Second M body (open to suggestions)

[Pyrogallol]

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18 minutes ago, Radost said:

Quick question: What was he doing to the electronics???? Re soldering? Cleaning them? Replacing wires?

 

Not sure, he did tell me, having to keep readjusting some component?

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[ktmrider2]

I have owned every Leica film body made except the M7 and now MA.  If you like the MP, perhaps I would look at buying something very different for the whole Leica experience.  I just purchased a new MP to join my mint black chrome anniversary M4.  Until I went into the dealership, I could not decide between MA and MP but MA is M4 with different frame lines and the meter gives me an option I don't have with the M4.

They are all good and you will slowly develop a favorite.  My favorite is the M2 due to the single frame lines.  The classic photojournalism trio of lenses is 35/50/90 which are the three I use.  Have never owned a 75 but the whole viewfinder works pretty well for the 28 and I have a 135f2.8 with the goggles which pull up the 90 frame lines.  Anything wider than 28 requires a aux finder on any M.  However, I like the modern film loading of the M4 and the only frame that has two frame lines on the M4 is the 35/135 and the 135 is very unobtrusive.

Only you can decide on frame lines, viewfinder magnification, rewind system (knob or crank), film loading, meter or no meter, and finish.  I might suggest an M5 which has the best meter Leica ever put into a camera as well as some other advanced features (metering area in viewfinder with 50mm, shutter speed in viewfinder, best shutter speed dial, still made in Germany) etc but very different than other M bodies.  Its failure had nothing to do with its features or quality.  It was very different from the classic M2/3/4 body, the Leica CL could be had for half the price, and the Nikon F dominated professional sales at the time.  Leica spent over 10 years developing the features of the M5 and it still has features not seen in any other film M. However, its best feature is the meter and you said you do not care for a camera with a meter. 

I would take a hard look at the M2 if you can live with 35/50/90.  Honestly, with the 35 it is the best camera Leica ever produced.  And you can install a rapid loading system if you don't like the traditional spool.  And it was made cheaper than the M3 but by removing features, not by taking shortcuts in production as was later done with the M4-2, M4-P and M6.