My first Leica... I have $1300, what should I get?

[basurf9]

I have been told by a good friend that a M4 with 50mm SUMMICRON-M f2 would be a great start. I have shot mainly street photography with a Widelux F6B but recently sold it, I have camera ADD.

What are your suggestions?

Thanks,
Bran

 

[denizg7]

i would try to find a well used cosmetically but a functional m6 for around 900 and for the 400 try to find a collapsable 50mm summicron

 

[Brian Legge]

That would be a great pair but finding them within your budget would be a challenge. This would be even harder if you were looking for something

What focal lengths do you want to shoot? If you prefer 50s to 35s, you might want to look at an M3. On the bargain side I'd look at the CL, M2, M3 and M4-2. Those seem to be the best deals at the moment.

 

[pkreyenhop]

M3 + Summicron 50mm of course!

 

[Vincent.G]

I have been told by a good friend that a M4 with 50mm SUMMICRON-M f2 would be a great start. I have shot mainly street photography with a Widelux F6B but recently sold it, I have camera ADD.

What are your suggestions?

Thanks,
Bran

Drop Ye Youxin an email. He might be able to assemble a rig that is overhauled before shipping to you according to your budget.

 

[johannielscom]

Hi Bran,

welcome to the forum from Holland! Make sure you post some shots, no matter what Leica you get? :angel:

I'd say get an M2 or an M4/M4-2/M4P, they are fairly easy to service, have excellent track records, will not have a flaring rangefinder patch (which quite a lot of M6's did have) and framelines are not too intrusive in the viewfinder.

For street photography I recommend a 35mm lens as your first lens, for the angle of view and the increased depth of field it gets you: it's easier to focus and there's more street life in the photos! The Voigtländer Ultron 1.7/35mm is a nice lens if you can find it, but the Color-Skopar 2.5/35mm is very good too. For older, lower-contrast lenses, turn to a Canon 2.8 or 3.2 or 3.5/35mm LTM lens, which you can easily mount using an LTM <-> M adapter, made by Leitz.


Good luck finding your first Leica, and happy shooting!

 

[filmtwit]

Minolta CLE + 40mm f2 Rokkor or Summicron-c for easily under $1k
CLE has meter too.

 

[ernstk]

Welcome to the forum.

I think we need to understand your requirements before we can make sweeping recommendations.

1. Do you need a built in meter? If so, then you need to look at an M6 (unless you want to consider the slightly unconventional M5). If not, then the rest of the non metered M series is available to you.

2. What are your lens requirements? If you're never going to shoot with wider than a 50 mm, then you can consider the M3 in your list of options. If you do need to use a 35mm, then the M2, and M4 will provide the viewfinder frame lines. If you need to use a 28mm lens, then the M4P and the M6 will provide the frame lines to let you use a 28mm lens.

M3 lovers would point out that you can buy a 35mm Leica lens with 'goggles' fitted, to allow the viewfinder to show the 35 mm field of view but in my opinion, it is an awful and inelegant solution.

There are aso options such as the Minolta CLE, Leica CL, Zeiss Ikon and Konica Hexar, which use the Leica M lens mount.

Sorry if this sounds complicated. Why don't you tell us your requirements in detail and we can then make some suggestions?

Ernst

 

[torn]

you can get a zeiss ikon zm + japanese summilux (50/1.4) for 1300$...
id do that if i were in your shoes

 

[Roger Hicks]

Hi Bran,

welcome to the forum from Holland! Make sure you post some shots, no matter what Leica you get? :angel:

I'd say get an M2 or an M4/M4-2/M4P, they are fairly easy to service, have excellent track records, will not have a flaring rangefinder patch (which quite a lot of M6's did have) and framelines are not too intrusive in the viewfinder.

For street photography I recommend a 35mm lens as your first lens, for the angle of view and the increased depth of field it gets you: it's easier to focus and there's more street life in the photos! The Voigtländer Ultron 1.7/35mm is a nice lens if you can find it, but the Color-Skopar 2.5/35mm is very good too. For older, lower-contrast lenses, turn to a Canon 2.8 or 3.2 or 3.5/35mm LTM lens, which you can easily mount using an LTM <-> M adapter, made by Leitz.


Good luck finding your first Leica, and happy shooting!

Dear Johan,

My M4-P flares mercilessly compared with my M2.

As for focal length, I'd say that either 35 or 50 is fine: it's pure personal preference. After 3 decades with 35, I find I now use 50 more.

But I second your welcome, and your warm wishes to the newcomer.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

I would say there are two questions you need to think about, what lenses are you after, and do you want a light meter?

If you want anything wider than a 50mm, then I'd say the M3 is not the camera for you, yes you can get "goggles" for 35mm frame lines, but it's easier to just get an M2 instead.

Then you need to think about a light meter, M2, M3, and M4 do not have them, are you OK with that? If you are, then any Leica will suit I think, assuming you're OK with the frame lines it has. If you want a meter, then there is M5 or M6 in your budget.

If you're not wedded to a Leica, but are OK with Leica-compatible, then there are the Bessa cameras, highly affordable, and you can have a meter, and even aperture priority. Also in budget is the Zeiss Ikon, very handsome camera with all the modernity of a Bessa.

With Bessa, you can choose what frame lines you want, with Zeiss Ikon, there is only one set, with most agreeing that it's really aimed at a 35mm shooter, and 50mm is secondary in it's priorities.

 

[jsrockit]

i would try to find a well used cosmetically but a functional m6 for around 900 and for the 400 try to find a collapsable 50mm summicron

I agree... or a 35mm color skopar.

 

[Pirate]

M3 and what ever lens you like.

 

[nakedcellist]

M6 and a summicron 40, or a voigtlander eq. lens.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Metered then M5, M6 or M7 but the budget may not stretch to the M7.

None metered the M2 and M4 variations, which all take 35mm and the M3 if you don't mind the bulk and expense of the lens and goggles.

I'd go for the 35mm lens - there's a wide variety and the M2 for non metered use.

And, of course, there's the CL with it's 40mm lens and the later development of it the Minolta CLE. But (1) it's a very electronically run body and may fail for ever. But (2) it takes the Minolta 28mm lens and has framelines and a decent VF for it.

Regards, David

 

[baisao]

Early M6 Classic, with a collapsable 50mm Summicron.

 

[boomguy57]

I'd say an M6 is a great start. A classic user M6 should be had for under $1k, and I'd pair it with the Nokton 40/1.4 for a great combo.

Good luck no matter what route you take!

 

[Roger Hicks]

Just thought of the obvious smart-arse answer too "What should I get?"

-- More money.

Seriously, no need. If you want a meter, yes, M6, then a Voigtländer 35 or 50 on the front. Not everyone sees the Summicron 'magic': I've had 35 and 50, and sold both. Personally I'd go for a 'purist' (and cheaper, and less flary) M2 and a separate meter. But that's as much romanticism as practicality.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sanmich]

Lots of possible choices, but the M4 is probably not the right one.
A great camera by all means, but if you pass on a meter, you have significantly cheaper choices (The M2 would be mine).

So...
meterless: M2, M4-P (600~800$)
metered: M6 ~1k$

Lenses:
35mm: color skopar (what are they selling for these days? 300$ ish?)
50mm: planar, hexanon ~600$ or canon 50mm 1.4 ~300$ + 50mm adapter.

 

[NeeZee]

So, you want a Leica?

So, you want a Leica?

How about this one: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.de/images/6/6e/AF-C1.jpg ?

Even has a red dot and 1250$ left for film and processing then...

Seriously though, I would buy a IIIc with a summaron 35/3.5 and a Voigtländer external finder. If it had to be an M, the M2 plus 35/2.5 Skopar would probably be my choice. With both setups there should be enough money left for film.