Leica M5... good choice?

[Nokton48]

Makes sense to make new parts for M5.

At the factory they know it was designed to be the ultimate Wetzlar Leica.

Smart move on their part.

 

[harvester]

ooh.
nice rig !

edit : ha ! i see someone beat me to it.
*bass player too over here.
i've got the bass, just have to borrow the SVT when needed.

AP

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.

 

[mothertrucker]

Yeah it's nice! Belongs to Lou Barlow from Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and Folk Implosion fame.

Nice rig, mt! 😎 As an occasional bass player, I am truly jealous.

 

[pepeguitarra]

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.

Sorry to hear you did not keep it. Me too have three film Leicas (M3, M2 and M5). I just wanted one. However, I cannot find me getting rid of one. Those are too good to let go. So, I decided to keep them (small investment after all). I cannot get rid of my M8.u (wonderful), or my M9. Although you can tell I need more days a week to use them. 🙁

 

[trchandler62]

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

What inner ridge? I just got one from DAG two days ago, it works as advertised and I can barely even tell it's there.

 

[Huss]

What inner ridge? I just got one from DAG two days ago, it works as advertised and I can barely even tell it's there.

Look, if I paid $90 instead of $15 I too would complain about an inner bridge.

😀

 

[BLKRCAT]

no one sees that sharp lip pictured on the DAG site? I've highlighted below in green. The reason I chose to go with an OEM rubber eyepiece is because I know I can rely on it not falling off as easily as a rubber or vinyl variant. I did look at covers but many held on with glue just seemed not for me. If it works for you, great.

 

[Huss]

no one sees that sharp lip pictured on the DAG site? I've highlighted below in green. The reason I chose to go with an OEM rubber eyepiece is because I know I can rely on it not falling off as easily as a rubber or vinyl variant. I did look at covers but many held on with glue just seemed not for me. If it works for you, great.

FYI the DAG piece snaps on, no glue needed, and needs a flat blade to pry off.
So that puppy ain't going anywhere!

But I can see your point, you want the camera to be the way it makes you happy.

 

[Nokton48]

Fyi the DAG piece snaps on, no glue needed, and needs a flat blade to pry off.
So that puppy aint going anywhere!

But I can see ur point , you want the camera to be the way it makes you happy.

I had a couple of those DAG pieces. They work for a while, mine each developed a crack, then they tended to end up in the bottom of the camera bag 😀

 

[Huss]

I had a couple of those DAG pieces. They work for a while, mine each developed a crack, then they tended to end up in the bottom of the camera bag 😀

Did you remove them often? I don't see how they could develop a crack, as once they snap on you can rotate them. So there is no stress while on.
I've been using these for a long time now on my M5, two M3s and now an M4-2 with zero issues.

 

[mmork]

I do totally *not* believe that Leica will produce any spares for the M5.

(...it would be great though. Just think of new light meters to get these with broken meters into working condition again...)

 

[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. 😎

I do totally *not* believe that Leica will produce any spares for the M5.

(...it would be great though. Just think of new light meters to get these with broken meters into working condition again...)

Don is a trusted voice and if Leica told him that, they are making them.

 

[ktmrider]

You Only Live Once!

You Only Live Once!

If you look earlier in this thread, I posted in 2011 about wanting to try an M5. I finally got one from Sherry about a month ago. Well, I returned it after a week primarily as I did not feel the need or desire to own three film Leicas as well as an M9.

I really enjoyed shooting with the M5. The meter is great and being able to see the shutter speeds in the viewfinder was outstanding. The camera just felt solid. At the same time, one of my M2's was in for a CLA and a new shutter brake which was near the end of its useful life. So, we were playing musical Leicas.

And, two weeks ago I had a heart attack while out walking. I had an angioplasty done and will have to have another artery cleared at the end of August. Now, I feel fine but I came to the realization that life only happens once and getting a third film Leica was not going to bankrupt me or cause the universe to end.

So, I called Sherry to have her put a third strap lug on the camera and replace the old vulcanite. I hope to have the camera by the end of the month. I hope I did not make Sherry too nuts with all my hemming and hawing. Anyone else like me when it comes to new equipment?

 

[Erik van Straten]

ktmrider, I hope you will be soon in perfect health again!

I hope you enjoy the M5 as much as I do.

Erik.

 

[pepeguitarra]

ktmrider, I hope you will be soon in perfect health again!

I hope you enjoy the M5 as much as I do.

Erik.

Well, I hope you recover soon. My only non-photographic advice is: Stop eating wheat (bread, pasta, beer, cakes, pizza, etc.) and sugar. You will be fine at no time.

Second, I only wanted one film camera but ended up with three (thanks to this thread). The M5 is my favorite now. I try to make a decision to sell one or two, but they are so un-expensive (compared to what I paid for the digitals) and of such good quality, that I decided to keep them. I think I will not be buying anymore, since I am jumping into retirement and the income will be very limited.

Get well soon.

 

[mpaniagua]

Hope you get well soon and wish you the best ktmrider.

Regards.

 

[rhl-oregon]

More wishes for recovery and joy in photography with the M5, KTM.

--speaking as someone who just bought an Aprilia Scarabeo 500 in order to enjoy shooting my M5 and other gear at a different pace in the Pacific NW countryside...;-)

 

[ktmrider]

Thanks for the get well wishes. Unfortunately, I am one of those people with coronary artery disease. The heart is ok but the arteries have some plaque. I had my first stent put in in 2002 so as a pilot I had to have special physicals annually.

And as several people hear have said and I have come to realize, used classic Leica's really are fairly inexpensive. The M5 from Sherry and my M2's are worth about $1100 each which is certainly not going to break the bank.

I have been developing TriX so the next step is a focomat enlarger so I can totally revert to the things I did in my youth.

 

[BLKRCAT]

Leica M5, Nokton-M 50mm 1.5, Kodak Tri-X

 

[harvester]

love this ^
love the narrow depth of field in a narrow room.

i shot some M5 ektachrome buttons in japan ... walking around with colour film looking for colourful things - you can't go past the button shop.