Peter Jennings
Well-known
A couple weeks ago I came into possession of my first M - an early M2. I had never even handled a Leica of any stripe prior to receiving it, and I had several preconceptions about the M and Leicas in general that I have had time to hash out in my mind since getting my M2.
Preconception #1: The flash sockets on the back of early Ms always seemed horribly misplaced and surely must inhibit one’s use of the camera. Conclusion: Don’t know about the first point (never use flash), but they don’t bother me at all in use. Mine are uncapped, but I can’t see that the plastic caps would bother me at all while shooting. I just don’t notice them at all.
Preconception #2: Release button on film advance post seemed a purely aesthetic affectation and would not affect use. Conclusion: Genius! They thought of this in the early 50s and for years after most camera makers continued to put the shutter release in its own exclusive spot. The fact that shooting with an M seems much faster to me is largely due in my opinion to this seemingly minor feature.
Preconception #3: Knob rewind is for luddites and it should have been made a crank from the beginning. Conclusion: The M2/M3 knob rewind is better than other knob rewinds I've used in that it isn’t activated until the knob is extended. And crank rewinds aren’t all that much better! I know from experience that keeping a grip on the rewind crank of my Nikons can be tricky. The knob is sturdy and effective.
Preconception #4: Film loading would still be a hideous chore regardless of the M rear door. Conclusion: Film loading is easy-peasy largely BECAUSE of the rear door. Granted, I’ve only put two rolls through the M2 so far, but loading is very easy compared to other bottom loaders I’ve used. Is loading as fast as other cameras of the same period with fully opening backs? No, but it’s not much slower and I don’t find it an inconvenience.
Preconception #5: Leicas are fragile beasts that constantly need CLAs. Conclusion: I got this M2 from a seller in Germany with no knowledge of its provenance or past service history. It had a recessed Leica L seal which tells me it was most likely last serviced at the factory in Wetzlar sometime before 1982. It also has the M4 style mask behind the eyepiece, so the service had to be done after 1967. Even with this, the shutter speeds are all accurate. I haven’t noticed an issue that would lead me to believe this camera is any less reliable than any other old camera I’ve owned. I did pop the top off and clean the RF glass (goodbye L seal), but it’s not going in for a CLA anytime soon.
Preconception #6: Leica build quality can’t be that much better than that of other makes. Conclusion: The build quality is excellent and it seems to be the most refined camera I’ve yet to own. It is heavy - perhaps over-built - but that lends it a feeling of dependability that I appreciate.
So, there are my thoughts. Sorry for any hyperbole, but I’m very pleased with this M2. My preconceptions have largely turned out to be misconceptions. However, as no camera can be perfect, my one gripe is the automatic frame lines - I wish they were selectable like on a Nikon SP. I so far only have LTM lenses, and it would be so much easier (and economical!) if I could use one adapter for all my lenses. The preview lever is nice, but I'd prefer a switch.
Thanks for reading
Preconception #1: The flash sockets on the back of early Ms always seemed horribly misplaced and surely must inhibit one’s use of the camera. Conclusion: Don’t know about the first point (never use flash), but they don’t bother me at all in use. Mine are uncapped, but I can’t see that the plastic caps would bother me at all while shooting. I just don’t notice them at all.
Preconception #2: Release button on film advance post seemed a purely aesthetic affectation and would not affect use. Conclusion: Genius! They thought of this in the early 50s and for years after most camera makers continued to put the shutter release in its own exclusive spot. The fact that shooting with an M seems much faster to me is largely due in my opinion to this seemingly minor feature.
Preconception #3: Knob rewind is for luddites and it should have been made a crank from the beginning. Conclusion: The M2/M3 knob rewind is better than other knob rewinds I've used in that it isn’t activated until the knob is extended. And crank rewinds aren’t all that much better! I know from experience that keeping a grip on the rewind crank of my Nikons can be tricky. The knob is sturdy and effective.
Preconception #4: Film loading would still be a hideous chore regardless of the M rear door. Conclusion: Film loading is easy-peasy largely BECAUSE of the rear door. Granted, I’ve only put two rolls through the M2 so far, but loading is very easy compared to other bottom loaders I’ve used. Is loading as fast as other cameras of the same period with fully opening backs? No, but it’s not much slower and I don’t find it an inconvenience.
Preconception #5: Leicas are fragile beasts that constantly need CLAs. Conclusion: I got this M2 from a seller in Germany with no knowledge of its provenance or past service history. It had a recessed Leica L seal which tells me it was most likely last serviced at the factory in Wetzlar sometime before 1982. It also has the M4 style mask behind the eyepiece, so the service had to be done after 1967. Even with this, the shutter speeds are all accurate. I haven’t noticed an issue that would lead me to believe this camera is any less reliable than any other old camera I’ve owned. I did pop the top off and clean the RF glass (goodbye L seal), but it’s not going in for a CLA anytime soon.
Preconception #6: Leica build quality can’t be that much better than that of other makes. Conclusion: The build quality is excellent and it seems to be the most refined camera I’ve yet to own. It is heavy - perhaps over-built - but that lends it a feeling of dependability that I appreciate.
So, there are my thoughts. Sorry for any hyperbole, but I’m very pleased with this M2. My preconceptions have largely turned out to be misconceptions. However, as no camera can be perfect, my one gripe is the automatic frame lines - I wish they were selectable like on a Nikon SP. I so far only have LTM lenses, and it would be so much easier (and economical!) if I could use one adapter for all my lenses. The preview lever is nice, but I'd prefer a switch.
Thanks for reading
