Leica M2 or M3 for landscape and street photography?

[jusxusfanatic]

Leica M2 or M3 for landscape and street photography?

 

[michaelwj]

Leica M2 or M3 for landscape and street photography?

If you plan on using a 35mm lens, M2. If not and mostly a 50mm, M3. The main difference is the viewfinder, everything else is trivial;
M3 is 0.9x magnification with 50,90,135 framelines
M2 is 0.72x magnification with 35,50,90 framelines
Everything after the M2 was 0.72x, just with 135mm framelines added for the M4, and 28 and 75mm framelines added in the M4-P.

 

[jusxusfanatic]

If you plan on using a 35mm lens, M2. If not and mostly a 50mm, M3. The main difference is the viewfinder, everything else is trivial;
M3 is 0.9x magnification with 50,90,135 framelines
M2 is 0.72x magnification with 35,50,90 framelines
Everything after the M2 was 0.72x, just with 135mm framelines added for the M4, and 28 and 75mm framelines added in the M4-P.

Thanks for the info mate 🙂

 

[jamin-b]

Or if you aren't sure about 35mm vs 50mm, get the M3 + a "goggled" 35mm lens and enjoy the best of both worlds, if the goggled look doesn't bother you...

 

[leicapixie]

The ultimate street cameras.
I prefer the M3, bigger finder, exact framing, 35mm with goggles.
It was good enough for Cartier-Bresson.
The M2 a fine camera. Love the clean frames.
M4~M6 lousy framing.
If I had known how inaccurate the M6 was, I might not have purchased.

Truth any camera makes a good street camera.
I move film from M to Pentax SP/K1000 or Nikon F3.

 

[jusxusfanatic]

True 🙂 Thanks guys

 

[richard_l]

I have used both the M3 and M2, and I do not share the opinion that the M3 is superior. Both are splendid cameras. The M2 is more convenient if you wish to use ungoggled 35mm lenses in addition to 50mm.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I have used both the M3 and M2, and I do not share the opinion that the M3 is superior. Both are splendid cameras. The M2 is more convenient if you wish to use ungoggled 35mm lenses in addition to 50mm.

Seconded. In fact I no longer use M3s. When I sold my last one I kept 2x M2.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Roger, I have a button rewind M2 and except for some occasional VF/RF flair it is great. What about the difference between the VF/RF mechs. I understand that the M3 finder never flairs and that it has a much more complicated VF/Rf system? Is it more or less prone to failure than the M2.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, I have a button rewind M2 and except for some occasional VF/RF flair it is great. What about the difference between the VF/RF mechs. I understand that the M3 finder never flairs and that it has a much more complicated VF/Rf system? Is it more or less prone to failure than the M2.

In my experience, neither the M2 nor M3 flares anything like as badly as the M4-5-6-7 (including M4 variants). If there is a difference, it is the difference between trivial and extremely trivial. Again for me, the presence of the 35mm frame far outweighs any of the vaunted advantages of the M3 -- and I've had two or three M3s and the same number of M2s. The difference is that I've sold the M3s, the last because it was black paint and worth several times what I paid for it. Reflect that if the more complex and expensive M3 viewfinder really were that much better than the M2, Leica might have use that as the basis for subsequent models instead of the M2 finder.

Yes, I fully endorse the view that M3s are the smoothest, best-built Leica Ms ever, but again, as compared with the M2, it's the difference between very, very, very, very good and very, very, very good. My M4-P, by contrast, was distinctly rough when new but has smoothed out with use. The MP was and is much closer to M3/M2 standards for flare and smoothness.

Both M2 and M3 are, I think, about equally reliable.

Cheers,

R.

 

[ray*j*gun]

Thanks Roger.

 

[Daryl J.]

The simple answer: yes.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Both, if you don't have any M, yet.

The main choosing factor for M3 comes if you are predominately 50mm or you want to buy some fancy status 35mm Leitz made lenses, but would like to safe some money and goggled versions of 35 lenses are allowing this. And M3 is very usable for 90mm lens and still usable for 135. 90mm and 135mm are cheap to get and somewhat usable for landscapes.

50mm for street is interesting. It is still tele which allows to stay at some distance. Observe it from the side. M3 VF for street with 50 is something I haven't experienced with M2, M6 FV. With M3 and 50 it two eyes open is natural on close and medium distances.
HCB used M3 and 50mm as main lens (also kept 35 and 90 in the bag).
Tabbed version of 50mm and 1:1 M3 VF allows fast zone focusing and intuitive framing.
M3 DS shutter is most quiet M shutter I have hear so far.

M2 allows to use any 35, which is more universal for the street and landscapes, if you are willing to get close or want to have wider picture to observe.