leica m2

[Michael I.]

I will have enough money to fullfill my leica dream and get a leica m2 for my 25 b-day on february(they cost a bit less around here but harder to find and less to chose from). I need info on it.

I used canonets,zorki4(with summitar) and yashica 14e - I need info.
How much better is the RF\VF flare\patch wise?
I intend on using with 50 and 35,possibly a 90.

talk to me.

[Kyle]

The VF of a Zorki doesn't even compare. Its a night and day difference. Look through the M2 finder and you won't use your Zorki again (I had two I used fairly regularly before buying an M, so I know this first hand). As far as the Canonet, if you have one with a clean finder they're actually pretty good (mine is really clear and bright) and can hold its own against the Leica finder. The M2 is obviously the best of the bunch. Plus, being able to use 35, 50, and 90 lenses on one camera without finders is really nice.

Hope this helps. You're going to love the M2. Its a great camera.

[Xmas]

Michael
Alas it is not just the viewfinder, which you will not believe until you look through in low light.
The wind on is like red hot knife through soft butter. The shutter 1st pressure easy.
The lens click stops are easy to see and use.
The focus ditto...
The whole package is greater then the parts.
The £ is significantly different.
It wont improve your photography if you do scenery, but if you are HCB you will have a larger time window, to try and anticipate when you should trip. e.g. at a wedding you will get more shots. You will need to acquire the rapid load/drop in option, if you do anything like weddings.
Do you do fast changing action people or children or animal shots?
Noel

[Crasis]

You know how kyle refers to it being like night and day? Well, it's more like blind and.. well not blind.

[Michael I.]

I wan to get it for street photography,I believe I can get it for something like 450-550$ with some kind of lens around here. I played with one once - it seemes wonderful - but I fear viewfinder flare. I want it to answer all my RF needs - the rest I will sell.
I dont use flash and my photography is well represented in my blog and gallery.

even if I can't get one with lenses -I'll get a screwmount adapter and use the lenses I own(j-12,1939 uncoated summitar,j-8 all cla'd by Oleg Khalyavin) for the time being

I played with a x-pan II - how does the vf\rf compare?

[Michael I.]

by the way the stuff mentioned is for sale if anyone is intrested(yashica lynx 14e with dead meter,zorki 4 from oleg,pentax k1000,m42 lenses)

[Xmas]

Michael

The £ is significantly different.

Noel

Feeling guilty see above.

The lenses and viewfinder can flare, e.g. if you have footlight in foreground, but Nikons and Canons wont be much better and may be worse, depends on exact situation.

Best to try one out carefully before you buy, Cameraquest have a checklist.

Shutter ribbons snap about once every 25 years.

Noel

[Michael I.]

shutter is muche easier repairable then rf

[Goodyear]

You can't beat a good M2, you just can't.

[Magus]

Post deleted by posters request

[richard_l]

...I played with one once - it seemes wonderful - but I fear viewfinder flare.There is no viewfinder or rangefinder flare issue with the M2.

Richard

[SolaresLarrave]

Richard beat me to it. Fear nothing about the M2, except for the urge of getting another, and then another, and another and then more...

[Michael I.]

how does it compare to a M4?

[Kyle]

how does it compare to a M4?

The M4 is the more practical camera. With an M4 you get: angled rewind (quicker), newer loading style (as opposed to the removable take up spools), automatically resetting frame counter, and IIRC 135mm framelines. Besides that its basically the same camera. Problem is, M4s sell for significantly more and IMO those features aren't that much more important.

[Michael I.]

The M4 is the more practical camera. With an M4 you get: angled rewind (quicker), newer loading style (as opposed to the removable take up spools), automatically resetting frame counter, and IIRC 135mm framelines. Besides that its basically the same camera. Problem is, M4s sell for significantly more and IMO those features aren't that much more important.

I might get a chance to get one foe m2 price

what about RF flare? which rf\vf is better?

[Kyle]

I might get a chance to get one foe m2 price

what about RF flare? which rf\vf is better?

VF magnification is the same for both camera. I have never heard of VF flare being an issue with any camera but the M6.

If you can get an M4 at an M2 price then go for it!

[payasam]

The M2 has the least cluttered finder possible, more useful than the optically superior one of the M3. You will find it eminently functional, whether "better" or "worse" than X, Y or Z.

[jano]

There's a nice one on sale in the classified now, with hideous christmas wrapping paper :D