M5, What a Camera - Page 2

BillBlackwell · 07-28-2010

M5 - What, a camera?

helenhill · 07-28-2010

I had an opportunity to have an M5 loaned to me
i LOVED it !!!!
so much so that I am in the process of now Purchasing it
The shutter speed dial is Supreme, the Meter spot on, the Size/Weight keeps me Steady
and I LOVE the boxy Shape with the Beautiful White engraving
and NO red Dot...yea !!!

in the past I have Owned an M2 & M4 / now an M6ttl .58
but the FAVORITE will be the M5

kdemas · 07-28-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by helenhill

I had an opportunity to have an M5 loaned to me
i LOVED it !!!!
so much so that I am in the process of now Purchasing it
The shutter speed dial is Supreme, the Meter spot on, the Size/Weight keeps me Steady
and I LOVE the boxy Shape with the Beautiful White engraving
and NO red Dot...yea !!!

in the past I have Owned an M2 & M4 / now an M6ttl .58
but the FAVORITE will be the M5

You're going to love it Helen. Though I use my M7 (.85) and M8 more (I like AE) it is always nothing short of a pleasure to break out the M5. If it had AE I's probably never put it down.

Enjoy

kzphoto · 07-28-2010

I was looking to have a .72 VF replaced with a .85 in my old M6 TTL. DAG quoted about $350 for the upgrade with an MP condenser / upgrade. This quote was about a 6 months ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Lynn Miller

Roland,

Where and how much... I have sent several E-mails to known Leica mechanics regarding upgrading to a .85 finder, but never had a reply.

Thanks!

Yes... taken at the corner of Crown and Oxford.

Nokton48 · 07-28-2010

I think it improves the balance with long lenses, like my 90mm F2 V1 Summicron, the 50mm F1.2 Canon, 85mm F1.5 Canon, etc.

My favorite Leica to use, hands down.

Steven Dooley · 07-28-2010

It's my favorite, too.
Meter, viewfinder, build quality, shutter speed dial, ratcheted film rewind...

I also appreciate the fact we have someone like Sherry who expertly restores them to full operating condition as if they just left Wetzlar.

Welcome to the club, Helen!

roundg · 07-29-2010

This is my M5

bennyng · 07-29-2010

OOhh!! The famed 8 element 35mm Summicron. Sure looks nice on the M5.

Cheers,

Alpacaman · 07-30-2010

The M5 is such a brutalist sexy camera. I really like it, I wish I had one. How does the rewind mechanism feel to use? Because it seems like the best rewind mechanism of any Leica camera to me, as it all hidden away.

StaaleS · 07-30-2010

The M5 rewind mechanism is a joy to use. Really fast and smooth.

The only caveat, if coming from a regular M, is to break the ingrained habit of opening the camera at once when you turn it upside-down

roundg · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennyng

OOhh!! The famed 8 element 35mm Summicron. Sure looks nice on the M5.

Cheers,

Thanks, bennyng. I found the lens sits on M5 more comfortable than on a M6. M6 is too narrow to protect the goggle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alpacaman

The M5 is such a brutalist sexy camera. I really like it, I wish I had one. How does the rewind mechanism feel to use? Because it seems like the best rewind mechanism of any Leica camera to me, as it all hidden away.

The rewind mechanism of M5 is the best in all M, IMHO. Very smooth and very fast. Especially, no worry for film roll back.

P. Lynn Miller · 07-30-2010

What frame-line do you use with the goggled Summicron? I had chance to buy a Elmarit? 135 with goggles for a fine price, but turned it down. Not a great fan of 135 even on my Nikon F's.

roundg · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Lynn Miller

What frame-line do you use with the goggled Summicron? I had chance to buy a Elmarit? 135 with goggles for a fine price, but turned it down. Not a great fan of 135 even on my Nikon F's.

The goggled Summicron brings up the 50mm frameline, then adjusted to match the view of 35mm by the goggle.

The main drawbacks of the goggle are 1) reduce the brightness of the VF
2) introduce some distortion in VF. But in real use, they are not big issue.

roundg · 07-30-2010

BTW, once I saw someone has a M5, whose VF upgraded with a so called MP one. It has the stardard frame sets as 35/135,50/75,28/90. I believe it's a M6 0.72 VF with the MP flare-Reduce upgrade.

It's said the VF was changed by DON from DAG.

rxmd · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundg

BTW, once I saw someone has a M5, whose VF upgraded with a so called MP one. It has the stardard frame sets as 35/135,50/75,28/90. I believe it's a M6 0.72 VF with the MP flare-Reduce upgrade.

Why would it need a flare reduction upgrade? It was never downgraded to the somewhat more flare-prone M6 finder in the first place.

roundg · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by rxmd

Why would it need a flare reduction upgrade? It was never downgraded to the somewhat more flare-prone M6 finder in the first place.

I don't know but I believe that it has changed to a M6 VF first. Maybe something wrong with the original VF and need a replacement.

And you are right, the M5 VF is better in anti-flare than M6.

Rayt · 07-30-2010

How reliable is the meter? I understand it cannot be repaired?

P. Lynn Miller · 07-30-2010

I really like the simple, uncluttered finder of the M5 with single 35, 50 and 90 frame-lines. I would like to get my M5 finder upgraded to .85x with single 50, 75, and 90 frame-lines, but that won't happen since the 50 and 75 come up at the same time.

roundg · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayt

How reliable is the meter? I understand it cannot be repaired?

The meter on my two M5 (one has been modified for 1.5V battery) are very accurate, never had any problem with exposure.

As I know, Don in DAG can repair the meter even the original meter cell dies.

Rayt · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by roundg

The meter on my two M5 (one has been modified for 1.5V battery) are very accurate, never had any problem with exposure.

As I know, Don in DAG can repair the meter even the original meter cell dies.

Thanks. Do you advise converting the meter to take 1.5v cells or use the "air cells"?

roundg · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rayt

Thanks. Do you advise converting the meter to take 1.5v cells or use the "air cells"?

I have heard that air cell drains very fast? My silver M5 use VARTA V625PX 1.35v battery. Not sure whether it's an aircell type or Mercury one.

My suggestion is if you are going to send your M5 for a service in future, you can have it converted at the same time.

I believe the original 1.35v is more accurate. But I never had a problem in exposure with my converted 1.5V M5.

Nokton48 · 07-30-2010

And it's a very good match IMO. The viewfinder image is easy to view, and the lens is a fantastic performer. Mine is about the same age as M5, so it's a particularly good combo.

I like it.

hipsterdufus · 07-30-2010

MUST... KILL... GAS... ATTACK...

But seriously, I love that this is the black sheep of the Leica family. Makes me want it even more. I just don't know if it's justifiable to get one over my Bessa R2...

dreamsandart · 07-30-2010

M5s are so cool

helenhill · 07-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamsandart

M5s are so cool

tres SEXY shot....that M5....

....