Dreaming of a leica M

P

Patrick

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im currenty saving all my money for a leica M but im not sure of which i should buy but it must have metering can u guys give me some idears?
 
M6 Patrick. :) Get a "classic" if you like the older style Leicas or an M6TTL if you like newer Leicas (the shutter dials rotate in opposite directions on the two models - very confusing).

Don't listen to the cacophony that will advise an M2 or an M3 - that's all rubbish! ;)
 
the only Leica M series with AE is the newest M7, which will hit your bank account pretty hard.. if you really want an M body with AE, you're better off looking at something like the Voigtlander R3a or R2a

but if you want a Leica and need metering, you'll be looking at the M4, M5 or M6.. I personally would choose the M6 out of that group
 
Patrick said:
Does the M6 have an AE mode?
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'Fraid not old chap. As others have said thats the M7 only. If you ultimately want a Leica with AE (as I do :D) then you definitely want an M6TTL now, because the shutter dial on an M7 turns in the same direction as an M6TTL. If you fancy an M5 or something then get a "classic" M6 'cos those two have shutter dials that rotate in the same direction.

This business of the shutter dial is a problem for me but some others here don't seem to have the same problem. The best thing to do is go into a shop and handle them...

 
Patrick, in August 25, 2003 (yep, this forum has been around that long), I posed a question like yours. Click HERE to read all the advice I got.

In the end, I purchased a Leica M6TTL. It was only a few months ago that I gave in and bought an M3. And only days ago that I took receipt of my collapsible Summicron...

So, be ready! :)
 
Collapsible Summicron!? I did not know there was sucha beast. Isn't that an Elmar-M 50mm.
 
Why do you want a Leica with a meter? I have had a DS M3 for a month (my first Leica: great ergonomics and viewfinder), and using a handheld meter is really not much of a problem. The meter is used in incident mode. One meters every once in a while (changes in cloudcover, walking from sun to shadow, that sort of thing), but generally leave the exposure. The negs (b&w) come out very consistently exposed, and I don't fiddle much with measuring light. Perhaps using the internal meter of an M5, M6, M7 or MP would make me meter more often, which would take away some attention to the flow of the streets or whatever it is that I am shooting. No distracting LED's in the viewfinder. Also, incident meters are kind of reliable.

However, the M3 is older, so factor in the cost of a CLA or get one that is CLA'd. Also, loading film is a bit trickier than with newer cameras, but it is not that much of a hassle, I think, that some claim it to be.
 
egpj said:
Collapsible Summicron!? I did not know there was sucha beast. Isn't that an Elmar-M 50mm.
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Francisco and I have twin cats and twin cameras. Here is my M3 with Collapsible Summicron. :D
 
peter_n said:
'Fraid not old chap. As others have said thats the M7 only. If you ultimately want a Leica with AE (as I do :D) then you definitely want an M6TTL now, because the shutter dial on an M7 turns in the same direction as an M6TTL. If you fancy an M5 or something then get a "classic" M6 'cos those two have shutter dials that rotate in the same direction.

This business of the shutter dial is a problem for me but some others here don't seem to have the same problem. The best thing to do is go into a shop and handle them...

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Sage advise, though the Zeiss Ikon is also worth investigating if you can wait a few more months.
 
In my experience using a handheld meter is a point to consider. I found it tedious and cumbersome (fair enough, I was in Mongolia in winter, shooting outside in -20 to -30 degrees C). Not having an internal meter was the reason I was not using my M2. After I found a Leica MC meter and stuck that on the M2, I've been using the camera almost exclusively. A meter (internal or auxiliary) does make a difference. If it also makes a difference to you than go for the M6 TTL or any M3/2/4 with add-on MC/MR meter.
 
Patrick said:
im currenty saving all my money for a leica M but im not sure of which i should buy but it must have metering can u guys give me some idears?
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If you use a handheld incident meter you'll spend more time taking pictures and less time fooling with exposure settings. At least that has been my experience.
 
richard_l said:
If you use a handheld incident meter you'll spend more time taking pictures and less time fooling with exposure settings. At least that has been my experience.
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I concur with Richard's statement. This whole continuous metering thing made me nervous too. It tempted me to measure-adjust-measure-adjust ad infinitum, while the light doesn't change that fast at all. I've now grown into a method of working where I measure only once, and adjust mentally for clouds/shade (+2stops) or full sun (rare, -2stops). The fun part is that where I live, for 100 ISO, it's *always* 1/125@f8. I just have to be there :D
 
richard_l said:
If you use a handheld incident meter you'll spend more time taking pictures and less time fooling with exposure settings. At least that has been my experience.
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I totally agree with this statement too. Determine your exposure and then just go shoot without fidling to make the lights look right to you. I just decided not to replace the battery in my M6. I think I will enjoy this for a little while, I am sure I will learn more about exposure too. I expect that I will mess up some shots, but I will learn and get better.
 
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