Leica M5... good choice?

[harvester]

Erik perhaps you could answer this but I've owned my M5 for almost 5 years now and I've never quite understood why there is a B1-B30 setting on the shutter speed. Is there actually any use for it or merely cosmetic.

there's very little practical use for it to the average leica user IMHO - but it does allow you to match an aperture to those long shutter-speeds ( which you then have to 'time' yourself with a cable / bulb / self timer etc ).

try setting your asa dial to '6' and you will see the needle sweep through that full range of slow speeds.

combined with the calculator wheel on the back door of the camera ( which i have actually used once or twice for nighttime stuff when i can find my reading glasses ... ) it does show a strange ( unique !? ) attention to long exposures for a 35mm camera.

AP

 

[ktmrider]

It is tied to the light meter and gives the exposure needed on "b". Of course, you have to manually release the shutter and time it.

 

[pepeguitarra]

there's very little practical use for it to the average leica user IMHO - but it does give you a meter reading for the selected shutter speed ( which you then have to 'time' yourself with a cable / bulb / self timer etc ) try setting your asa dial to '6' and you will see the needle sweep through the full range of speeds. combined with the calculator wheel on the back door of the camera ( which i have actually used once or twice for nighttime stuff ) it does show a strange ( unique ! ) attention to long exposures for a 35mm camera.

AP

+1

Thanks

 

[Dez]

A similar question is why Leica bothered to put a complex dial on the back. The only useful information it displays is the film type. The exposure reciprocity calculator dial isn't really of much use. It's probably only there because there was a useful film speed reminder on the backs of previous models.

Cheers,
Dez

 

[pepeguitarra]

A similar question is why Leica bothered to put a complex dial on the back. The only useful information it displays is the film type. The exposure reciprocity calculator dial isn't really of much use. It's probably only there because there was a useful film speed reminder on the backs of previous models.

Cheers,
Dez

Good point, and it brings a question I have still to address. I sometimes forget what film I have in the camera, so I am taping a piece of the box on the bottom of the camera. Is there any other elegant way of remembering what film is in the camera?

 

[harvester]

🙂 tape does the trick. i can't read those reminder dials anymore anyway ...

AP

 

[Huss]

Good point, and it brings a question I have still to address. I sometimes forget what film I have in the camera, so I am taping a piece of the box on the bottom of the camera. Is there any other elegant way of remembering what film is in the camera?

I use www.filmtrackr.com

Really useful especially if you have many film cameras...
It also keeps a history - as detailed as you want - of what you shot/when/with what etc.

And it is free.

 

[coelacanth]

From the first roll of my M5.


Happier Monday by Suguru Nishioka, on Flickr

M5, Lux 50 Pre-ASPH E46, long expired Tri-X @ 1250 in Diafine

 

[pepeguitarra]

M5 Price

M5 Price

I am afraid the price of the M5 is going to go up because of this thread. 🙄

 

[maitani]

my 2-lug chrome

 

[maddoc]

Nice lens!

my 2-lug chrome

 

[Erik van Straten]

[.....]

Very nice indeed! I also like the strap, the correct one for the period.

Erik.

 

[Rayt]

my 2-lug chrome

Please post some photos shot with this lens! 20 years ago a working photographer friend told me his copy of this f1.2 lens was a piece of crap and told me to avoid it, so I did and now it is completely unaffordable to me.

 

[maitani]

thanks for the feedback. The M5 allows it also to be used with the hood without throwing the camera 'back' (like on the smaller M's) i guess the same is true for the older E43 lux with the external hood.

Please post some photos shot with this lens! 20 years ago a working photographer friend told me his copy of this f1.2 lens was a piece of crap and told me to avoid it, so I did and now it is completely unaffordable to me.

I disagree with your photographer friend, but i can imagine sample variation on those handground lenses is quite high, this is a superb copy who belonged to a pro photographer and was used as workhorse lens.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Hello Rayt,

Here are some test pictures:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/yscen/albums/72157623690692922

Erik.

 

[Dez]

I am also OK with a collapsible Summicron on an M5. Is there a difference in the penetration of the proper M version and the LTM version with an adapter (which is what I tried).

Cheers,
Dez

 

[Huss]

my 2-lug chrome

Very nice! What strap is that?

 

[Erik van Straten]

Very nice! What strap is that?

That is the 14196 (Leitz catalogue number), very soft but strong calf leather. Some say they were made from leather of aborted calves.

Erik.

 

[pepeguitarra]

I found this article very informative on Leica and the Leica M5.

 

[Huss]

I found this article very informative on Leica and the Leica M5.

Very cool link!