Caught on the horns of a dileMa...Advice needed please!

T

TimSmith-Laing

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So, partially thanks to the bad influences of this website, around a year and a half go, I acquired a zorki 4 ... then a fed 2 ... a yashicamat ... a zenit 3m ... some little junk cameras ... all at bargain prices, which in turn fed (no pun intended) my obsession further.

When I came into a little money, I realised that it happened to be almost exactly the right amount to 'invest' in something a little more special - not at all for collecting purposes, a user camera. So I managed to get a nice, recently serviced M6 TTL (.72, and modified with an MP cocking lever), for £610.

The only problem was, I couldn't afford a lens to go with it; at least not the lens I felt it deserved. I've been using my russian glass with an adaptor, while scouting around for other options. But, this might sound a bit odd, I felt kind of guilty for not matching my Leica to some nice Leica glass, and a bit stupid having spent my cash on a leica when I was effectively taking the photos I could take with my fed.

Which is how I got round to buying, with temporarily spare money, an M2 and Summicron 50 ('64 vintage), for £500, looking to split the set and sell the body on for as much as I could, hopefully making the 'cron a bargain in the process.

But now I see what a thing of beauty the M2 is, how right it looks with its original lens ... the engravings (why oh why, M6, did you dispense with the engravings?!). The only thing missing is the TTL metering...but I have my VCII meter (bought from the classifieds here, and absolutely great).

So what should I do? I can't keep both, I'm going to need that money soon. But I kind of feel broken hearted to break up such a beautiful pairing.

What do you advise, friends? Help stop this madness!:bang:

Tim
 
Take off the lens from the M2 and put it on your M6 and they will love each other very much and so will you.

This is of course a very personal choice, but I would not want to live without TTL metering anymore, in fact I don't want to live without AE priority anymore:D :D which is why I use the R2A:angel: :angel:

Seriously, why don;t you go out and do some shooting with both cameras and see which one feels best to work with - it's teh only way you'll find out. Good Luck!!
 
Sell the Leicas.
Keep the Zorki.
Spare yourself a lot of future anguish.
Your wife will forgive you for this temporary mid-life madness.
 
Do you when the M2 was last serviced, if not - thats the one that should go. Sod's Law says it'll need a full CLA when you can least afford it!

Keep the russian glass and ditch the bodies too.
 
If you can't keep all of the gear, then sell off the M2 as you planned. However, if you really like the M2 more than the M6 and you can live without the built in metering of the M6, then sell the m6. Or you can do an extra spare job for money in order to keep it all. 3 choices, only you can choose.
 
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Olympus OM1, OM10, Zorki 4, Fed 2, Lubitel 2, Yashica Mat, Ricoh Diacord L, Zenit 3m, Coronet 12, Minolta Dynax 500si,

Tim, Sell all this and keep the two M's.:D
 
I bought an M6 as much for the meter as anything else. I now use my handheld sekonic meter for incident readings and find I work faster and 'better.' I'd consider getting an older M body without a meter as a second body, when I can afford it, but I'm glad I've got the M6's meter to fall back on should my Sekonic ever fail me.

My advice - with the M6 AND VCII you have two meters you can use should you need to. Sell the M6 and you're down to one camera and one meter.

As Frank said, only you can choose.
 
Tim, do you find yourself preferring the larger shutter speed dial of the M6TTL or the traditional one on the M2? Personally, I don't think TTLs and older Ms play nice together, but that's just me!
 
Hmm.. try the lens on the M6. It's a newer camera, it's more modern, it has been serviced.

If you like it. Keep that. Otherwise keep the M2. I love my M2, but I can live without metering or modern.
 
Tim, at one point I found myself with two cameras when I only intended to have one. In fact, I posted a question similar to yours a looong time ago, and all the talk about "being able to afford" to keep both gave me the jitters. Why? It's not like I have to feed them, or pay college tuition for them, or take them to regular checkups. So, despite the fact that, like you, I had two cameras and one lens, I simply kept both, saved some dough by cutting off the silly pleasures that cost only pennies (cups of coffee, ocassional sandwiches) and searched for a second lens. When I found it I had two M6TTL bodies, a 'cron 50 and an Hexanon 35/2.

And, BTW, I was in major debt back then because of these cameras. Later, I had to dig myself deeper because of a medical treatment, but I decided to be Spartan and go through it all without selling any gear.

Hence, be patient to yourself. You certainly can "afford" to keep both cameras.
 
What a pickle! a good pickle, seen from the perspective of one who has none :)

I'd probably sell the M6.

Because the M2 and the VCII will allow me to enjoy and explore the Leica goodness for a while. Meanwhile in the background, dump as much spare cash as possible for a "future M fund", which in a few years may net you an M7... or an MP (because by that time you will be an M2 wielding Jedi Master who don't need no stinkin' meter ;) )
 
Roland/ Ferider is right- I'd keep the OM-1, as well as the two Ms & Summicron (of course). It makes sense to keep one SLR & of the two OMs, the "ur" model is definitely the better. Then invest in more Leitz & OM lenses.

David
 
As much as I hate to admit it, I really like having a meter onboard. I'd keep the M6TTL and sell the M2, however reluctantly.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
.... saved some dough by cutting off the silly pleasures that cost only pennies (cups of coffee, ocassional sandwiches)......... You certainly can "afford" to keep both cameras.
Click to expand...

It's a fair point. Most of my gear was only possible by drinking water and eating toast/potato waffles for weeks on end :D :D
 
Well, unfortunately you're all wise, pragmatic fair. I was hoping someone would advise me to sell my girlfriend for organ transplants or suchlike, cleansing my conscience with more equipment.

SolaresLarrave said:
Tim, at one point I found myself with two cameras when I only intended to have one. In fact, I posted a question similar to yours a looong time ago, and all the talk about "being able to afford" to keep both gave me the jitters. Why? It's not like I have to feed them, or pay college tuition for them, or take them to regular checkups. So, despite the fact that, like you, I had two cameras and one lens, I simply kept both, saved some dough by cutting off the silly pleasures that cost only pennies (cups of coffee, ocassional sandwiches) and searched for a second lens. When I found it I had two M6TTL bodies, a 'cron 50 and an Hexanon 35/2.

And, BTW, I was in major debt back then because of these cameras. Later, I had to dig myself deeper because of a medical treatment, but I decided to be Spartan and go through it all without selling any gear.

Hence, be patient to yourself. You certainly can "afford" to keep both cameras.
Click to expand...

Solares, I have a lot of respect for that - I hope you're in better shape now. A good lesson in discipline and stamina: thanks! I think I should follow your lead and economise for a little while; at least while I decide what to do. I'm going to shoot with them both and see how I feel.

gb hill said:
Olympus OM1, OM10, Zorki 4, Fed 2, Lubitel 2, Yashica Mat, Ricoh Diacord L, Zenit 3m, Coronet 12, Minolta Dynax 500si,

Tim, Sell all this and keep the two M's.:D
Click to expand...

Wisdom indeed gb. I think I'm definitely going to part with a couple of things. I can't really sell the minolta (my least favourite) because it was a gift, but I'm certainly willing to part with the Diacord, the Zenit and the Coronet ... and maybe the OM10. If anyone here wants to persuade me on any of those in particular just send me a pm and we'll see. I'd much rather sell to you guys than on the 'bay.

And Ash, "if you like it keep it" ... oh dear. It's beginning to look that way. Toast, waffles and water here I come!

I'll keep you posted, but till then a sample shot from the M2 and 'cron.

Thanks guys!
 

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