Of all the film M cameras you own...

[SunnySixteen]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I guess it would have to be the M6, I've owned it the longest and the built in meter has worked really well for my shooting style. But I do enjoy using my M2 and also my recently acquired M4 which I've only run one film through so far. I don't intend on selling any of them, film is alive and well!

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!

[105012]

M3 is an easy choice for me. Best viewfinder, practical finger guards around the windows, and more….

[edstock]

You’re forcing me to choose between one of three. I can’t do it. The pleasure and enjoyment that each one brings is unique to each camera. My M’s are M4-P, M6 and M7.

[Einst_Stein]

Lucky you have so many choices. 

I use SWC and Kodak Retina IIIc. I shoot 35mm panorama on SWC besides 6x6. Its 38mm lens happen to be the right focal length with 35mm film except it offers horizontal panorama (shoot rotated). Kodak retina IIIc is 50mm f2. Not Leica optical but definitely has its own charms. A little heavy though but OK.  

[Herr Barnack]

On 5/6/2021 at 2:22 PM, Reini said:

I prefer the M4-P for all bright lines.
But because it is not as valuable as the M3 or M2,
it is reliable and was fully serviced by Leica 2 years ago.
And I like the look. ☺️

What @Reini said.

I have just one film M at present, an M4-P black chrome.  I kept it and sold off my film MP 0.72 because the M4-P was more reliable.

The MP 0.72 black paint was a beauty, though. 

[Steven Seven]

Even before getting into Leicas (or even seeing one in person) I had read everything I could online about different models, and it seemed pretty obvious that the M7 was the one to get. A meterless 35mm camera of any brand never made any sense to me, and out of M5/M6/M7/MP the M7 seemed clearly superior due to young age, the AP-mode and the proper shutter dial.

But once I actually started buying/using/selling Leicas, I became convinced that yes indeed, the M7 is the king of the hill by a huge margin. Doesn't matter what you start with, an M7 is the ultimate upgrade.

Edited June 26, 2021 by Steven Seven

[a.noctilux]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

2 hours ago, Steven Seven said:

Even before getting into Leicas (or even seeing one in person) I had read everything I could online about different models, and it seemed pretty obvious that the M7 was the one to get. A meterless 35mm camera of any brand never made any sense to me, and out of M5/M6/M7/MP the M7 seemed clearly superior due to young age, the AP-mode and the proper shutter dial.

But once I actually started buying/using/selling Leicas, I became convinced that yes indeed, the M7 is the king of the hill by a huge margin. Doesn't matter what you start with, an M7 is the ultimate upgrade.

I can't comment on your choice, never had myself Leica M7.

 

Happily, we are all different.

Before that  I used automated camera which accept M lenses, Minolta CLE and Konica Hexar RF.

In my long use, they are great but as results in my Kodachrome days and relying on the 'A' settings, I never had with other Leica M so many 'faulty exposure",

so I've never been attempted by Leica M7, even if I have/use MDa to M6.

 

[Matlock]

20 minutes ago, Steven said:

I must agree. The M7 is the most convenient and enjoyable film M I've used. The reason why I would keep an MP instead of an M7 is for durability. Too much electronics that's not repairable in the long term in the M7..

The M7 is still repairable by Leica at the moment. A large amount of doom and gloom is spouted  about the electrics of the M7 but it is a very durable camera. It is probable that far more trouble is experienced with the digital Ms than on the M7. I bought mine, s/h, in 2008 (a 2001 model) and it is still going strong. I too treasure my MP3, which I bought new. but my M7 gets far more use.

 

[jukka]

18 minutes ago, Steven said:

 And what I meant is that in 30 years they might not be repairable. The MP should still be fine.

You see this argument being constantly thrown around, and every time I grinch. I got my M7 to use it now, who gives a rats behind if something will work in thirty years or not  

And I realize you have an M7, I am ridiculing this overall argument here.

 

Oh, and yes, of all film M´s, it is the M7, no contest. 

[Matlock]

4 hours ago, Steven said:

My three M7 often have issues. It's actually in CLA right now. And what I meant is that in 30 years they might not be repairable. The MP should still be fine. In the meantime, ill keep using my M7 till it dies. 

Tell me about your MP3! BP ? 

I got mine this morning. It's been just two hours ! 

No my MP3 is silver chrome, which I prefer. I bought it new from Ffordes in 2008. To my mind Black Paint looks better on screw mount Leicas but we are all different. In fact my favourite finish is my IIIc K in Grey Paint.

[AndreasG]

I would keep my first M Leica, a M4-P with Leicameter, which I bought used in 1985.

[AndreasG]

vor 4 Minuten schrieb Steven:

It wouldn’t turn out to be the Olive green Israeil tank division M4-P, by any chance ?

Unfortunately not, it is plain black only....

[Ko.Fe.]

I sold M4-P and M3 ELC DS. Keeping M4-2 only. Good enough for rare film use. If I would still use film as I used to, maybe then I'll need another film M, because CLA is months. 

But I have IIIc  .

[Danner]

I'm still an M6 classic believer.  Best all-around M body, IMHO.

[jukka]

11 hours ago, Steven said:

I am 34 years old, I hope to take photos for at least another 66 years. 

 

I'm only a little older than you, but it seems our understanding of time is different. My M7 was recently overhauled by Wetzlar, so I give it twenty to thirty years of operating time without issues. For me, the priority during this twenty to thirty years is to be able to fully enjoy the process of taking photos. This includes the camera staying as best out of my way, which the M7 does brilliantly compared to any other film M body.

Now, in my view, that's a rather long time. I wouldn't make compromises based on random assumptions on what is going to happen after that twenty to thirty years. A bus might run over me next Monday, or in ten years the world might come to an end – who knows. 

What I am saying here is that this argument of 66 years is based on non-rational nostalgic thinking. But then again, so is the present-day marketing strategy of Leica regarding its current lineup of film bodies. 

Another funny argument you often hear made against the M7 is the dependency on batteries. Here, the – often non-professional – film shooting folk see no problem lugging around bags full of film canisters. They do, however, take issue with the inclusion of also minuscule spare batteries to their camera bags, in the odd case once a year the M7 needs battery replacement.

So, all in all, whether for the next week or for the foreseeable future, my one film M choice remains the M7 – in the industrial matte black chrome finish, I might add, which I find more aesthetically pleasing than the nostalgic black paint

Edited June 30, 2021 by jukka

[logan2z]

1 hour ago, jukka said:

Another funny argument you often hear made against the M7 is the dependency on batteries. Here, the – often non-professional – film shooting folk see no problem lugging around bags full of film canisters. They do, however, take issue with the inclusion of also minuscule spare batteries to their camera bags, in the odd case once a year the M7 needs battery replacement.

I think the argument made against the M7 is its dependence on electronics and the fact that their failure may render the camera fairly useless . Of course the electronics are ultimately dependent on batteries, but I don't believe the batteries themselves are the issue.

[jukka]

15 minutes ago, logan2z said:

 I don't believe the batteries themselves are the issue.

Yeah, you do see this mentioned quite often. In particular, when discussing the merits of mechanically controlled shutters; should one run out of batteries "out in the field", one can still use the camera with sunny-16. 

[alan c. davis]

Have only ever owned one Leica film camera, a M6 ttl .58 bought new but this is my favourite camera, across all makes including digital that I have owned. Mine is a M-A variant in that it took a dunking on a river crossing gone wrong whilst hiking in New Zealand 10 years ago and the metering system was destroyed. A technician was able to get the shutter working (the whole camera had seized up) so now I use it with either a shoe mounted or hand held exposure meter. The only camera that comes close to the M6 is my Nikon S3 2000 which I love using also. But the M6 is far easier to focus so that keeps it as no 1.

[Matlock]

3 hours ago, jukka said:

I'm only a little older than you, but it seems our understanding of time is different. My M7 was recently overhauled by Wetzlar, so I give it twenty to thirty years of operating time without issues. For me, the priority during this twenty to thirty years is to be able to fully enjoy the process of taking photos. This includes the camera staying as best out of my way, which the M7 does brilliantly compared to any other film M body.

Now, in my view, that's a rather long time. I wouldn't make compromises based on random assumptions on what is going to happen after that twenty to thirty years. A bus might run over me next Monday, or in ten years the world might come to an end – who knows. 

What I am saying here is that this argument of 66 years is based on non-rational nostalgic thinking. But then again, so is the present-day marketing strategy of Leica regarding its current lineup of film bodies. 

Another funny argument you often hear made against the M7 is the dependency on batteries. Here, the – often non-professional – film shooting folk see no problem lugging around bags full of film canisters. They do, however, take issue with the inclusion of also minuscule spare batteries to their camera bags, in the odd case once a year the M7 needs battery replacement.

So, all in all, whether for the next week or for the foreseeable future, my one film M choice remains the M7 – in the industrial matte black chrome finish, I might add, which I find more aesthetically pleasing than the nostalgic black paint

I tend to agree with most of what you say. My M7 is still going strong after 20 years but I am using a Leica I at the moment which was made in 1925. Not too bad I think (but I still haven't found out how to change the batteries on the Leica I 😄). 

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[John Robinson]

Of all the cameras bought and sold over the years, the one I regret is my M6 0.85 TTL with Summicron-M 50 (III).  I had "upgraded" to an M9 with Summilux-M 50 ASPH (superb combination, capable of excellent results) and the M6 was languishing on the shelf, not helped by the fact that the last minilab in my town had closed down and getting film processed had become tiresome.  It was when I looked back over ten years of images that I realised just how many of the ones I liked had come from the M6.  Only five years after selling the camera I discovered that it would cost three times as much to replace but that's not really the point (settled on a 1960 M3 in a condition best described as "like new"):  the M6 is just a lovely camera to use, with a simple metering system and bright viewfinder (0.85 comes close to the M3).

To answer the original question in the thread:  if I had to choose a single film camera to rely upon, it would have to be the 60-year-old M3 with its Leicameter on top and 22-year-old Summilux out front unless I was feeling particularly neurotic about getting accurate exposures (matters most when using E6 film or Ektar 100), in which case the R5 with Summilux 50 comes a close second.  If absolute reliability and fast shutter speeds is the question, then a non-Photomic Nikon F2 is can be the answer, although to stay within the rules of this forum, I make sure I use it with a Leitaxed Summicron-R 50.

Edited June 30, 2021 by John Robinson