted October 3, 2018 Any if them would be fine. I have M2 through M6 and each has its charms. I appreciate the meters in the M5 & M6, and find I use the M6 the most, even though I have a soft spot for the M4, which I bought in 1968. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivi1969 Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted October 3, 2018 Thank you for your replies, I already made contact with Red Dot Cameras and I am in the process of getting from them a beautiful silver M4 with a 6-month warranty . 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narsuitus Posted October 4, 2018 Share #10 Posted October 4, 2018 If your Red Dot Leica deal fails, you can also find a Leica M4-2, serial #153xxxx, Ex+ condition, with a 14-day return privilege and a 6-month warranty for $950usd at: Tamarkin Camera 300 West Superior Street Suite 202 Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA 312 642-2255 tamarkin.com 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemgb Posted October 4, 2018 Share #11 Posted October 4, 2018 I know you have made your choice but I want to add that I have been using an M2 with a quick load kit for a while, it is an excellent combination. Also, most of my equipment has come from Tamarkin, I can't recommend him highly enough. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivi1969 Posted October 4, 2018 Author Share #12 Posted October 4, 2018 Thank you Narsuitus, I will check that too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmahto Posted October 4, 2018 Share #13 Posted October 4, 2018 I got my M2 from Tamarkin few months ago and it has been a blast. Currently I am using it so much that after switching to my M240, I hesitated in opening the digital M’s bottom plate for card access and paused for a moment to think whether I have rewound the film. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivi1969 Posted October 4, 2018 Author Share #14 Posted October 4, 2018 If your Red Dot Leica deal fails, you can also find a Leica M4-2, serial #153xxxx, Ex+ condition, with a 14-day return privilege and a 6-month warranty for $950usd at: Tamarkin Camera 300 West Superior Street Suite 202 Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA 312 642-2255 tamarkin.com Thank you Narsuitus, Yes, I see they have a Leica M4-2, Ex+ $950 and a Leica M2 Self-Timer, VG $1,100. I will contact them too since I haven't completed the process yet. There are no pictures so I am sure for them what do their ratings mean. I also contact Mr. Youxin Ye and he says he can do an express CLA with no problem so I can have my camera ready for December. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemgb Posted October 5, 2018 Share #15 Posted October 5, 2018 Thank you Narsuitus, Yes, I see they have a Leica M4-2, Ex+ $950 and a Leica M2 Self-Timer, VG $1,100. I will contact them too since I haven't completed the process yet. There are no pictures so I am sure for them what do their ratings mean. I also contact Mr. Youxin Ye and he says he can do an express CLA with no problem so I can have my camera ready for December. Tamarkin's ratings tend to be very conservative. They will send you as many photographs of the item as you want. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rivi1969 Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share #16 Posted October 5, 2018 Tamarkin's ratings tend to be very conservative. They will send you as many photographs of the item as you want. They were very kind and send me the pictures of the M2, the camera is fully functional but cosmetically seems it went through a few wars. On a scale of 1-10, 10 being pristine, I would say is a solid 3. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herr Barnack Posted October 5, 2018 Share #17 Posted October 5, 2018 Hi Ricardo I’ve been using an M4-P for the past 30 years and it’s a solid performer. It’s the best value M film in my opinion. It has the 35mm frame. Regards Alex What Alex said - the M4-P is awfully hard to beat, all things considered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefse Posted October 6, 2018 Share #18 Posted October 6, 2018 (edited) The M4 is a steal at 1000usd. Most older M cameras have seen fairly light use, and often only need shutter speed adjustments to run perfectly. These cameras were designed to run thousands of rolls of film a year, for decades. They’re not plastic toys meant to be replaced by new plastic toy after two years. Edited October 6, 2018 by lefse 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted October 7, 2018 Share #19 Posted October 7, 2018 M4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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