MP vs M-A

[a.noctilux]

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@rossawilson1

I would do the same if I don't feel good with the gear, done that so many times in the past reading/hearing from 'happy users'.

These are for user and nothing more than that.

The user must feel good using the gear.

[Prosophos]

On 8/19/2021 at 3:41 PM, rossawilson1 said:

I bought an M-A a week ago, black, my first thoughts, it being a second camera to my M6, was that it had a kind off hollow shutter clunk, the top plate also felt oddly hollow by comparison…

I can relate. Over the years, I’ve written about that sensation in the newer film Ms, including in a post on my blog in 2018 where I was discussing how much I love the M3: 

“Even the much-glorified modern film camera reincarnations of the M3, the Leica MP and M-A, feel somewhat tinny and hollow in comparison.”

https://prosophos.com/2018/04/28/why-the-leica-m3-is-a-special-camera-to-me/
 

—Peter. 

[Matlock]

2 hours ago, Prosophos said:

“Even the much-glorified modern film camera reincarnations of the M3, the Leica MP and M-A, feel somewhat tinny and hollow in comparison.”

—Peter. 

As a comparison. M3 591g, MP 585g, M-A 578g. So very little in it. I don't find my M-A tinny by any means and a vast improvement over my M3 in many ways. My favourite, the M7, is 610g but does have a lot of electronics compared with the others.

[Leon Berg]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Prosophos:

I can relate. Over the years, I’ve written about that sensation in the newer film Ms, including in a post on my blog in 2018 where I was discussing how much I love the M3: 

“Even the much-glorified modern film camera reincarnations of the M3, the Leica MP and M-A, feel somewhat tinny and hollow in comparison.”

https://prosophos.com/2018/04/28/why-the-leica-m3-is-a-special-camera-to-me/
 

—Peter. 

Tinny nails it ! Was looking for the word! Thank you! Confirmed.

but still very valuable. The older ones feel more robust to me, too. 
maybe I just hear the voices of the past and suffer from something.. 😅

[Guest]

On 8/20/2021 at 10:35 PM, Leon Berg said:

My black paint MP had the same hollow feel, that you describe compared to my M6. I had them side by side, sold the MP then.

now have the M4. Will have it next week and report how it feels if you like.

Hi @Leon Berg, Just curious how you like your new M4? I followed your MP journey with some interest and wonder whether the M4 has cured some of the anxieties (or lack of trust) that were caused by the initial problems you had with your MP. Hope your are a happy M user now! Cheers, Joachim

[Leon Berg]

Am 14.10.2021 um 03:00 schrieb Studienkamera:

Hi @Leon Berg, Just curious how you like your new M4? I followed your MP journey with some interest and wonder whether the M4 has cured some of the anxieties (or lack of trust) that were caused by the initial problems you had with your MP. Hope your are a happy M user now! Cheers, Joachim

Hallo Joachim!

Ich liebe die M4, love my M4 :) 

Well.. back then I was pretty new to Leica and tended to occupy myself with these kind of questions about built and reliability and so on..

 
I think I wanted the perfect camera and wasn't quite convinced by the MP (and it's price) because of that "hollow" sound (that the M4 shares, though).

Although I read quite often, that the M4 is built better.. who knows if that is true and if we ever find out under real life circumstances. 

I sold the MP because I didn't feel too good with the price. A buyer paid the same money I spent for it after using it for approx. three months
and I found a body that I could justify, the M4, shortly after that. 

The M4 was way under 2k with a complete CLA and replaced curtains as well as in mint condition. 

One day I might get myself a black chrome M-A or M3 as a second body. 
The MP is just a beauty, but not the lady I want to marry. 

You can always take the battery out to have the fully mechanical experience, for me it's just not the same. 

As I mentioned once: taking out the MP made my photography about the beauty of the camera, not about the photographs. 

If I make too much money at some point, I might get one as a third body. Just for fun. :) 

Enjoy, which ever you get! 

 

Gutes Licht! ;) 

[a.noctilux]

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Talking to myself, out loud ...with some years of M-A/MP, I'd buy (if I always use M4 *) M4-P or M4-2 and why not another M4 😔.

Why ?

Hmm...because of the more comfort in wind (articulated plastic yes) and crank/lever rewind.

Viewfinder 'wonder' of M-A/MP became secondary, old M's VF are good enough for me, by now.

 

* happily, I keep some of those oldies and don't miss any

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Leon Berg said:

Ich liebe die M4, love my M4

 

Enjoy, which ever you get!

Good to read this, Leon! Happy you found your M.

I am done with buying analog M cameras, two MP is all I ever need.

[Leon Berg]

vor 22 Stunden schrieb a.noctilux:

Talking to myself, out loud ...with some years of M-A/MP, I'd buy (if I always use M4 *) M4-P or M4-2 and why not another M4 😔.

Why ?

Hmm...because of the more comfort in wind (articulated plastic yes) and crank/lever rewind.

Viewfinder 'wonder' of M-A/MP became secondary, old M's VF are good enough for me, by now.

 

* happily, I keep some of those oldies and don't miss any

I love the M4 viewfinder the most of all Ms I owned and used.

it has a slightly bigger coverage than the MP viewfinder and although the latter one is supposed to be the best, in the field I don’t find too much trouble with the older ones.

i use mainly 50mm and the M4 coverage is slightly more than the MP‘s coverage. Although they’re both .72

I read that once on a site with a comparison to the M-A viewfinder and found it to be true for myself.

 

anyhow: I’d definitely get a second body at some point. Deciding between M-A and MP. Hard decision.. 😂 

I had some gigs lately and think about spending the money.. it might also be an M2 or M3. Not sure.

[a.noctilux]

Leon,

Anyway one M is very nice, but more Ms are just the next step to follow or not.

[Leon Berg]

After having the experience of the MP, I really want one body of the „old“ design, meaning the old knob and lever. 
i don’t like with the M-A and MP that the viewfinder glas is even with the body which makes it prone to scratches. But that’s being picky too much now.. 

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Leon,

If you don't want marks on the front windows then a good choice is an M3. The very functional "window frames on an M3 are a transitional design element going from the "Industrial Design" screw mount bodies to the clean line of the M3's less expensive alternative: The M2. And the M2's siblings. Except for the M5. And don't forget a "Quick Load" which helps to make film loading easier & better. A serial number from a little below 1.000.000 & higher will give you a pretty much up to date modern camera.

The 0.91 X range/viewfinder system of an M3 seems to be designed around using a 90mm lens as a main lens. With 135mm lenses without "goggles" & 50mm lenses also doing very well. Shorter lenses work just fine with accessory viewfinders. With 35mm lenses with "goggles" there is an image magnification of 0.6 X instead of the 0.72 X without goggles which many other "M" models have. 0.6 X magnification is fine with a 35mm lens.

Best Regards,

Michael

Edited October 23, 2021 by Michael Geschlecht

[Leon Berg]

vor 7 Stunden schrieb Michael Geschlecht:

Hello Leon,

If you don't want marks on the front windows then a good choice is an M3. The very functional "window frames on an M3 are a transitional design element going from the "Industrial Design" screw mount bodies to the clean line of the M3's less expensive alternative: The M2. And the M2's siblings. Except for the M5. And don't forget a "Quick Load" which helps to make film loading easier & better. A serial number from a little below 1.000.000 & higher will give you a pretty much up to date modern camera.

The 0.91 X range/viewfinder system of an M3 seems to be designed around using a 90mm lens as a main lens. With 135mm lenses without "goggles" & 50mm lenses also doing very well. Shorter lenses work just fine with accessory viewfinders. With 35mm lenses with "goggles" there is an image magnification of 0.6 X instead of the 0.72 X without goggles which many other "M" models have. 0.6 X magnification is fine with a 35mm lens.

Best Regards,

Michael

Danke Michael.

yes, the M3, supposedly the best ever built M and also the M2 is on my list.

how can I add the quick load? It’s still a take out spool right? Not like the system as it is in the MP?

M3 is really beautiful! I had one for a month and shot one roll only and sold my M6 and the 3 to get me an MP. Now I have the M4..(also saved some money  ) and think about getting a second body .. just don’t know which.. it will be a M2/M3/M-A .. although the MP is again very seducing.. I have to be careful not to fall for it again 😂 

maybe get a protection foil or glas for the viewfinder? That would be kind of foolish and stupid .. what do you think? 
 

1.M3

2.M-A

3.M2/MP

[a.noctilux]

Leon,

Quick load system for M2/M3 was a joke for me.

When I take M2/M3, I just adapt myself to the loading process which is not that slow but if doing it well, very secure.

The 'slower' loading of M2/M3 is to take like a lot being parallel to the 'slower' knob rewind process.

 

Side note, for a while I used M4/-P/-2 before M2/M3 so I wanted the same 'comfort', added the lever rewind/QLS on M2/M3, it was not good idea, so after a while

I just use them 'nude' happily, letting down the other add-ons.

[Mute-on]

As a 50mm shooter, you should have an M3 for the 0.91 viewfinder, the highest magnification of any Leica M. if you enjoy using 35mm, the M2 is the best film M ever made for that focal length.  Look through an M2 viewfinder with a 35 attached and you will see why I say this.

The M4 and later do not have the solid ingot feel of the M2 and M3. I have no idea why, but it is obvious to me. As for quick load, you can live without it.

Finally, I would buy both an M2 and an M3 for the same cost of one M-A without a shadow of a doubt. 

[a.noctilux]

Strange indeed,

Maybe something esoteric, here 🙃.

Each time I took M2/M3, I feel in my hands something quite robust, smooth in use but feel sturdy.

Triggering shutter travel is just 'there', no less no more and quite predictable (comparing to M6/MP).

Even the shutter sound of those old M2/M3 is 'musical' in my ears.

M-A/MP shutter sound can be described as 'industrial' (hardly 'musical'),

 

Those things are so individual that they can be seen as 'esoteric' for most.

[Leon Berg]

Thank you all for your feelings and experiences towards this. 

I just like to spend money after each job I have (freelancer in film) to reward myself, you know? 

A good watch, a nice camera, a nice leather jacket.. I like to buy things "for life". 

With the Leica Ms it was quite journey. The M4 will stay forever (I feel). 

The MP/M-A is arrousing because of the feeling of buying new. But you're right, Why not having an M2/M3 instead. 

I am considering. 

[a.noctilux]

On 10/23/2021 at 2:33 PM, Leon Berg said:

Thank you all for your feelings and experiences towards this. 

I just like to spend money after each job I have (freelancer in film) to reward myself, you know? 

A good watch, a nice camera, a nice leather jacket.. I like to buy things "for life". 

With the Leica Ms it was quite journey. The M4 will stay forever (I feel). 

The MP/M-A is arrousing because of the feeling of buying new. But you're right, Why not having an M2/M3 instead. 

I am considering. 

Buying things for life is a myth.

Romantic conceptions that I respect, even if I think it's a concept to protest our disposable goods world.

Things change with restorations of old repairable goods. = more than one's life 😇...

[BigBabyEarl]

On 8/9/2021 at 3:50 AM, a.noctilux said:

May it be that I use to M esthetic ?

M-A + old Summicron 50 ...IS beauty personified

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even with not same hue of silver 🙃

 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[Huss]

53 minutes ago, BigBabyEarl said:

 

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When are you going to put some film in it?