johnastovall Posted January 4, 2008 Share #1 Posted January 4, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I've found that shooting the M8 has got me back to wanting to shoot film in an M body. I've got IIIG reworked by Sherry K. But I'm wanting to also use and M-Body. I had an M3 which I sold in graduate school (foolish me). I'm now torn between the M4 or the M3. In many ways the M3 is classic but the improvements of the M4 are attractive. I've also been told to look for an M3 with a serial number over 1,000,xxx. Pro/Cons, suggestions observations? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 4, 2008 Posted January 4, 2008 Hi johnastovall, Take a look here M3 or M4 for film shooter?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
leitz_not_leica Posted January 4, 2008 Share #2 Posted January 4, 2008 M4, easier to load, easier to rewind, and most important, 35 framelines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted January 4, 2008 Share #3 Posted January 4, 2008 M2. Superb uncluttered viewfinder - 35/50/90. What more do you need? Except perhaps a quick-loading kit, then you have the M4 advantage too. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted January 4, 2008 Share #4 Posted January 4, 2008 Be back to the M3, the best M ever made. Cheers JC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchs Posted January 4, 2008 Share #5 Posted January 4, 2008 Go for the M3 only if you are a normal/tele lenses user. Find a good Single Stroke body with a good VF and contrasty RF patch. Even if it was the best viewfinder/rangefinder at its time, now most of them have undergone cement decoloration or prism separation, or fungi/humidity attack, etc. Compare it against your M8 finder to evaluate its condition. Choose instead an M2 or an M4 if you tend to a wider world vision. The same caveats as with the M3 VF apply especially in the case of the M2, obviously. Or be practical and buy a chrome classic or TTL M6 (cheaper in great condition than a mint M3 SS or a mint M4, built in lightmeter, finder up to 28mm wide, less years of use and abuse, etc etc) Ed (Who admits he could never stand using an M3) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
echorec Posted January 4, 2008 Share #6 Posted January 4, 2008 I love the M3. I have the others too but the M3 sees most use. Find a late one, they are really something else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted January 5, 2008 Share #7 Posted January 5, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) I had an M3 for a while and sold it. Just didn't enjoy it. Last year I bought an M2, mainly to use with a 35 lens. It's lovely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkie Posted January 5, 2008 Share #8 Posted January 5, 2008 M2, M2, M2, M2 sorry, just so I'm clear.. M 2 I got one custom made. An M2 with M6 loading and meter. Don't ask the cost. But it was done by one the best in the business Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted January 5, 2008 Share #9 Posted January 5, 2008 John, I've had both. However, I now use an M3 for my film shooter and the principle reason is that I only shoot a 50 cron for film. Absolutely nothing beats the M3 viewfinder and rangefinder patch. While the M4 loads and rewinds faster, the M3 loads more positively. When I switch back and forth between my M8 and M3, the M3 always brings a grin to my face when I pull that viewfinder to my right eye. Either one can be appreciated by an accomplished photographer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchs Posted January 6, 2008 Share #10 Posted January 6, 2008 I got one custom made. An M2 with M6 loading and meter. Don't ask the cost. But it was done by one the best in the business Sparkie, I'll not ask for the price, actually I'm not even interested in hear it... LOL BUT, did he replace the complete VF/RF assembly to include the M6 lightmeter, or did they just 'grafted' it inside the optical path of the VF? cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkie Posted January 6, 2008 Share #11 Posted January 6, 2008 Ed, the M6 VF & lightmeter was used, the 24 & 75 framelines were masked. The camera was modified to work with a vintage Leicavit MP winder also. Don did a terrific job. There were a series of other modifications which overall was not easy to do. But Don can pretty much do anything he sets out to do, with of course with a little persuasion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Olof Posted January 6, 2008 Share #12 Posted January 6, 2008 I've found that shooting the M8 has got me back to wanting to shoot film in an M body. I've got IIIG reworked by Sherry K. But I'm wanting to also use and M-Body. I had an M3 which I sold in graduate school (foolish me). I'm now torn between the M4 or the M3. In many ways the M3 is classic but the improvements of the M4 are attractive. I've also been told to look for an M3 with a serial number over 1,000,xxx. Pro/Cons, suggestions observations? Take the last analogue M, the MP ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuchs Posted January 6, 2008 Share #13 Posted January 6, 2008 Ed, the M6 VF & lightmeter was used, the 24 & 75 framelines were masked. The camera was modified to work with a vintage Leicavit MP winder also. Don did a terrific job. There were a series of other modifications which overall was not easy to do. But Don can pretty much do anything he sets out to do, with of course with a little persuasion Thank you Sparkie... somehow I thought it was Don... And it opens a whole new world of camera mods, at least in the mind. I will try to 'convince' the local Don's equivalent (sort of) best, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted January 6, 2008 Share #14 Posted January 6, 2008 Even the last-made M3 and M2 cameras are now close to forty years old. The best propositions for a meterless film M camera are the M4-2 or M4-P. These two were also the smoothest and best made M cameras ever. But go for an early M4-P to avoid the egregious zinc top from Solms. M6-TTL cameras in good shape are also to be had nowadays at (for Leica gear) reasonable prices, but the top plate is still zinc ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted January 6, 2008 Share #15 Posted January 6, 2008 Think REALLY at HOW MUCH and HOW you plan to USE it: I mean, if you plan a light use, and like to have a classic, go for M3. But if you plan to have a frequent and hard use, better to stay away from "too fine - too classic"... a sign/scratch on a fine M3 body is a pain... go for M4 2 or M4 P (an item for use is rather cheap), or even M6 if you consider metering a significant addon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_newell Posted January 8, 2008 Share #16 Posted January 8, 2008 Of your choices, unless you never shoot lower than 50mm, M4. My nomination, though: M6 classic with .85x finder. As close as circumstances and time permits to an M3 with a meter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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