markinlondon
Elmar user
ernstk said:
Good tip, Ernst and remember this works with a lot of meters as many have a viewing angle of about 30 degrees, e.g. Sekonic L308 in reflective mode, VC Meter II to name two I've owned apart from a Leicameter.
I like M2s even though I use a 50mm 90% of the time. This is a) because I wear glasses and b) because I like a lot of space around the frame. I really only use 35/50/90 anyway so the M2 is my ideal body.
payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
The M2 is often described as a simplified M3. Looking at the direction the M series took after the M2, it might more aptly be called an evolved version.
FrankS
Registered User
The viewfinder optics are significantly simplified relative to the M3. The M2 has manual set frame counter and originally was manufactured without self timer lever and a simpler rewind button. It was a simplified M3 and sold for less, but made more versatile with the 35 framelines.
furcafe
Veteran
The DoF notches were also put into the later M3's of the same era as the M2, so it's not really a difference between the models.
thomasw_ said:
JNewell
Leica M Recidivist
A truly excellent point that I had totally forgotten! I haven't used one of those in yeeeeears, which is my only excuse for forgetting that.
ernstk said:
JNewell
Leica M Recidivist
The framelines for some of the focal lengths were "shrunk" from the M4-P onward. I would say that I find the 90mm (and, for M4/M5, etc., 135mm) frames much easier to use in the M3, not so much because of the higher VF magnification but because they have CORNERS in addition to the lines on the top/bottom/sides of the "frame." However, I don't use 135s on Ms any more, and not having the M3's corners isn't really a problem with the 90.
ferider said:I have not tried an M[45] yet. But compared to the M6, I find the 50 and 90mm framelines in the M2 much easier to use. They seem larger and "crisper" ... cannt explain better why.
I agree with Frank, one M only, it would be an M2. But you got to have
at least one M3
Roland.
R
RML
Guest
thomasw_
Well-known
ferider said:I have not tried an M[45] yet. But compared to the M6, I find the 50 and 90mm framelines in the M2 much easier to use. They seem larger and "crisper" ... cannt explain better why.
I agree with Frank, one M only, it would be an M2. But you got to have
at least one M3
Roland.
Roland: My M3 is a 1959 SS beauty, but it still doesn't have the DoF indicators in the rangfinder, does that begin at a certain sn like 1 100 000 or such? Do you have one with and one without the DoF indicators?
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Leica's Pocket Book 4th ed. just says, "1958: two notches added to rangefinder frame in viewfinder to indicate depth of field." No ser.#s offered.thomasw_ said:
furcafe
Veteran
Per CVBLZ4's quote, I have a 1959 SS that has the DoF notches, so it appears that Leitz may have introduced the feature piecemeal.
thomasw_ said:
ferider
Veteran
CVBLZ4 said:
Thomas, CVBLZ4,
I don't know when (ser no) it started, both my M3s have the marks, one is
from 64 (109xxxx) and one from 65 (110xxxx).
Roland.
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Frank, I stand corrected, the earliest M3's (up to about 785000) did not come with the pre-selector lever as a standard. However, many were converted to take one so there are really early M3's with it. I had a couple 701xxx and 703xxx wiith it and I looked up my earliest that I ever had and that was a 7004xx which did not have a preview selector. This does not mean that there are 85000 M3's without these levers as Leica did the a lot of the IIIF's and IIIg's in that # range too.
On the M2, the earliest (from 926000) had a rewind button that you had to hold in place as you rewound, later it was made to stay put when you pressed it in. the problem was it was not very well secured and had a tendency to pop out and if you were rewinding fast, you could strip the film or even tear it. The lever rewind was a vast improvement here.
The "marker" on the filmrewind (the two dots on the later ones), initially it was a red slot, but probably only up to M3 710000 and after that it was a single dot off set slightly. The early "slot" version was not sturdy enough and a lot of them were replaced with the later version
The biggest problem with the early M3 is worn shutter brakes. there are no replacement parts for these anymore, so fixing it usually involves putting in a later shutter brake and converting it to single stroke!
An interesting piece of trivia: If you convert a Double stroke M3 to take a Rapidwinder (the intermediate drive from a M4P or M6) you have a single stroke action with the winder but a double stroke on the regular advance. With this conversion you can also use the M-winder or the Leica Motor M on the M3. A Motor M3!
On the M2, the earliest (from 926000) had a rewind button that you had to hold in place as you rewound, later it was made to stay put when you pressed it in. the problem was it was not very well secured and had a tendency to pop out and if you were rewinding fast, you could strip the film or even tear it. The lever rewind was a vast improvement here.
The "marker" on the filmrewind (the two dots on the later ones), initially it was a red slot, but probably only up to M3 710000 and after that it was a single dot off set slightly. The early "slot" version was not sturdy enough and a lot of them were replaced with the later version
The biggest problem with the early M3 is worn shutter brakes. there are no replacement parts for these anymore, so fixing it usually involves putting in a later shutter brake and converting it to single stroke!
An interesting piece of trivia: If you convert a Double stroke M3 to take a Rapidwinder (the intermediate drive from a M4P or M6) you have a single stroke action with the winder but a double stroke on the regular advance. With this conversion you can also use the M-winder or the Leica Motor M on the M3. A Motor M3!
reagan
hey, they're only Zorkis
Tom, your input is always interesting and helpful. I'm going to PM Stephen and have him double your salary. 
Thanks!
Thanks!
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I'm going to PM Stephen and have him double your salary. Thanks![/QUOTE]
great idea, but it has a major flaw! 2x0.0 still equals 0!
Thanks![/QUOTE]great idea, but it has a major flaw! 2x0.0 still equals 0!
M
Magus
Guest
Post deleted by posters request
aizan
Veteran
i'm not into the two sockets either, but dag can replace the metal eyepiece.
if the m2 had an automatic frame counter, that would have been just about perfect.
if the m2 had an automatic frame counter, that would have been just about perfect.
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M
Magus
Guest
Post deleted by posters request
aizan
Veteran
yeah, though it doesn't look as nice.
