Leica M5... good choice?

[Erik van Straten]

Pepe, I think you have a great camera!

Erik.

 

[ktmrider]

I have gotta say I should have bought one of these a long time ago. I bought my first Leica in 1975 (a CL) and an M3 a couple years later. Neither camera really grabbed me. Since then I have owned every film M up to the M7 and the M5 is the best handling of the bunch.

Yes, it's weight was the first thing I noticed. The viewfinder and ease of operation with the match needle, shutter speed in the viewfinder, and ease of use of the shutter speed dial were second and third. Honestly, it's size is not an issue.

Have just finished a roll of TriX and need to process it to make sure the meter and rangefinder are good. Have shot half the roll with a 35f1.2 wide open to check focus. But honestly, I bought the camera from Sherry and she serviced it before sale so I do not expect to find anything wrong.

If you are on the fence about getting one of these, GET IT!

 

[Erik van Straten]

If I had the money, I'd get Sherry to put in an MA/MP finder in an M5 body.

In my opinion that is spoiling an M5. The strong point of the M5 are its framelines for 35mm and 50mm lenses in combination with the lightmeter. No other M Leica with a built in lightmeter has those precise framelines.

Erik.

 

[Huss]

If I had the money, I'd get Sherry to put in an MA/MP finder in an M5 body and basically spot weld one of those Canon/Serenar 28mm on there.

My M5 has the MP frames. 28mm is not very good to use as you have to move your eye around to see the edges. Wish that 35mm was the widest frame it had.
Want the best 28mm VF ever? Minolta CLE. It even looks like a mini M5!

 

[pepeguitarra]

I see no 28mm frame, that is why I have the Canon viewfinder, which, btw, it is clear.

9 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr



6 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr



11-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

 

[coelacanth]

My M5 has the MP frames. 28mm is not very good to use as you have to move your eye around to see the edges. Wish that 35mm was the widest frame it had.
Want the best 28mm VF ever? Minolta CLE. It even looks like a mini M5!

For those interested, I was just talking with Don. He says Leica Germany is currently producing new frameline units intended for M5 (!), which will be ready by this August. It will have the modern set of framelines including 28mm and 75mm (of course you can mask some off) and also has the photometer cell area lines for M5. 😎

 

[pepeguitarra]

For those interested, I was just talking with Don. He says Leica Germany is currently producing new frameline units intended for M5 (!), which will be ready by this August. It will have the modern set of framelines including 28mm and 75mm (of course you can mask some off) and also has the photometer cell area lines for M5. 😎

Seriously?

 

[coelacanth]

Seriously?

I know! I'll believe it when he actually sees one, but I'm getting one for my M5 which is in super good, Sherry CLA'ed condition, but developed an RF patch issue (separation of super thin glass used in the frameline unit) in transit from the seller. I can still see the double image OK (due to separation there is a pattern/weird texture in the patch and bit tricky to see the double image in certain light condition), and the seller is stepping up to cover majority of the cost for the repair.

If this actually happens, I could end up with a "Sherried up" M5 with a modern frameline unit actually made for M5 by Leica.

I'll post an update whenever this actually happens. 😉

 

[harvester]

!!!!!!!!!!
wow.
do leica have a history of making up stock for parts for heritage models ??

 

[Huss]

For those interested, I was just talking with Don. He says Leica Germany is currently producing new frameline units intended for M5 (!), which will be ready by this August. It will have the modern set of framelines including 28mm and 75mm (of course you can mask some off) and also has the photometer cell area lines for M5. 😎

Word on the street has it that this decision was made after a big shot at Leica read this thread.

 

[pepeguitarra]

One thing I like very much from the M5 is....!

One thing I like very much from the M5 is....!

If you try to see directly the two needles to set the exposure, you may not see it well. However, if you look at the center of the light measuring your peripheral vision will see the two needles easily.

 

[pepeguitarra]

Word on the street has it that this decision was made after a big shot at Leica read this thread.

I guess the M5 is finally getting the recognition as the best Leica camera, as it was initially designed to be. It came only 45 years later. 🙂

 

[David Hughes]

Word on the street has it that this decision was made after a big shot at Leica read this thread.

Hi,

In that case I will mention the well known error that kills the Minilux...

Regards, David

 

[Huss]

knocking balls ... by Helen Hill, on Flickr

How can you tell?

 

[mothertrucker]

Love my M5, my first Leica, and still my favorite. When I want to be sure I got the shot, this is the one I take.

Here's one with a V3 35mm summicron on Ilford Delta 3200.

 

[BLKRCAT]

My backup M5 has an M4-P finder in it, so I can use my 75mm Summarit on it.

I updated both my M4 and M5 with M6 rubber eyepieces. No more scratched glasses. Though an expensive upgrade at 80-90$ an eyepiece

 

[Huss]

I updated both my M4 and M5 with M6 rubber eyepieces. No more scratched glasses. Though an expensive upgrade at 80-90$ an eyepiece

I just use this from DAG. $15


http://www.dagcamera.com/store/p109/Plastic_Eyepiece_Guard_for_all_metal_M_eyepieces.html

 

[BLKRCAT]

The inner ridge that creates would bother me. I like the oem approach. Works as advertised and looks good too

 

[ktmrider]

Great Camera But I Sent It Back

Great Camera But I Sent It Back

Well, I got a black two lug from Sherry and shot it for a week. The M5 is a great camera and I do not understand all the venom directed at it. At the time of its introduction, it was state of the art for both rangefinders and SLR's. I was paying my way through Indiana University with a couple Nikon F's at the time.

For me the size was not a factor and the weight made it feel solid, like a Leica should. The shutter dial and its visibility in the finder made the camera super easy to use.

However, at the end of the week I returned it to Sherry. I think the overwhelming reason was I could not justify a third film Leica (fifth 35 film body) and I did not want to hassle with selling one of my other cameras. And I really like the M2, perhaps my favorite film Leica body.

If I decide to add another film M in the future, the M5 would be at the top of the list.

 

[Huss]

The inner ridge that creates would bother me. I like the oem approach. Works as advertised and looks good too

I dont notice anything apart from my glasses not being scratched. Once on it is invisible to me.