More Leica Decisions

Just had a phone conversation with Sherry Krauter, who is working on my M5. She state unequivocally that the M5 is the best made Leica, as long as you stay away from the earlier serial numbers.

As for my OPINION, I've always liked the M5. I've owned every M camera along the way and consider the M5 the best. The best ergonomics, the best meter. And I love how it looks. It's the only M I'll never sell.
 
Thanks so much for everyone's input. Sounds like an M5 is what I want. Now I just have to convince "she who must be obeyed" that I need another (!) camera & an expensive one at that. LOL
 
It's nice to see everyone's grownup enough not to bang on and on about how big and ugly the m5 is, even though it is still big and really ugly ...
 
I personally think Leica must had their reason to went all out and redesign the whole thing, one very popular Leica repair guy(who did not like to work on an M5) here in Asia once told me inside the top plate has a whole totally different design than other Ms, it is much more complicated, and some of the parts were mounted together and it is very hard to fix, he admitted they were built to higher standard but as a repair guy he's just not liking it, which I can understand why if I were him.. lol, but as a user I really love it.
 
You are most likely not going to be happy with someone else's decision, so you would have to try it out and see if its really what you like. I myself prefer an m3..
 
It's larger and different because the metering technology wasn't as advanced. I suspect discrete components vs IC's. It's not easy to put two pound of crap into a one pound box.
Face it the Nikon F/F2 series weren't exactly tiny with a meter either.

The M5's limitation would be with early 21 & 28mm lenses that can't be mounted because of damage to the metering arm when it strikes the rear barrel of those lenses.
 
I believe the serial number below which Sherry has a concern is in the 129xxxx range. It can be tracked down to the digit with some web research. Below 135xxxx would rule out the great majority of M5s.

Great camera!
 
1750Shooter said:
Camera shop says they're not real popular with "Leicaphiles", but couldn't give me a reason.
Click to expand...


There's always a high-decibel pack that given something repeated many times by said pack, the echoes seem to point to a truth. This is not always the case, although it works wonders in politics.

Some people don't like the perceived fragility of the metering arm, and the fact that it was designed for use with a battery that is no longer (legally) made in most industrialized countries gives some pause.

While not most have the means to form an opinion by themselves, there is no better judge for what you like than yourself. Try it and see if you like it.
 
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