Leica m2 with smaller window?

[quietmouse]

Hello,

I am new to your forum and am going to buy a Leica. I have shot a Nikon slr for 5 years and bought a canon GLIII last year to see if I liked rangefinders. I liked them very much! I am now ready to buy a more capable rangefinder with some lens choices and have decided on a leica M2. I put myself through the usual insanity of over researching things on the internet, but I have one question to ask you.

A particular M2 I am looking into purchasing is listed on Mr. Gandy's website as being a Leica M2 with a smaller window. Does this have pros and cons, or is it not to be considered preferable either way?

Thank you for the information and I look forward to contributing more to this forum as I gain experience with range finders.

Rob

 

[laptoprob]

Huh? Never knew about such versions. You have a pic?
Why would you want such a specific one? Smaller window must be darker, right?

 

[quietmouse]

Hello Laptoprob,
I do not have a pic. I am not searching for a M2 with a smaller window in particular, I am just considering purchasing a specific M2 and after looking up the serial number on the M2 in question on the camera quest website it lists it as a M2 with "Smaller Window". After seeing this I was concerned by what effect a "Smaller Window" might have. I do not know what "smaller window" means or what effect it might have. I do not have access to leica's to compare models. Does anyone know?

Rob🙂

 

[rover]

If Stephen himself doesn't check in, this sounds like a Tom A question to me.

 

[edodo]

The smaller window is in fact the frameline collecting window. It is not smaller in size, just the plastic pattern used. The strikes are smaller on your M2 than on late M's. It doesn't affect performance significatively. The early button rewind model is on of the leica I do miss. Really like the lack battery cover or self timer for a comfortable grip. Some say that the button can be accidently pushed during use, but I never encountered this in the short use time I had it. Nice camera for sure the button rewind is!

 

[rover]

So, I am confused, is this a specific variation of the M2?

 

[Tom A]

As was stated before, the pattern on the ligh gathering window can differ between M2's. Earlier ones had a smaller "grid" than the later ones. It makes no difference in its function though.
The early M2 (#926 000 up to about 930 000) had one irritating function. To rewind film you had to hold the rewind button down as you rewound. If your finger slipped, you suddenly applied a lot of torque on the film as the sprocket wheel stopped turning. This could result in small filmchips liberally distributed inside the camera!
The M2 is in my mind the "ultimate" Leica - simple and unobtrusive and with a 35/50/90 combination, you can cover just about anything. Unless you have a specific camera in mind, try to look for a #1000 000 and over. I have really no idea if there were any major mechinal differences between them over the 80 000 or so made (some upgraded coating in the finder on the very last ones maybe). Somehow Leica got it right, once they fixed the rewind button and left the camera alone over the decade it was made (1957-1966).
2008 is supposed to be the Chinese Year Of The Rat, but I have decided that in my own calender 2008 will be the Year Of The M2 and I will be shooting most of this years pictures with a variety of M2's. I am off to a good start - so far about 110 rolls through my three users since Jan 1.

 

[Bill Blackwell]

All M RF windows are identical in size (from the M3/2 through the M8).

Early M2 windows used a different center window glass (looks like small shades) when compared to the M3. This window is for capturing light. Later, Leica changed the window again - these have since remained virtually unchanged.

Your M2 also probably has a button RW (that's different too).

 

[Bill Blackwell]

"All M RF windows are identical in size (from the M3/2 through the M8)."

Excepting the taller main window from the M6TTL onward.

 

[Shac]

Tom - I have a button M2 (94XXX - 1958 vintage) but don't have to hold down the rewind button (it stays down itself) - did they change the action of the button?
Like Edodo - rarely had a problem with pushing the button in accidently and when I did I just pulled out the ring that's around the button and this reset the button without losing a frame.
Cheers
David

 

[quietmouse]

Thank you all for helping to answer my question. I will take this into consideration in my purchase.

Rob

 

[former member]

I have one of the early ones. You have to hold the button down. But I have to do the same for my Contax, so got used to it. The finder on it is immaculate.

 

[Tom A]

Tom - I have a button M2 (94XXX - 1958 vintage) but don't have to hold down the rewind button (it stays down itself) - did they change the action of the button?
Like Edodo - rarely had a problem with pushing the button in accidently and when I did I just pulled out the ring that's around the button and this reset the button without losing a frame.
Cheers
David

David, I think they "fixed" the button quite quickly. They were most likely inundated with complaints in those first months. I have had several very early M2's over the years and the only ones that required you to hold it down was a 926 5xx (cant remember the rest of the number) and one in the 931 series. Many of the early ones where retrofitted with the button that stays down or even with the lever rewind.

 

[former member]

I had to look. My M2 has 14 sections for gathering light for the framelines. I looked at a photo of a late model M2, seems to have 8 or so. Mine is in the 930 block.

 

[payasam]

Brian, 1051xxx has seven or eight, depending on how they are counted.

 

[former member]

I'll bet they used a computer to figure out less was better. unlike the Canon 7, the lens is behind a glass window. Also seems to stay in place much better, can't put a finger through it to knock it out.