Which film M has the best "bang for the buck" today? M5?

[cbgrey]

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I've been a digital M shooter for the last year but have recently shot a little film on my old Nikon F3...which gave me a little itch to shoot a bit more film. 

I'd really like an M film body to pair up with my M11 (and share glass) but they all seem so absurdly priced these days. Where's the sweet spot in today's market? I generally shoot 35mm or 50mm focal lengths. Not essential it have a meter. 

M6 seems to be going for around $4000 USD (Edit: Others have said closer to $2k...not sure where I got $4k in my head) which seems nuts. 

I know the M5 is the ugly duckling of the bunch but does that make it a sleeper buy? What are the downsides to owning one? 

Appreciate all your thoughts and opinions. 

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by cbgrey
Revised price for M6

[Pyrogallol]

What puts me off the M5 are the scare stories about irreplaceable parts braking in the earlier cameras, described in other threads on this forum.

For a classic M film body consider an M2 or M3.

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Pyrogallol

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[01af]

vor 14 Minuten schrieb cbgrey:

What are the downsides to owning one?

If you don't mind the M5's body being somewhat bigger than any other M model—none. To the contrary, the M5 has a very handy shutter-speed dial.

[Huss]

1 minute ago, cbgrey said:

I've been a digital M shooter for the last year but have recently shot a little film on my old Nikon F3...which gave me a little itch to shoot a bit more film. 

I'd really like an M film body to pair up with my M11 (and share glass) but they all seem so absurdly priced these days. Where's the sweet spot in today's market? I generally shoot 35mm or 50mm focal lengths. Not essential it have a meter. 

M6 seems to be going for around $4000 USD which seems nuts. 

I know the M5 is the ugly duckling of the bunch but does that make it a sleeper buy? What are the downsides to owning one? 

Appreciate all your thoughts and opinions. 

 

I see M6 going for $2500.  where are you looking?  Check sites like fredmiranda.com.

Do you want an M with a built in meter?  If not, then the M2 and M3 are the most affordable options right now - and truly superb cameras.  Next would be the M4-2.

If you want a meter, then M5/6/7/P

I have the M5 and it is great but there are many things to look out for.  “They” say to get one with a serial # higher than 134xxx as apparently there were improvements made.  But no-one seems to really know what those were!  The meter can be a weak point in it - I have seen a few with non operative meters.  Not sure if a clumsy user broke it, or what.  Mine works great and original battery was a mercury cell.  Those are no longer available so you can either use an adapter, or do what I did and have it recalibrated to use modern cells.

A really big issue is rangefinder delamination.  It will look like water drops or tears on the rf patch .  It will work fine until it suddenly comes apart and then you will just have a black patch.  This is repaired by using a new frame set and other bits.. when mine was repaired the new frame set now includes 28mm frame lines.  That repair was super expensive - about $700!  But once done, you’re good for another 50+ years..

A near perfect M5, like mine, would be about $1800.  M2, M3 a little less.  M4-2 about the same.  M4-P a little more.

Not sure where you are,  but if you are in the Los Angeles area you can check mine out to see what you like.

[a.noctilux]

M5 👍.

Buy it now while it's available and much cheaper than other M.

Think of it as very limited run, about 23,150 in black anodized, and much less in silver about 10,750 made.

All (well most ...) of those who didn't like the M5 may never use one.

The smoothness is second to none.

Half shutter speed is something else to fine tune exposure, visible in viewfinder and nice to see "how far" is exposure from ideal.

Even the field of spot measurement is in the VF.

And many more 😇 while using it in real world.

Edited October 12, 2022 by a.noctilux

[Kl@usW.]

vor 11 Minuten schrieb cbgrey:

I've been a digital M shooter for the last year but have recently shot a little film on my old Nikon F3...which gave me a little itch to shoot a bit more film. 

I'd really like an M film body to pair up with my M11 (and share glass) but they all seem so absurdly priced these days. Where's the sweet spot in today's market? I generally shoot 35mm or 50mm focal lengths. Not essential it have a meter. 

M6 seems to be going for around $4000 USD which seems nuts. 

I know the M5 is the ugly duckling of the bunch but does that make it a sleeper buy? What are the downsides to owning one? 

Appreciate all your thoughts and opinions. 

 

I owned an M5 for a couple of years. The only lens I had was a S´lux 35 steel rim. I hindsight a great combo. It's among the long list of Leica stuff I should never have sold. But what do we know...

Seriously: If you find a nice M5 for a reasonable price: go for it. 

If you want to exclude as many weak spots such as failing  light metering, fading and disaligned focus patches, separating prisms  and so on:   buy a nice MDa or MD2.  Really.  They go for well under 1k and a CLA shouldn't cost a limb. Combined with a 28 mm lens you'll  have a great Leica experience for many decades. As long as you don't want to shoot a Summilux wide open  at 1m you won't miss anything. 

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13 minutes ago, Huss said:

Not sure where you are,  but if you are in the Los Angeles area you can check mine out to see what you like.

Sadly I'm on the opposite coast but really appreciate the offer!

[cbgrey]

5 minutes ago, Kl@usW. said:

buy a nice MDa or MD2

Very unexpected and interesting suggestion. 

[Huss]

5 minutes ago, Kl@usW. said:

I owned an M5 for a couple of years. The only lens I had was a S´lux 35 steel rim. I hindsight a great combo. It's among the long list of Leica stuff I should never have sold. But what do we know...

Seriously: If you find a nice M5 for a reasonable price: go for it. 

If you want to exclude as many weak spots such as failing  light metering, fading and disaligned focus patches, separating prisms  and so on:   buy a nice MDa or MD2.  Really.  They go for well under 1k and a CLA shouldn't cost a limb. Combined with a 28 mm lens you'll  have a great Leica experience for many decades. As long as you don't want to shoot a Summilux wide open  at 1m you won't miss anything. 

I also use an MdA.  I use it w wides but it is nothing like the experience of using an M w a rangefinder.  A rangefinder M can do everything an MdA can, but an MdA can only do a small amount of what a rangefinder M can.

[Kl@usW.]

vor 4 Minuten schrieb Huss:

I also use an MdA.  I use it w wides but it is nothing like the experience of using an M w a rangefinder.  A rangefinder M can do everything an MdA can, but an MdA can only do a small amount of what a rangefinder M can.

Agreed, I own 2 MPs and a couple of Barnacks but the combination of the MD2 with an SA 4/21 is always a refreshing experience and a joy to use.  Why not start from there ? 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Kl@usW.

[madNbad]

Check Igor’s Camera Exchange. His stuff is normally good and there’s a M5 listed. 

[a.noctilux]

MDa and Super-Angulon 4/21 is a very nice combo for "easy photo" 😉.

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!

 

I used along M8 which took care of metering.

digital M and "film" easy combination

Edited October 12, 2022 by a.noctilux

[Huss]

Both examples above feature a 21mm lens.  And I’m not arguing against that if you want to use wides/super wides.  But if you step up to even something like a 35mm lens, want to shoot closer up and wide open.  Well, good luck getting accurate focus.  And forget it if you use a 50mm unless you are into infinity shots or f8 and smaller at mid to far distances.

I use my MdA w 17, 18, 21 and 25mm lenses.  Maybe even a 28.  But really after the 25 I like to use an M that I can accurately focus at all apertures and all distances.

[spydrxx]

I don't think there is a sweet spot in M bodies these days. However, if you wanted a Barnack (screwmount), there are some very good bargains presently, including recently CLA'd ones. I poo-pooed the screwmounts for years, being a M4 shooter. On a whim I tried one out and found I really enjoy using them (I picked up several).

[TomB_tx]

I've owned & used M cameras since 1968, starting with an M4. When the M5 came out I heard all the opinions about how it was too big and "ugly" - so I passed on it, then buying an M6 in 1985. Eventually I got a used M5 (along with 2, 3, etc) and after a CLA I found I really like the M5, especially the spot meter. Mine is a fairly early model, but continues to work fine - but I'm gentle with my cameras.

I found the black M5 more attractive than the silver chrome version, as the extra height of the chome top plate makes it seem top heavy. But either color is wonderful to shoot.

[Huss]

The M5 does have more exposure info in the vf than any other M leica -film or digital!

[Danner]

I'll echo the M6 classic recommendation, they have a good feature set.  The world-wide recession seems to have dropped the prices down about US$500 from what they were last year.

 

My 2¢.

[hektor]

Regarding the Leica M5, I bought a late one (important) in 1975 and still have and use it when through-the-lens metering is required.  In those days I assumed each new Leica was better than the last and bought an M6.  Not impressed, particularly by the cheapened viewfinder and more by the metering method.  One tended to alter the exposure to ensure the centre red light was the only one where one tried either side before settling on the final exposure. 

With the M5 and its three lines to coincide there was no such uncertainty.  Until the M7 it was the fastest Leica if one includes adjusting exposure settings.

It did seem "big" after the M4, however I like its functional design.  Setting the shutter speed is the easiest ever.  When one looks at the size of quality cameras today it is a baby.

Don't forget cameras need a CLA every ten years.

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited October 13, 2022 by hektor

[Studienkamera]

2 minutes ago, hektor said:

Regarding the Leica M5, I bought a late one (important) in 1975

Why is it important to buy a late model M5?

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[hektor]

There were some improvements made mid way through its life.  I have forgotten what they were, but remember their being significant.  Maybe another contributor can remember.

I have located a note "Serial numbers above 1 34x xxx are usually considered more reliable".

Edited October 13, 2022 by hektor