M5 as user

Great replies!
I have two 5's, one black everyday user, one chrome shelf prince.
I had Sherry do a full cla on the user and Don add a third lug and adjust the meter for new batteries on the prince.
I think the design of the m5 is truly amazing. The Leica team who developed the m5 really considered every aspect of the camera so that it would be completely functional and adjustable without ever having to move your eye from the viewfinder. (who were the designers, anyway? anyone know?)

The m6 is like a porsche 911, sleek, efficient, built for speed and nothing else. The m5 is mercedes sedan; big, comfortable, easy to drive, weighs a ton, nice details, but also capable of blowing by everything else. 🙂
 
Well what can I say?
Cracking response guys (as us Brits say, nod to Wallace and Gromit). I am well sold on the Idea now, need to do some tracking down.
Another question (perhaps another thread? but here goes.
Which 3 leitz len's should I look at on a budget? (That should keep this thread going).
Alan.
 
I have a M-3, M4-2,M5 and a Hexar RF, the two that get used are the M-5 and the Hexar. Love the meter in the M-5 and the way it feels in my hand, what else is their???????
 
AlanS said:
Which 3 leitz len's should I look at on a budget?
Click to expand...

Ouch. This gets far more "religious" than any body question. Some will tell you that you can't possibly use anything other than Leica on Leica. Others will swear by Canon/Nikkon/Stienhiel/etc and tell you anything but Leica...

What do you like to shoot? How do you like it to look? Riddle me these and then I might take a stab at it.

As an aside, my only Leica lens will not work on a M5 - a collapsible Summicron. Avoid _anyone_ who says that only one company can possibly fit your work. This is most likely from the Leica freaks, but I have seen it from others. They are all wrong at best.

You must find what works right for you - what can you use when you do an artsy shot one second and then taken a shot of your kid buying and ice cream cone the next? Answer that and you'll know the lens you should have on your camera every time you walk out the door.

In the end, a camera is a light tight box. It make no difference who made it. Likewise, in the end, a lens is a handful of curved glass. The real question is the person behind both of them. All the rest is simply stupid sh*t that gets repeated on the internet at places like this one... 🙂

Forget that at your peril.

William
 
One fast 35, Alan, and one 85 or 90 or 100. Any brand or brands, so long as they fit and are optically good. Optically good always includes hoods. The third lens could be melted down into film. A tripod never did no one no harm. Happy times to you.
 
AlanS said:
Well what can I say?
Cracking response guys (as us Brits say, nod to Wallace and Gromit). I am well sold on the Idea now, need to do some tracking down.
Another question (perhaps another thread? but here goes.
Which 3 leitz len's should I look at on a budget? (That should keep this thread going).
Alan.
Click to expand...
I'll toss my story in here. I bought an M5 in 1977 and later traded it when I got into medium format. Then in 1984 I bought a second M5 and still have it. It is the only camera that I've replaced after trading/selling the first one. The lenses that I use are 35, 50, 90 all Summicrons made in Canada. Today I'd be looking at some of the CV lenses, too.
Bob
 
Budget? That would be Cosina Voigtlander, not Leitz. There is nothing "budget" about recent Leitz lenses (once past the 50/2.8 Elmar), except maybe two or three generations back, and that's only if they're on the user side.

CV 35/1.7 Ultron, 50/2.5 Heliar or 50/1.5 Nokton, and 90 APO Lanthar, all three for around USD 1000, used.

But Canon might be the best solution: 35, 50, 85 - you get lots of speed options in there - all very reasonable in price.
 
Last edited:
What is everyone who has an m5 and uses the meter solution to batteries?
__________________

Showing much greater foresight than normal. I stocked up on PX625's several years ago when I had a bunch of cameras that used that battery. I also have had excellent results with the Cris MR9 adaptor.
 
Flinor said:
What is everyone who has an m5 and uses the meter solution to batteries?
__________________

Showing much greater foresight than normal. I stocked up on PX625's several years ago when I had a bunch of cameras that used that battery. I also have had excellent results with the Cris MR9 adaptor.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the endorsement of the C.R.I.S. adaptor. I didn't stock up because I was asleep at the wheel when mercury button cells disappeared. I suppose I will get the C.R.I.S. adaptor when my current Varta mercury cell dies.
 
Flinor said:
What is everyone who has an m5 and uses the meter solution to batteries?
Click to expand...

I used a wein air cell replacement - though being in Canada I can find the Mercury one if I had to. I didn't have to adjust the meter voltage. No problems with exposure with the wein air cell.

Check out: http://www.weincell.com/

Cheers,

Mark -%)
 
back alley said:
where can you find a mercury battery in canada?

they are illegal here too.

joe
Click to expand...

Hey Joe, I wasn't aware that they are illegal here. A local camera store here in Calgary has a stock of them. I picked up one last year for my Rollei 35SE.

Cheers,

Mark -%)
 
Here in the UK, at least, it's not illegal to sell them, just make them.

You can buy NOS mercury batteries, but they're very expensive and after someone on the forum told me about zinc-air hearing aid batteries there is no need for them either.
 
Kully: Zinc air are a great replacement except they don't last nearly as long as the mercury cells. While I wouldn't mind having some mercury cells, I'd be damn sure I disposed of them properly. More mercury in the waste stream, no matter how small the amount is NOT a good idea.
 
laverda3c said:
Hey Joe, I wasn't aware that they are illegal here. A local camera store here in Calgary has a stock of them. I picked up one last year for my Rollei 35SE.

Cheers,

Mark -%)
Click to expand...

Would you be so kind to share the name of the store?

As for proper disposal, they are so small I see no need to dispose of them at all.
 
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