M2 button rewind

[Shac]

Re the 2 types of rewind buttons - I remember being told that any S/N over 940 000 was the type you don't have to hold in when rewinding
I have one and love it. The button has a collar round it and if you accidentally depress the button - just pull up on the ring guard and it pops back up

 

[Richard G]

I love my button rewind M2. I keep the button depressed and always keep the lever firmly under a finger in later Leicas. I actually like having a self-timer but the spareness of the button rewind M2 is so classical. And it makes it and my M9-P harder to tell apart at first glance, so it’s very contemporary. And then there’s the latest film Leica, an MA. I don’t have one as I’ve already got one.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

This is my button rewind M2, the smoothest thing in the world.

Erik.

Isn’t that just the Mona Lisa of Leicas!

 

[Erik van Straten]

Isn’t that just the Mona Lisa of Leicas!

It takes nice pictures too.

Erik.

 

[michaelwj]

IMO the black paint button rewind M2 without self-timer is the best looking M ever. Simply beautiful.

 

[Erik van Straten]

IMO the black paint button rewind M2 without self-timer is the best looking M ever. Simply beautiful.

And makes nice pictures too.

Split grade print on ADOX MCC 110, shot with Leica M2 button rewind and Summicron 50mm f/2 rigid.

Erik.

 

[WJJ3]

This is my button rewind M2, the smoothest thing in the world.

Erik.

Very cool camera. I wonder how often these BP button rewind M2s come up for sale?

Another question for you Erik, if I may: does having maintenance work done on a Leica, like repairing worn out light shields make it no longer original, and therefore nullify it's collector value?

 

[Erik van Straten]

Very cool camera. I wonder how often these BP button rewind M2s come up for sale?

Another question for you Erik, if I may: does having maintenance work done on a Leica, like repairing worn out light shields make it no longer original, and therefore nullify it's collector value?

I don't think so, these black camera's were professionally used.



Erik.

 

[WJJ3]

I don't think so, these black camera's were professionally used.



Erik.

Interesting. There is such a wide range of prices for collectible Leica stuff so I'm curious what kind of work to the camera impacts it's collector value...

 

[David Hughes]

There's no real, guaranteed 100% answer. Collectors vary so much, cameras vary too and the net result could be anything.


FWIW, those black cameras with the brass worn and showing make me wonder what else is worn as much but not showing. This does not seem to be a popular view* but I'm no politician...


Regards, David




* Worse still, just lately I've noticed a lot of turkeys voting for Christmas.

 

[besk]

I once had two M2's at the same time - one with button rewind and one with the lever. I noticed that the interior "blacking" inside of the earlier button rewind body was significantly more reflective than the interior of the later lever rewind model.

 

[Rob-F]

I remember that one objection to the button rewind was that during shooting, a finger strays onto the button and accidentally puts the camera into rewind mode.

 

[Erik van Straten]

There's no real, guaranteed 100% answer. Collectors vary so much, cameras vary too and the net result could be anything.

FWIW, those black cameras with the brass worn and showing make me wonder what else is worn as much but not showing. This does not seem to be a popular view* but I'm no politician...

David

Hi Dave, here you are, after ten years of intensive use my camera was cleaned by Cathy Kuiper from Will van Manen Cameraservice. Now the camera works like new again.


The first cleaning/restauration, ten years ago, was done by Mr. Scherpenborg from Nijmegen who passed away recently.

Erik.

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

I have a pre-950 000 button rewind M2 with ST and i can confirm that it is quite a bit smoother than my already smooth late serial number lever rewind M2 and even more so than my still satisfyingly smooth M4. It's almost sexually smooth.

 

[WJJ3]

I have a pre-950 000 button rewind M2 with ST and i can confirm that it is quite a bit smoother than my already smooth late serial number lever rewind M2 and even more so than my still satisfyingly smooth M4. It's almost sexually smooth.

Interesting observations 🙂

I've had a 956xxx button rewind M1 for about a year now and it is very smooth (not sure which adjective to choose to describe it's smoothness), indeed smoother than my 992xxx M3. But I figured it was just because my M3 has seen more use...

 

[David Hughes]

Hi Dave, here you are, after ten years of intensive use my camera was cleaned by Cathy Kuiper from Will van Manen Cameraservice. Now the camera works like new again.


The first cleaning/restauration, ten years ago, was done by Mr. Scherpenborg from Nijmegen who passed away recently.

Erik.

Thanks, I guess that shows that they can take it but also that they need regular servicing. And, of course, it also shows why the bills are so high...


Thanks again, David

 

[Erik van Straten]

In fact only some cleaning was necessary. Some glue scraps had ended up in the film room. I tried to blow that out, but the stuff came through the edges along the top cover into the viewfinder and other parts. I didn't know this was possible. I thought the cassette space was better sealed. Let this be a warning for all users of the M-Leicas.

Without this accident, this maintenance would not have been necessary yet.


Erik.

 

[Rob-F]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49024512622_d01ca312f1_b.jpg[/IMG]
Erik.

That is either a very curvaceous Leica, or else it was photographed with a fisheye lens!

 

[David Hughes]

In fact only some cleaning was necessary. Some glue scraps had ended up in the film chamber. I tried to blow that out, but the stuff came through the edges along the top cover into the viewfinder and other parts. I didn't know this was possible. I thought the cassette space was better sealed. Let this be a warning for all users of the M-Leicas.

Without this accident, this maintenance would not have been necessary yet.

Erik.

Hi,

I have often thought that lenses, especially the collapsible ones, act like pistons. So sucking and blowing and eventually the dust builds up. My main worry being grit as I have seen what it can do in other items I've repaired.

Regards, David

 

[Erik van Straten]

That is either a very curvaceous Leica, or else it was photographed with a fisheye lens!

I guess she did it with her iPhone.

Hi,

I have often thought that lenses, especially the collapsible ones, act like pistons. So sucking and blowing and eventually the dust builds up. My main worry being grit as I have seen what it can do in other items I've repaired.

This is very well possible.

The collapsible lens derived from the idea that it should be possible to put a camera in a pocket. Actually I have never seen a person doing this.

Erik.