My M5 & 50 'Lux!

[PlantedTao]

Finally got my M5 and 50 Pre-Asph Summilux back from Sherry Krauter!
Looks great and as always she has done a top notch job. Camera was overhauled…she repaired the rusty frame, calibrated the meter, fixed the knobs on the bottom, CLA, replaced circuit board and hot shoe. Summilux was CLA’d.

Cost of M5 + Lux = $1,400
Repair Cost = $ 586
Total Cost = $1,986

Owning your own very first Leica = Priceless 😀

Also, took the set-up out yesterday to run a test roll through it and will get it developed today. It is going to take me a while to get used to how this camera operates…I’m use to the r2 and always having it cocked and lens cap off.

With this camera you can’t do that because of the meter and cloth shutter…
I’m a little afraid of the cloth shutter and forgetting to put a lens cap on, can’t really say I like that and want to know how necessary this really is??? I did have a vented hood on the lux.

I’m a lot slower with capturing street scenes than I was with the r2, but I think this should improve over time…the easiest (fastest) way for me was to have a set aperture and to adjust the shutter speed??? Any others out there find this the way to shoot with the M5???

Anyway, I’m very excited and look forward to putting this camera to heavy use.

Jason

 

[cpborello]

Congratulations Jason. Glad to hear you have it back in your hands.

I'm not sure of the cloth shutter issue -- I walk around without a lens cap. So long as I am generally moving, I feel I am pretty safe. I just make sure not to put it down in direct sunlight.

Regarding the exposure settings, I choose an aperture and set the shutter speed. Then I generally forget about it unless either (a) I decide to change the aperture or (b) the lighting changes. The nice thing is while framing, if you notice the exposure is slightly off, you can modify the shutter speed quickly and easily.

Chris

 

[PlantedTao]

Thanks Chris.
I thought that if the lens hood was on and I was moving about that I would be pretty safe too...but I had to ask those with experience.

The m5 seems very intuitive with how the controls are set up(love that shutter dial!), it operates different from the r2...so my speed and timing for composition seemed to be slowed down.
Guess I'm just going to have to use this camera a lot more 🙂

 

[sepiareverb]

Well you will love it. The M5 takes a little getting used to, but then it becomes very much a great users camera. The shutter speed dial is perfect on this camera for just what you describe- deciding on your f-stop as you consider the what the picture needs and then dialing in the shutter speed. That the shutter speed is visible in the VF is a great thing. Not even the M7 does that in manual mode. You'll also get used to the readout and know by looking how muuch over or under you are. Excellent metering in the M5.
As to the shutter and no lenscap- keep the lenscap on if you put the camera down, otherwise you should be fine- search the forums for burning and you'll find some discussion of this.
Give yourself a little time to settle in with this great camera. I shoot the M5 side by side with the M7 all the time and have gotten very used to them both.

 

[venchka]

Welcome to the Club

Welcome to the Club

One more time: You will love the M5! 🙂

You are a better shopper than I. I envy your 50mm Summilux. There are days I think I would trade one or both of my 50mm lenes for a Summilux. I eagerly await samples from your Summilux wide open.

By all means shoot in aperture prefered mode. Don't forget that you can move the shutter dial to exactly the speed you need between stops.

heavystar on ebay sells really nice ventilated hoods. Most of them take a standard size snap cap on the front of the hood. I have the 43mm hood on my Nikkor 50/1.4 and a 55mm cap on the hood. Works like a charm! All hoods should be sized for a snap cap!

You will learn to advance the film before each exposure. I find that's the best way to use the M5. Unless of course it's a situation that requires a series of exposures. It's easy to advance the film as you bring the camera to your eye.

Enjoy! Show off your Summilux!

 

[sepiareverb]

I believe you can't set intermediate speeds below the flash sync of 1/50. Not positive on this- the manual was written in German

 

[venchka]

Perhaps

Perhaps

You may be right. My book is in English. I'll check with camera in hand this evening. That said, I find the 1/50 sec. speed very useful as the light fades.

One M5 is never enough! The M5 was my first Leica also. I have no basis for comparison. Therefore, all the talk about huge, ugly, heavy, etc. are meaningless to me. 😱 😉 🙂

 

[PlantedTao]

It seems sepiareverb is correct...at least that is the way my M5 seems to behave.
One M5 will have to be enough, no funds for anything besides film and darkroom time. The R2 will be the trusty back-up and the xpan will be the color camera.
As many have said "I'm done".

 

[sepiareverb]

Sherry can tell us for sure about the speeds- I need to talk to her this week and will ask.

 

[Xmas]

Buy the lux a hood and uv filter you never know when you are going to drop it.

Carry the camera cocked without a cap when you are shooting dont leave it down out doors, (e.g. coffee table) or near to window indoors, without a cap. Buy nERC if you are clumsy...

Noel

 

[venchka]

Right, you're done

Right, you're done

...and the xpan will be the color camera.
As many have said "I'm done".

OK, since you have the X-pan and 2 lenses...drool 😱 😎 😉 🙂

M5's do color very well. Shoot Kodachrome! 🙂

 

[sepiareverb]

Where do you have your color XPAN run?