What are the "M" camera differences PLEASE!!

arbib

arbib

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Can you guys make this tread a:

"Here are the differences in the Leica M1, MD M2, M3, M4, M4-2, M4-P MP, M5, M6 M6 TTL, M7, M8"

1) VF Frames Variations with and without same models, Include Magnification (except M1 and MD)
2) Shutter -- Mechanical or Electric
3) Manual Settings / TTL / Both
4) Shutter Speeds variations with the Flash Sync speed
5) Self Timer or Not
6) Chrome or Black

This would be a great help for those who are thinking "1st Leica, but which one?"

Thanks in advance for hopefully a great thread.
 
Click on THIS OLD THREAD. I can't recall if it became a sticky for a while and then unstuck, or if it simply comes back up to life every so often. It seems it was last updated in 2007.

Lots of answers to those in search of the Leica grail! :)

BTW, modesty aside, I started it... ;)
 
arbib said:
1) VF Frames Variations with and without same models, Include Magnification (except M1 and MD)
2) Shutter -- Mechanical or Electric
3) Manual Settings / TTL / Both
4) Shutter Speeds variations with the Flash Sync speed
5) Self Timer or Not
6) Chrome or Black
Click to expand...

Just for the sake of answering a question... Here it is.

NOTE: All Leicas, except the M7, have a mechanical shutter and manual settings. All Leica metered bodies have TTL metering, and all bodies have the same sync speed: 1/50. I believe the M7 has something different... but I won't bet on it.

As for the rest...

M1, not rangefinder coupled
M2, 0.72 mag, some with and others w/o ST, few black
M3, 0.92 mag, ditto in the ST, few black
M4, 0.72 mag, with ST, B & C
M4-2, same mag, w/o ST, B & C
M4-P, same, same, B only
M5, redesigned, first metered body, 0.72 mag, ST, B & C
M6, back to original M design, metered, 0.72, some 0.85, no ST, B & C. After this one, Leicas stop carrying a ST.
M6TTL, 0.58, 0.72 and 0.85, B & C
M7, 0.72 (mostly, some bodies made with different mag), B & C
MP, looks identical to the M3, with battery, 0.72, B & C

That's all I can muster off the top of my head. Now, gentlement, to your engines! :)
 
IIRC, there are two variations of the M1, called MD and MD2, and these are bodies for copying and photographing stuff on stands, not RF coupled and good for collectors only. There you go! ;)
 
Francisco summarized it well. Just to be helpful, I would add that these framelines are present:

M3: 50-90-135
M2: 35-50-90
M4 and M4-2: 35-50-90-135
M4-P, M6 models, MP: 28,35,50,75, 90, 135
 
I will just add that there are rare MP VF magnifications in .85x and .58x. Now these are available only in the a la carte purchases.
 
M7 has the .58 & .85 VF magnifications as well, and shutter speeds from 4 seconds to 1/1000 manually set. From 32 seconds to 1/1000 in Auto.

M5 has 35/50/90/135 framelines, and a few other differences:

bottom rewind
two or three strap lus to hang camera vertically or horizontally (some have only two, third can be added)
shutter speeds from 1/2 to 1/1000- all indicated speeds below 1/2 are B
 
I disagre with the earlier comment on MD and MD2 being for collectors only; they're great bodies to use with a wide lens and an external finder, like the 12 and 15mm VC lenses. Because of the finder you don't need an built in RF, and with reasonable aperture DOF is so large you don't need to focus much, just put it on infinity.
my 2 cents worth.
 
Here are some more..
1) flip out back
2) 'quick' load system
3) rewind crank/lever
4) hinged/non-hinged advance
5) single/dual stroke advance
6) shutter speeds orientation on dial
7) takes winder
..
 
I have been on an off about selling my DSLR gear... and have been scanning Ebay and here for <M> bodies...So Far I like the M4-P/2, M5 (had a black 2 lug in the 80's with a 35 Cron), and MP .72...But they are much more money.

Thanks for all the great links....Very Good Reading and information...
 
sepiareverb said:
M5 has 35/50/90/135 framelines, and a few other differences:

bottom rewind
two or three strap lus to hang camera vertically or horizontally (some have only two, third can be added)
shutter speeds from 1/2 to 1/1000- all indicated speeds below 1/2 are B
Click to expand...

And the M5 has a truly stepless shutter, which makes aperture-priority manual exposing a snap.
 
arbib said:
Can you guys make this tread a:

"Here are the differences in the Leica M1, MD M2, M3, M4, M4-2, M4-P MP, M5, M6 M6 TTL, M7, M8"
Click to expand...

I had to buy a book, and I still have to reference it, even though my edition only goes up to the M6 TTL.

:)
 
Rik said:
I disagre with the earlier comment on MD and MD2 being for collectors only; they're great bodies to use with a wide lens and an external finder, like the 12 and 15mm VC lenses. Because of the finder you don't need an built in RF, and with reasonable aperture DOF is so large you don't need to focus much, just put it on infinity.
my 2 cents worth.
Click to expand...

I won't disagree with you. :)
 
RayPA said:
I had to buy a book, and I still have to reference it, even though my edition only goes up to the M6 TTL.
Click to expand...
::pfft:: Is that a paper book? ;)

Get with the times, man! In my day, we didn't have them fancy electronic document, which makes you waste about 300% more paper than an actual paper book! In my day, we used paper --once--, and we liked it!

(inspired by Dana Carvey's old man)
 
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