Leica M5... good choice?

[Huss]

I am waiting to see the results of the Darkroom. I have been sending my rolls there and I want to see how others feel. They use Ilford developers, not sure which one.

I've been disappointed by them and no longer use them. Too many mess ups, with no explanations or attempts to make good.

I use TheFindlab.com or northcoastphoto.com depending on what type of film I am sending in.

 

[ktmrider]

Eric, which 50 do you prefer-the f1.1 or f1.5? I have the latest version of the 50 Summicron and debate something a bit faster. I think Leica lenses are way over priced although a classic Summilux may be a possibility.

 

[benmacphoto]

Eric, which 50 do you prefer-the f1.1 or f1.5? I have the latest version of the 50 Summicron and debate something a bit faster. I think Leica lenses are way over priced although a classic Summilux may be a possibility.

I love the 50 Summicron-M, and ended up getting a 50mm f1.1 to go with it.
I find myself using the 50mm f1.1 more then the Summicron.

 

[helen.HH]

The nokton 1.1 is Grand .... A look all it's own... Tres Atmospheric lens
If you carry it everyday You just get used to it's size

 

[Erik van Straten]

Eric, which 50 do you prefer-the f1.1 or f1.5? I have the latest version of the 50 Summicron and debate something a bit faster. I think Leica lenses are way over priced although a classic Summilux may be a possibility.

I don't know. They're different lenses. I also have a Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v1. I prefer that lens above the Summilux 50mm f/1.4 v2, because the latter has some real nasty distortion. The Nokton-M 50mm f/1.5 gets closer, sometimes that is handy. The Nokton f/1.1 is very nice, but it is big and it cuts off a part of the image in the viewfinder. A separate viewfinder does not really help because it provides no control of the distance setting.


Erik.

 

[sepiareverb]

I've got an M5 arriving from Don on Monday or Tuesday. Part of my slimming down of the equipment. Will shoot with it for a while and decide which M film bodies to keep. I shot with a very late M5 for a long time, sold it a few years back and have missed it. Great with a 50 or 90 lens, and the meter is wonderful in many situations.

Sherry had gone through the first one, added 75mm frame lines and really tuned it up well.

This one is a year older than that one was, Ive got a Rapidgrip down on the bench right now to file out for the boxy end of the M5.

 

[BLKRCAT]

Leica M5, Nokton 50mm 1.1, Ilford Delta 3200

 

[BLKRCAT]

Leica M5, Nokton 50mm 1.1, Ilford Delta 3200

 

[Huss]

Leica M5, Nokton 50mm 1.1, Ilford Delta 3200

Love this shot. What did you meter on?

 

[BLKRCAT]

Thanks, it's been a while since I shot this but I believe that I had the spot half on the neon and half on one of their faces. It did seem a little underexposed but I really like the mood of it.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I like both pictures! Beautiful mood and sharpness.

Erik.

 

[rhl-oregon]

I was going to reply earlier to Huss, "If you were psychic like me you'd know the spot was on the neon closest to the psychic's face." But I didnt want to brag about my psychicism. ;-)
Delightful image.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Evidently, the OP should have figured out that the M5 was, indeed, a very good choice. 🙂

I have been using mine for the last two weeks... feels like being reborn.

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks, it's been a while since I shot this but I believe that I had the spot half on the neon and half on one of their faces. It did seem a little underexposed but I really like the mood of it.

Understandable, there's no way you can foresee these things...

Regards, David

 

[BLKRCAT]

Thanks guys. Now that its getting darker earlier I hope to shoot a lot more of these darker moody images.

David, what would be the fun in shooting film without some sense of unknown! 😀

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks guys. Now that its getting darker earlier I hope to shoot a lot more of these darker moody images.

David, what would be the fun in shooting film without some sense of unknown! 😀

Hi,

I thought that was what psychic advisors did, or am I thinking of psychosis?

Regards, David

 

[BLKRCAT]

Leica M5, Nokton 50mm 1.1, Fuji Superia 800

 

[BLKRCAT]

Leica M5, Nokton 50mm 1.1, Fuji Superia 800

 

[mkvrnn]

I think it's great the way all you M5 owners stick together, doing your best to convince each other that it's not the ugliest camera ever built.
I know exactly how you feel because I once owned a Fiat Multipla. I learned to ignore all the ribbing from my friends who suggested it looked like one car had been dropped on top of another or that it had been jointly designed by two people who had never actually spoken to each other. They clearly all thought I was mad, but somehow I managed to convince myself that I liked it. The novelty wore off after 3 months and I moved on. But if only I had come across a website where other crazy owners stuck together like you M5 people!

 

[coelacanth]

I think it's great the way all you M5 owners stick together, doing your best to convince each other that it's not the ugliest camera ever built.
I know exactly how you feel because I once owned a Fiat Multipla. I learned to ignore all the ribbing from my friends who suggested it looked like one car had been dropped on top of another or that it had been jointly designed by two people who had never actually spoken to each other. They clearly all thought I was mad, but somehow I managed to convince myself that I liked it. The novelty wore off after 3 months and I moved on. But if only I had come across a website where other crazy owners stuck together like you M5 people!

Definitely fun to talk about the ugly duckling of Leica with others, but in my case, I still think M5 is the "ugliest film M." Well, that's a strong statement. More like "other Ms are prettier and more compact." This didn't change even after owning it. And it took a while to get used to the UI, size, weight, and some M5 specific stuff like meter powering, limitation of lens choice, etc. BUT, in use, this camera is simply brilliant. It just works great, and I find myself picking it up over my M4-P more often than I thought.