This is why I want a better LTM body:

[paulfish4570]

Industar-50 (50/f3.5), sunny 16 metering, CVS 400 film, FED-2d:

Industar-61 (53/f.28) sunny 16 metering, CVS 400 film, FED-2d:

You can see that in some of the pics, the film does not run true on the FED's rails. More than half of all the negs on a roll of 24 showed signs of light leaks or shutter capping. But look at what the two little lenses are capable of. THAT is why I want a Canon P or 7 - to use those lenses to their fullest without losing half my shots to weird vignettes, leaks or caps. (No Bessa, as much as I like 'em. The R series bodies are too light in weight for my sometimes shaky hands; the Nikon RFs are absurdly expensive; Leica LTMs are too light.)

 

[hipsterdufus]

Just remember, Russian lenses may have problems focusing correctly on a Canon P/7. Just something to keep in mind. Why not get a CLA on your Fed (or get a known-good Fed of the same type) if you're already with it happy otherwise?

 

[feenej]

Canon P or Leica III

 

[Sonnar Brian]

A Canon P came up on the RFF classifieds for $175 recently. Prices are down.

Using FSU lenses on a Canon often mean shimming them for optimal performace. It is not hard. Usually a strip of aluminum foil to shim it works well enough.

 

[David Murphy]

I'm no fan of FSU cameras (as is known around here), but in all fairness many Canon P's will cap just as badly or worse. In fact if you take almost any vintage rangefinder that's not had a good recent shutter servicing and run it at it's fastest shutter speed in daylight, there is a good chance that at least a slight capping can be detected at the film edge. So a Canon P or Leica may need a shutter service too. An older Leica will quite possibly have pin hole light leaks too. The P is real good at suppressing that problem however with its metal shutter curtain. That said, most of the older FSU cameras don't seem to have held up as well as the older Leica's and Canon's.

 

[paulfish4570]

A CLA is a given if needed for whatever I get. When I scrape up the money, I will pay more for a body that has had a proven CLA.

Brian, I figured shimming might be needed.

Key reasons I am interested in a Canon rather than a Leica M: hinged back, cost, need for adapters.