M2 w/ button rewind + self-timer?

[cynyeung]

Hi friends,

I'm really quite at the end of my wits here as I've looked high and low in many different Leica related forums for more information on my M2. What I have recently acquired is an M2 with button rewind (the later type where it is kept down when you press it) AND a self-timer. I think I've only seen ONE person (from an old 2005 thread) on these forums who claim to have a similar model. BTW, the s/n on my camera is 946186.

Could someone give me a holler to let me know I'm not that alone out there?

And if anyone can shed some light on the rarity of this combination of features, it'd much appreciated.

Cheers + Happy Snapping! 😉

 

[ath]

I have one as well. Mine was born as a M1 according to the SN. See the overview here, the combination seems not to be too rare.

 

[ath]

Oh, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Sparrow]

I have 9494** in the same configuration, so no you are not alone

PS and hi 🙂

 

[Tom A]

The selftimer was an "option" on the early M2. Not uncommon to find - I had a 926-something with that on it. You could either buy the camera with it on or send it to a Leica dealer and have it installed. Those were the days when you could get stuff like that, like sending your chrome M2/M3 in and have it converted to black paint, add selftimers and with the later M2's have it converted to Motor drive.
Oh, they would also convert the "Press" button version to lever action if you so desired.

 

[Ronald_H]

Just wondering, what kind of rewind options are there on an M2? Does anyone have pics?

Bought an M2 just yesterday, so if there are common/uncommon variations I'd like to know.

Edit: Found it. Google before you ask. I have the common lever/self timer combo.

 

[Pherdinand]

i also have button rewind + self timer.

 

[Tom A]

The M2 is actually quite "option" free from day one. The "Press" button and the selftimer was just about it and later some modifications to the finder, but nothing earthshattering. It goes to prove that if you come up with a good design and leave it alone, it will still be around for along time.
The basic options were: Selftimer, black paint or chrome and later conversion to motor. The M2R was a "mistake" - Leica thought that the US Army would go for more M2's and ended up selling them to civilians instead. There was also 20 blue-grey M2's made to try to entice the US Air Force, but to no avail. A lesser known specialty version was the K15S (?) - the military specification M2 with the M4 take up spool and, in some of them, the 135 finder. They do crop up occasionally, usually beaten to pulp and over-priced. I had one that was given to me and it must have been for some group of "special forces" as it was painted black with non reflecting paint that stongly ressembled the stuff you put on garage floors. 2-3mm thick and brush-strokes still showing, and, yes it was an "original job" as it came from an army surplus sale. Cheap too - I think about $60 as the paint had hardened sufficiently to impair advance and release of the shutter.

We should be careful about promoting M2's- suddenly it will become very popular and prices will go up!

 

[Ronald_H]

Cheap too - I think about $60 as the paint had hardened sufficiently to impair advance and release of the shutter.

We should be careful about promoting M2's- suddenly it will become very popular and prices will go up!

$60 for an M2... that sort of thing never happens to me 😉

Anyway, I really like the simplicity of the M2, even if mine is not nearly as smooth as my friend's M6 and shows signs of hard use over the last 42 years. Will be some days before I have my slides back. Yep, slides in an unserviced M2, with a hand held meter.

 

[cynyeung]

I'd just like to thank everybody for putting in their two cents, especially Tom A for including the M2 history/trivia. The blue/grey M2 you had is very nicely done. I'm heading off to Tokyo for a few months and will likely try to contact Shintaro-san to paint my M2 olive green, although 'officially' there's no such colour. Will show pics later if I get it done!

Have a great week ahead everyone! 😉

 

[Tom A]

The olive green is a rather boring color. The Blue-grey is a much nicer looking color, particularly with a chrome 35 on it. The best color though is the dark blue with gold filled lettering. I usually dont like decorater cameras, but that combo, which I saw in Tokyo some years ago, looked stunning. I also have a "hammerite" grey M2 - good paint as it hides the small scratches and dents. When I did it I also had a matching M2 Rapidwinder done and a Softie in gun-metal grey. This camera is used for odd films as I know that it is not loaded with tri X or XX! So, gaffer tape with writing on it would do the same thing, but this way is more pleasant to look at!

 

[fbf]

same here. early button rewind m2 w/ self timer. It's very smooth but the rewind and counter are painful to use.