PoloDog
Newbie
I have an M8 and want to start shooting film. I have been doing a lot of reading on the different leica m models. I have it narrowed down to the MP,M3, and M4. please give me some feedback. What m model would you chose and why?
Help me pick a new camera MP,M3,M4
- Thread starter PoloDog
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drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
What's your favorite focal length?
PoloDog
Newbie
Mostly 50MM.
kdemas
Enjoy Life.
Personally I'd go with the M3 or M5. The M5 is a terrific choice for a 50, if you like the ergonomics.
Kent
Kent
John Elder
Well-known
If 50mm is your favorite lens, hand down the best camera for you is the M3. Try to get one with a serial # over 1 million. It has the best , biggest, and most accurate finder for a 50mm lens.
SimonSawSunlight
Simon Fabel
if you do not plan to use 28 or 35mm without hassle, get an M3. if you think you need a meter, get an MP if you can afford it!
but as far as I'm concerned, the M4 is the thing that I'd choose above any other camera, really.
but as far as I'm concerned, the M4 is the thing that I'd choose above any other camera, really.
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
Personally I'd go for the MP (assuming you mean the current model, not the rare, expensive original). Ove three decades newer, meter, option of Leicavit (though of course the MP can take a Rapidwinder), usable 75mm frames, black paint option... And I have an M2 and an M4-P as well, and I've had M3s (and sold them because of the lack of a 35mm frame) so this is not merely recommending the only one I've tried (I'm not accusing others on this thread of that, but it's a common reaction).
Tashi delek,
Roger
Tashi delek,
Roger
Kozhe
Well-known
You can get both the M3 and M4 for the price of an MP...
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Yes, and you can get 10 Volkswagens for the price of a Rolls Royce. I was assuming that the OP could afford whichever camera he chose.
Too often in my own life, I have bought second-best because I 'could afford it', and as a result, like many people in affluent countries in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, I have accumulated an immense stock of second-best goods.
As I get older, I try to buy what I really want or need, even if it's a bit of a financial stretch. Usually I can finance this by going without stuff I can easily afford but don't really want or need.
Tashi delek,
Roger
FrozenInTime
Well-known
Would have thought the M6TTL the best match for the M8 - due to the shutter dial rotation direction. It's also quite easy to find with x0.85 if desired ( for best 35/50+ use).
Perhaps you could expand on why you narrowed the choice down to the MP,M3, and M4
Perhaps you could expand on why you narrowed the choice down to the MP,M3, and M4
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Adrian Nasti
Adrian N
I would highly recommend the M6 classic (pre TTL) model as they are well priced, contain a meter and have the most widely used viewfinder in .72 (I use it mainly for 35mm and 50mm and it works like a charm). I owned an MP some years back and whilst it was exquisite, the M6 does the same thing for half the cost - spend the $ on lenses.
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SimonSawSunlight
Simon Fabel
and it has the worst viewfinder 😀 (which, thank god, does not mean it is a bad v/f)
Adrian Nasti
Adrian N
True - it's not up to the standard of the MP finder but it is still very good by viewfinder standards.
Kozhe
Well-known
No, that wasn´t my point. Calling the M3 a volkswagen and the MP a Rolls Royce is a nonsense.
edodo
Well-known
If you plan on shooting B&W exclusively, then get a M3 with a summilux/cron and that's it! Use the sunny 16 rule and everything will be smooth i can say that!
Otherwise, if i had the funds I would love a M7 to be able to shoot in aperture priority mode... 35mm film is cheap, so I like to shoot when the feeling is right for me shooting a lot I mean, the AE mode is perfect for that, you don't mess up with the sunny 16 in your head and your feelings at the same time!
The M2s are good if you want a 35mm lens (slow loading, blue finder)
The M4 have rapid rewinding feature and easy loading (clear finder is nicer)
The MP i can't say I never used it, but it seems like a dream machine (with slow rewinding)
I like the idea of the M3, it is so classical and a pure joy to use! They are cheap so you can CLA them too, makes it smooth.
Just my 2 cents.
Otherwise, if i had the funds I would love a M7 to be able to shoot in aperture priority mode... 35mm film is cheap, so I like to shoot when the feeling is right for me shooting a lot I mean, the AE mode is perfect for that, you don't mess up with the sunny 16 in your head and your feelings at the same time!
The M2s are good if you want a 35mm lens (slow loading, blue finder)
The M4 have rapid rewinding feature and easy loading (clear finder is nicer)
The MP i can't say I never used it, but it seems like a dream machine (with slow rewinding)
I like the idea of the M3, it is so classical and a pure joy to use! They are cheap so you can CLA them too, makes it smooth.
Just my 2 cents.
sanmich
Veteran
I wear glasses, and find the M3 finder difficult to work for the 50 FL.
Not that I don't see the frames, but I don't see enough of the outside of the frame to consider elements there to enter the image.
That's the way I mostly use my gear:
M2 for 50
M3 for 90
MP 0.58x for 35/28/25
just my 2c...
Not that I don't see the frames, but I don't see enough of the outside of the frame to consider elements there to enter the image.
That's the way I mostly use my gear:
M2 for 50
M3 for 90
MP 0.58x for 35/28/25
just my 2c...
Roger Hicks
Veteran
You're missing my point too, which is that it is not always a good idea to buy something just because it is cheaper than what you really want -- as long as you can afford what you really want.
I query the wisdom of comparing something 30-50 years old, with the corresponding wear, and the corresponding lack of lack of technical features (eg meter, 75mm frames), with the current version, even though the old version may be a fraction of the price.
You can pick any pair of things you like, where there is a large price difference, and often (not always, I freely admit) there is a reason why the more expensive one costs more.
Tashi delek,
R.
projectbluebird
Film Abuser
You do have a point Roger, and a big one I'll admit, about the meter. Sometimes I miss it when I use my M3. The 75mm frameline is less of a feature for myself, though the OP may feel differently. When I need a longer lens, I reach for my 90mm, which works quite well on the M3 as well.
However, I wouldn't call the M3, or any other flavor of M, second best to the MP. They all have their own specific feature sets, different strokes for different folks.
The trick is figuring out which features you'd most like to have, and then finding the camera that comes closest.
-cheers
-edit-
My vote is for the M3, if you couldn't tell!
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
Having used a number of different Leica M's over the past ten years (including M3, M6, M4P, and MP), I have settled on the M3 as the best camera for my own use. I primarily use a 50mm lens (though I own and use every length from 15mm to 135mm, with the exceptions of 28mm and 75mm). I find 35mm the only lens length that is awkward to use on the M3. I use a goggled 35mm, which works fine (though the view through the goggles isn't as nice as straight through the camera); wides that need a top mounted finder are great on the M3, and 50mm and longer lenses are really perfect.
I choose the M3 for it's big, flare-free finder, excellent build and feel, and lack of other bells and whistles. Perfect- for me. You'll have to weigh the various factors for yourself, and ideally, try out a couple of the cameras you are considering. Good luck!
I choose the M3 for it's big, flare-free finder, excellent build and feel, and lack of other bells and whistles. Perfect- for me. You'll have to weigh the various factors for yourself, and ideally, try out a couple of the cameras you are considering. Good luck!
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Roger Hicks
Veteran
Absolutely. Which is why I queried the emphasis on price. If you'd rather have an M3, great. But I'd rather have an MP, for the reasons I gave.
If someone is considering a range of Ms, including an MP, presumably he can afford an MP if he considers the extra features worth the money. I do. You (and Drew) don't -- or maybe you just prefer the feel of the M3. I can certainly relate to that! The thing is, neither of us is right, except for ourselves.
Cheers,
R.
