Best M type camera ?

Best M type camera ?

  • M1

    Votes: 1 0.1%

  • M2

    Votes: 227 13.3%

  • M3

    Votes: 248 14.5%

  • M4

    Votes: 153 8.9%

  • M5

    Votes: 72 4.2%

  • M6

    Votes: 268 15.7%

  • M6TTL

    Votes: 157 9.2%

  • M7

    Votes: 155 9.1%

  • MP (new)

    Votes: 384 22.4%

  • MP (old)

    Votes: 11 0.6%

  • MD's

    Votes: 5 0.3%

  • Barnacks ( screwtype )

    Votes: 30 1.8%
  • Total voters
    1,711
It seems that everybody agrees that the M3 has the best viewfinder of any Leica. Why is that? How can such an old camera have a better viewfinder than a newer Leica with better technology (e.g., MP/M8/M9)?
 
Wes. said:
It seems that everybody agrees that the M3 has the best viewfinder of any Leica. Why is that? How can such an old camera have a better viewfinder than a newer Leica with better technology (e.g., MP/M8/M9)?
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It has a completely different, more complicated, more expensive, more difficult to repair rangefinder mechanism. All subsequent versions were based on the M2's design, which was a cheaper, simpler solution. But it has drawbacks that the M3 design does not, like flaring to greater (M6) or lesser (MP) degrees.
 
hteasley said:
It has a completely different, more complicated, more expensive, more difficult to repair rangefinder mechanism. All subsequent versions were based on the M2's design, which was a cheaper, simpler solution. But it has drawbacks that the M3 design does not, like flaring to greater (M6) or lesser (MP) degrees.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation! I'm fairly new to rangefinders so it confused me when I read that the M3 was superior in that respect.

I would like to get a Leica (film, of course) one of these days. I suppose the M3 is the one to get? :D
 
Wes. said:
Thanks for the explanation! I'm fairly new to rangefinders so it confused me when I read that the M3 was superior in that respect.

I would like to get a Leica (film, of course) one of these days. I suppose the M3 is the one to get? :D
Click to expand...

If you don't shoot anything wider that 50mm, yes. If you use a 35mm lens, I'd recommend the M2 or M4.
 
I have owned the M3, M2, and M4. Recently I received an M4-P, and for me it beats all of them. I hated the loading and rewinding of the first 2. I hated the frame counter of the M2. And I found the self-timer lever to get in the way my grip of all models before the M4-P. The Mp-4 is just as smooth as any of the others and seems just as well made. For a battery-less M, my vote is the M4-P.
 
katgut@earthlink.net said:
I have owned the M3, M2, and M4. Recently I received an M4-P, and for me it beats all of them. I hated the loading and rewinding of the first 2. I hated the frame counter of the M2. And I found the self-timer lever to get in the way my grip of all models before the M4-P. The Mp-4 is just as smooth as any of the others and seems just as well made. For a battery-less M, my vote is the M4-P.
Click to expand...


... I hear you. :) (See my signature ... :D)
 
katgut@earthlink.net said:
I have owned the M3, M2, and M4. Recently I received an M4-P, and for me it beats all of them. I hated the loading and rewinding of the first 2. I hated the frame counter of the M2. And I found the self-timer lever to get in the way my grip of all models before the M4-P. The Mp-4 is just as smooth as any of the others and seems just as well made. For a battery-less M, my vote is the M4-P.
Click to expand...

... I shot a wedding today... :D

I have the best of both worlds... Bomb proof M3 reliability and M4-P Versatility...

DSC00705.jpg
 
Got it!

Got it!

Wow, it's perfectly beautiful--my first Leica after 45 years in photography. It's darn near mint. Got it from Sam at Classic Cameras.
 
Well, I've just run the first roll of film through my "new" M3. It is, indeed, almost perfect and the shutter is considerably quieter and vibration is less than with my screwmount cameras. The only criticism is that I lost the RF double image on a couple of occasions with strong backlighting. This isn't supposed to happen on an M3, is it? I wonder if old Oskar knew what he was doing when he specified a separate rangefinder for the Leica II?
 
I voted for the M3 but really there isn't "the Best".

Every M has it's own uniqueness that makes it the best for the individual user.
The often criticized M5 has lots of good features and a useful meter.
The M4-P is basically an M6 without a meter.

Now if the question was "Best Built M type camera?" then the M3 would be the winner IMO.
 
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