Best Leica M for the $?

Get a M2 and a 35mm summicron and remember Sunny 16 with Tri-x. 1/60 and F2.8 works in most average indoor shots.

Eric
 
This is the easiest question...
Leica M6 (meter) or M2/M4-2 (no meter) and stick the 40mm Summicron lens on there.
 
An M6. The older models are cool, but almost ALWAYS have serious mechanical or optical problems. I have looked at a gigantic number of M2 bodies and have NEVER seen one whose rangefinder was not badly faded. Not one, ever. I've seen M4 bodies with the same problem as well as the RF simply being innaccurate. M6 bodies are newer and I have never seen one with a bad RF, though I have seen some where the RF needed recalibrating. I had to order and send back more than 12 Leicas before i got ones that just worked perfectly like they should. Very frustrating....its really a numbers game. Leica's are mechanically reliable IF they're regularly serviced, but the older ones had problems with the RF optics seperating and fogging up. If you want something that will just work and not need service and whose old models usually work perfect, buy an old Nikon F, F2, or F3 SLR. I love my Leicas, I have two M6 bodies and used to have two M4 bodies (both of which had to be serviced to make them work right). Love the cameras, hated the crap I had to go through to get good ones.
 
Chriscrawfordphoto said:
An M6. The older models are cool, but almost ALWAYS have serious mechanical or optical problems. I have looked at a gigantic number of M2 bodies and have NEVER seen one whose rangefinder was not badly faded. Not one, ever. I've seen M4 bodies with the same problem as well as the RF simply being innaccurate. M6 bodies are newer and I have never seen one with a bad RF, though I have seen some where the RF needed recalibrating. I had to order and send back more than 12 Leicas before i got ones that just worked perfectly like they should. Very frustrating....its really a numbers game. Leica's are mechanically reliable IF they're regularly serviced, but the older ones had problems with the RF optics seperating and fogging up. If you want something that will just work and not need service and whose old models usually work perfect, buy an old Nikon F, F2, or F3 SLR. I love my Leicas, I have two M6 bodies and used to have two M4 bodies (both of which had to be serviced to make them work right). Love the cameras, hated the crap I had to go through to get good ones.
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Picky? Has anyone else had this experience? I have owned only one Leica M2 and it worked perfectly. Maybe I am lucky...
 
filmfan said:
Picky? Has anyone else had this experience? I have owned only one Leica M2 and it worked perfectly. Maybe I am lucky...
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Damn right I'm picky. If I spend hundreds of dollars or even more for a camera, it better work flawlessly. That means when I focus on something, it is in PERFECT focus. Not something an inch behind or whatever. The shutter needs to have no oil on the curtains (I saw a few with that), and it needs to have accurate speeds with no tapering so my exposures are even across the frame. The RF needs to be bright and contrasty so I can actually focus the stupid thing even in low light. My Olympus and Nikon SLRs "JUST WORK" and I don't think that's too much to ask from a Leica, especially considering that they cost twice as much as my japanese SLRs.
 
Looks like you've settled on an M6 Classic -- lots of them around for $900 - 1200.
Summicron is a good choice, but I'd be tempted to get a clean Canon 50/1.8 -- last or next to last generation. KEH has a BGN one at $109 -- leaving you in the enviable position of using the extra money for film, or $300-600 for a second or second and third lens.
Good luck.
 
Started with an M6, and now have the pair of an M3 and M4. Never had any problem with any of them, but won't go so far as to say ALL older M's are perfect :)

I would recommend any reasonaby priced M. We all have our favourites, but functionally there's not much to seperate the models from the M2 through M6 (save an inbuilt lightmeter or a 28mm frame). In fact, given ergonomics between the models are so similar, I would let your choice of lens determine what budget is left for a body.

The Bessas are fine cameras too, but the resale values don't seem to hold like an M, which you can often resell for what you paid for it.

If time is on your side, some real bargains pop up from time to time, especially here on the classifieds.
 
Err... hands down the Leica LC. Meter, small and can handle 40mm and 50mm frame lines. Easier to load and unload then the rest of the M line. Oh ya, a good solid meter too.
 
The Cl is a little louder, smaller, shorter ebl, a counter intuitive meter, and not a great selection of framelines (imo) along with no preview lever. Also it's more 'plastic' and near the end of it's life cycle currently. You can find CL's relatively cheap nowadays though, CLE's are still a little more
 
Like stated above: meterless, M2; metered, M6...

OR an M6TTL.

Now... what type of lens do you have in mind? Wide, standard, telephoto? See Mike's post again... And have fun shopping! :)
 
I've found metered bodies (M6) to go great with slide film. For b&w and color negative that have more latitude an M2 or M3 will work great.
 
filmfan said:
Picky? Has anyone else had this experience? I have owned only one Leica M2 and it worked perfectly. Maybe I am lucky...
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Same here. I got my M2 off RFF many months ago, and it has worked flawlessly. No issues whatsoever. Maybe i'm another lucky person:)
 
I don't know anything about your shooting style, so I don't know how valuable this will be. However, I recommend an M6 classic with a 50mm Summicron.
 
pagpow said:
Looks like you've settled on an M6 Classic -- lots of them around for $900 - 1200.
Summicron is a good choice, but I'd be tempted to get a clean Canon 50/1.8 -- last or next to last generation. KEH has a BGN one at $109 -- leaving you in the enviable position of using the extra money for film, or $300-600 for a second or second and third lens.
Good luck.
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an M6 is a good choice, (I liked mine - sold it to get an MP) the prices seem to be steadily rising her in London...
 
I rediscovered Leica about five years ago, bought a very nice user M2 from a dealer in Europe, and it's been a great shooter for me. Wanted a metered camera, so several years later, I picked up a user M5 (from the same dealer) and it's also been great shooter for me. Personally I prefer the M5 over the M6. Wanted a second camera with Rapidwinder, and picked up M4-2. All three have been good for me so far.
 
filmfan said:
Picky? Has anyone else had this experience? I have owned only one Leica M2 and it worked perfectly. Maybe I am lucky...
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it's true a lot can happen in the life of a 50 year old camera. But I've not had the experience of finding so many bad cameras, although I did once find a Nikkor 55 AI Macro with oil on the diaphragm. I suppose it depends where you are looking - last year a saw a dog of a 11f covered in dirt, on a stall in the 'thiefs market' in Ahmedebad... I didn't even bother to ask.
 
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