is the M2 an easy camera to use ?

[WoolenMammoth]

It's not a fuss and it's not internet drama and it is not irrelevant.
You might prefer whatever you want, but the OP asked and I (and some more people) answered saying, obviously, what our own experience is.

Perhaps you dont read the internets or misunderstood the statement. On photo forums there is much to do made over removing a spool from a camera, putting film on it and re-inserting it and people DO in fact, make quite a big deal about discussing this to the point where it unquestionably intimidates the newbie who has never handled an M before or lives in a place where handling one before buying isnt an option, whatever. And at the end of the day, its a lot of noise about nothing created by the internet. Its just not a big deal. There are difficult things in this universe and Im sorry, loading an M is not one of them at least not to the point of which some online trepidation might suggest it to be which of course is the point of my post and the post Ive responded to. And yes, loading an open hinge back camera is obviously easier and faster, who on earth would ever suggest otherwise?

 

[Tom A]

I am not the right person to ask about the ease of using a M2. I have used them for close to 50 years so they are "natural" to me.
As for loading/reloading - the first couple of times it might seem cumbersome - but once you get it. it is fast, easy and most important secure. Once you have the film stuck in the spool it is not that easy to dislodge. With the M4 and later "tulip" - the film goes in easy, but you have to be sure that it is gripped properly and unless you run your thumb over the sprocket "teeth" while advancing the first frame - you cant be sure. I misload more M6/MP's than I do M2's. Even after 50 years you can screw up!
For filmarking - I either use Softreleases of different color - or simply take to plastic film containers and tape them so that they sit bottom to bottom. With a light colored gaffers tape (cloth tape) you now have tape to stick on a/the camera and b/on the film cassette if you are modifiying film speed.
A good vest will hold 5 of these back to back containers (10 rolls) and that usually sees me through a day of heavy shooting.
You can also use the tape trick to number rolls and keep track of cameras. As you unload, tear of a piece of tape, write the running tab number on it (and if you have to have captions or names, write the same number and that information in your note book). Most of my cameras have notches filed in the film gate to identify them, but if they are not marked, I usually dedicate one body as "even" number and the other one as "odd" number. Unload, tear of tape and stick on film cassette and just write #1 or #2 on it.
In the days of shooting commercial stuff I used to number rolls sequentially (and take notes) and when I handed them to the lab, I would give them the even numbered for the first run and once they were done, hand over the odd numbered ones. This way, if the processing went nuts, I had at least 50% of the rolls and in sequence too. Then you just crossed your fingers and hoped that you had some useful stuff on the odd numbered ones!

 

[tom_uk]

I'll throw in a slight counter-view here. I had an M2 for a few years, around the year 2000, but I sold it because I wasn't able to use it successfully. I'm an extremely occasional rangefinder camera user; indeed to be honest I'm a pretty occasional photographer full-stop. So my view is based on not much experience.

My problem was with getting exposure right. Obviously the M2 does not have a meter; you either have to guess (based on experience), or use a hand-held meter. I don't have the experience to guess correctly, and (recognising this) I bought a hand-held meter. Then I ran into my next problem: my eye-sight. I need glasses to read, but not for distance; which in practice meant that I needed my glasses to read the meter but had to have them off when looking through the VF. I just got too fed up with all the hassle - glasses on; glasses off; glasses back on; glasses back off; drop glasses - and sold the camera. And before anyone else makes the obvious comment, I fully accept that this was all down to me and nothing to do with the M2 per se. However, it is what I experienced, and another photographer in my position might have the same experience.

(The story has a happy ending. The rangefinder bug wouldn't go away, and this spring I bought an M6TTL, which has built-in metering, of course. Since it turned out that I know enough to point the camera at the right stuff when metering, the M6TTL was the M camera that was right for me.)

 

[MCTuomey]

i think tom_uk raises a good point. the decision b/w a metered or meterless M body is important, maybe more than film-loading or the finer distinctions of # of framelines, film-winding, shutter-cocking, etc. especially if the user doesn't have the experience or desire to learn to rely on a handheld meter or judgment.

 

[gilpen123]

I just had my M2 for 2 days (1st leica M for me) and I loaded my 1st film w/o any hassle. I just made sure that I push the film as far as I can in the take up spool slot and yes it's not easy to dislodge it than the tulip standard film loading. Also, the M2 I think is much much easier to focus than my R3a due to the contrasty RF patch. Even in very lowlight, I can see the patch clearly. What slows me down is in lowlight due to absence of in camera metering but I can easily live with that, I use a sekonic incident/reflective handheld meter everytime I ecountered difficult lighting situations.

 

[noah b]

The M2 is very easy to use. Pick up a handheld meter or a voigtlander VC meter and you'll be set. In my experience the M film loading system is easier than most cameras I've used (except the new modern cameras). If you have a problem with the grip of it, you can pick one up on ebay for 40$. Personally I like to put the camera in my pocket 😉

 

[maddoc]

M2 ...

M2 ...

... so I received my M2 last night and it seems to be quite OK. Since I had used a couple of M3 before, film loading is really easy, fast and more safe compared to the modern loading system. One problem I have though ...

How to set the film counter of an M2 ? 😕 The little button to the right of the film counter can't be pressed or moved in any direction. Is there any trick or just the unlocking mechanism broken ? (The counter moves when advancing film.)

Cheers,

Gabor

 

[telenous]

... so I received my M2 last night and it seems to be quite OK. Since I had used a couple of M3 before, film loading is really easy, fast and more safe compared to the modern loading system. One problem I have though ...

How to set the film counter of an M2 ? 😕 The little button to the right of the film counter can't be pressed or moved in any direction. Is there any trick or just the unlocking mechanism broken ? (The counter moves when advancing film.)

Cheers,

Gabor

Gabor

You can rotate the film counter without pressing any button. A tip I picked up from other RFfers is to advance slightly (say by about half a frame) and then rotate the counter, that way there is no tension (nor any audible clicks as you rotate).

.

 

[maddoc]

Alkis,

thanks a lot for the tip ! This way it works 🙂

Cheers,

Gabor

 

[thomasw_]

Congratulations, Gabor! A fine acquisition.

 

[mooge]

another question- is the 35 frame easy to see with spectacles?

 

[Al Kaplan]

Tom A, shame on you! Don't you realize that filing notches in the film gate will KILL the value of a pristine M body?...LOL. I then blacken the bright aluminum of the freshly filed notch with a Sharpy, but it probably doesn't matter one way or the other.

dragunov, no, the 35mm frame isn't all that easy to see with spectacles. Unless your eyesight really sucks try not wearing them. The .72 "minification" of the image makes it appear sharper. As for the rangefinder patch and lining up the two images? Try focusing by looking at the contrast in the patch. When the two images line up with one another the contrast will suddenly "POP".

 

[David Murphy]

The answers to your questions are yes. It's easy to carry (EverReady case recommended) and it's easy to use *if* you are comfortable with non-automatic cameras (as most serious photographers should strive to be). Its reputation is well earned --I can say the same for most other M series Leica bodies.

 

[maddoc]

Forget about "easy" to see 35mm frame lines with all Leica bodies having a M72x VF and wearing glasses (as I do). To see the 35mm frame lines as easily as the 50mm frame lines, a 0.58x Leica M body (or 0.6x as in the Hexar RF) is necessary (or the Bessa R4).

 

[Ronald_H]

I have not that much trouble seeing the 35mm frame with glasses... BUT all my glasses now exhibit 'Leica Marks' on them. Would be good one for CSI 😀

 

[Nokton48]

I have not that much trouble seeing the 35mm frame with glasses... BUT all my glasses now exhibit 'Leica Marks' on them. Would be good one for CSI 😀

DAG sells "Eyepiece Covers" for $15, have one on my M2, and also my M5, which will spare your eyeglasses.

After a year using -both- cameras, I think the "tulip-loading" in the M5, is more "fiddly" than the spools in the M2. And I bought two extra spools, so I can pre-load.

 

[Ronald M]

Absolutely not. You have to put film in it and develope the film. There are only three controls, aperture, focus, shutter speed. It does nothing for you at all except take georgous pics.

My Nikon D700 has a 400 page hard to read instruction manual, a bizillian controls many of which I do not understand, are hard to find, whose main purpose is to override the automatic settings which do not work in many situations, auto focus, zoom lenses, meter inside, and you need a computer to see the pics.

I suppose that is progress.

 

[Tom A]

Notching the film gate is one of those obsessive things that I do. Too many bodies to keep track of otherwise. A camera stays un-notched for about 6 month - or until I have decided it is a keeper. I had to devise a system for the notching as I have a lot of M's. M2's are notched on the right hand side of the film gate, with V-shaped files. Metered cameras are notched with small intsrument round files.
The film counter on the M2 is not a big deal. Just remember to turn it to 0 at the beginning. They rarely give trouble, though I have one M2 that insists on counting up to 20 exposures and the sticks there and "hiccups" with each shot. Doesn't really matter as when you get to the end of a roll, you can't advance anymore!
The 35 frame on the M2 is not ideal, if you wear glasses, but I have gotten used to it and if it is critical framing, just "scan" the area for edges. Additional cost for M2's is scratched eye-glasses! I use damned expensive multifocals, high index glass (at $700 each) as I am blind as a bat without glasses and every two years the left one is scratched sufficiently to necessitate replacement. That represents almost 2000 ft of XX film!!!!!!!