Best Leica M for the $?

MCTuomey said:
i think you need to answer a few questions to narrow the field of choices. something like this:

need meter and auto-exposure? M7 (over budget)

need meter and ttl flash? M6 ttl

need meter? M6

no meter but need 28mm framelines? M4-P

no meter but need 35mm framelines? M2, M4, M4-2

no meter don't need 35mm framelines? M3

i'm ignoring non-leica body alternatives, though maybe you shouldn't.
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That's a really comprehensive decision tree!

I can point out a few other things. The M2, M3, M4, M5, and early M4-P (and M4-2) have framelines that are sized for the most accurate framing with subjects at a distance of one meter. At longer distances, the framelines will be a bit undersized--that's to say, you get more in the picture than you saw in the finder. I've seldom had a problem with that, as the difference is not extreme. But . . .

The later M4P, M6 (in all its variants), MP, and M7, have framelines sized for best accuracy at 0.7M. This makes them noticeably undersized for shooting at greater distances. The 50mm frameline is especially undersized: it covers the same ground as my 60mm lens on my R6. That's pretty bad. Some of us now use a 40mm lens with the 35mm framelines, on our M6, M7, or MP, so as to have at least one lens we can frame adequately (I didn't say accurately) at medium and longer distances. When I want to shoot my 35mm Summaron, Summicron or Summilux lenses, I tend to use my M2. For 50mm lenses, it's the M2 or M3. For other lenses, I'm more inclined to use the M6 or MP so I can use the meter. I can always take meter readings with the M6 when using the M2! In my experience, the M6/MP is fine with the 28, 75, and 90mm lenses.

My favorites are: M2 with 35mm lens, and for the 50mm lens; M6 for best value; for the meter; and with 28, 40, 75, and 90mm; MP for similar reasons, except it is not the "best value" for the money.
 
Well I got the M6 classic, I'll be trying out some of my friend's lenses over the next couple weeks and then settling in on something. Thanks again for the advice to everyone.

B
 
I would go w/ a CL that has an inoperative meter (not hard to find!) for $250 to $325 US, and a Leica 50 Summicron of the collapsible or DR persuasion for $300 to $500 US. Small, light M mount camera, and those classic 50mm lenses are killers in the image quality department. Leaves you a lot of money left over if anything needs a CLA. I love the M3/4/2 cameras but they're too heavy and too old to suit me.
 
nonot said:
Well I got the M6 classic, I'll be trying out some of my friend's lenses over the next couple weeks and then settling in on something. Thanks again for the advice to everyone.

B
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think I will follow your example too, if I ever buy another film M again. had even M7 once but it was sold to finance other things.

check this out for lens price reference.
 
I made the mistake of not buying what I wanted originally (an M6 TTL) and spent a lot of time and effort fixing my mistake. I bought a camera and a lens and ended up selling both of them after falling in love. That seems to not make sense, but basically I knew that if I had the M6 TTL I wanted I would never need another film camera again. I took a slight hit selling the other, paid shipping for the new-- and I have my M6 TTL and will keep it till I die.

Buy the "best" and cry once.
 
"Best Leica M for the $" ? ... M4-P, the youngest of the classic vulcanite-covered M Leicas without hick-ups of the internal circuits...🙂
 
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