HenningW
Well-known
When the M5 came out, besides looking and feeling different, there were a couple of other strikes against it. Some films didn't have the correct lugs in the opposite end of the spool, and therefore couldn't be used in the camera.
Secondly, at the time it came out, the 21/3.4 was the only 21, and the mount had to be ground down so it could be used (without metering) on the camera. Same with the 28/2.8, but I think the second gen. 28 came out around the same time, so you could meter with the 28. The Hologon, which also came out at about the same time, didn't allow metering either.
Some other accessories didn't work with the M5 either, such as the unmodified DR Summicron and the Visoflex II.
When the camera came out initially with only two lugs for the strap, using multiple cameras with different strap lengths was problematic, as the cameras had to have _very_ different strap lengths to be useable this way.
Each of these items in and of itself weren't that bad, and certainly didn't affect everyone, but add the whole lot and many shooters of previous M cameras were affected and so found the camera difficult to integrate into their systems.
The meter and its display were great, as was the shutter speed dial, but I had to use my M4's for some film, and certainly for the Leica cassettes, and also for the 15 and 21. I got one when it came out, but used it less and less, and then when the M4-2 came out, traded it in. Early M4-2's tended to suffer a number of QC problems, and I went through a couple. The worst thing was that the strap lug wasn't fastended securely on one, and it carried a 50 Summilus with it to its death on the rocks.
I found some M4's in good condition, and went back to those until the M6 came out. Having ben bitten, I waited a couple of years before jumping on that train.
Henning
Secondly, at the time it came out, the 21/3.4 was the only 21, and the mount had to be ground down so it could be used (without metering) on the camera. Same with the 28/2.8, but I think the second gen. 28 came out around the same time, so you could meter with the 28. The Hologon, which also came out at about the same time, didn't allow metering either.
Some other accessories didn't work with the M5 either, such as the unmodified DR Summicron and the Visoflex II.
When the camera came out initially with only two lugs for the strap, using multiple cameras with different strap lengths was problematic, as the cameras had to have _very_ different strap lengths to be useable this way.
Each of these items in and of itself weren't that bad, and certainly didn't affect everyone, but add the whole lot and many shooters of previous M cameras were affected and so found the camera difficult to integrate into their systems.
The meter and its display were great, as was the shutter speed dial, but I had to use my M4's for some film, and certainly for the Leica cassettes, and also for the 15 and 21. I got one when it came out, but used it less and less, and then when the M4-2 came out, traded it in. Early M4-2's tended to suffer a number of QC problems, and I went through a couple. The worst thing was that the strap lug wasn't fastended securely on one, and it carried a 50 Summilus with it to its death on the rocks.
I found some M4's in good condition, and went back to those until the M6 came out. Having ben bitten, I waited a couple of years before jumping on that train.
Henning