What classic M film camera would you most want a new M camera based upon?

[Deleted member 65559]

An M2 with only framelines for 35 and 50mm, a meter like the MP, brass top and bottom plates black painted, M2 type levers and knobs all in brass and black painted, M2 type frame counter, all metal parts finished in dull black paint that does not become glossy in use, all lettering filled with white paint - the B/OFF marking in red - and a tough black body covering with a leather structure. No self timer, but a lever to preview the frames for 35mm and 50mm in the viewfinder and no flash contacts and symbols.

Erik.

Likewise....not the current MP paint job. & i'd add the contacts for using the Leicavit the the M4 loading system...... even without the meter i'd be tempted

 

[ptpdprinter]

How would any of these suggested Frankenstein Ms be better than an M-A or an MP? And why is there a hyphen in M-A but not MP?

 

[besk]

Ironically the M6 Classic.

I agree but:

I would adjust the frame lines slightly to be a little more accurate
or better yet have a zoom viewfinder for a range of lenses.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

How would any of these suggested Frankenstein Ms be better than an M-A or an MP? And why is there a hyphen in M-A but not MP?

Or for that matter an M2 or M4?....

 

[mnutzer]

Green M2 without any silver blinking controls but with matching frame lines 28, 50 and 90mm for the Safari M-lenses.

 

[oldwino]

M7 with updated shutter to 1/4000 (or more), updated meter, rechargeable battery like on the digital M, option of illuminated frame lines.

 

[Pál_K]

A mix:

- the size and shape of the M5, plus the shutter dial overhang
- M7’s aperture priority, plus full manual
- a meter reading which, in an analog manner with LEDs, indicates how far away the exposure is, e.g. ..:..|..:..
- perhaps a shutter speed readout

 

[xayraa33]

An M3, love that big view if you use the 50mm lens the most.

 

[ptpdprinter]

A mix:

- the size and shape of the M5, plus the shutter dial overhang
- M7’s aperture priority, plus full manual
- a meter reading which, in an analog manner with LEDs, indicates how far away the exposure is, e.g. ..:..|..:..
- perhaps a shutter speed readout

Nobody’s mentioned a slot in the back for brewing coffee.

 

[Bingley]

I’ve never used an M6, so when the rumors started flying that Leica’s new M mount film camera might be based on the M6, I became interested. If the price is not too outrageous, I might be willing to sell some other gear I’m not using much to buy one. I kind of assume there would be upgrades/updates to the meter on a M6 2.0. The original framelines would be fine w/ me, since I’m shooting 40mm lenses much more these days.

 

[FrozenInTime]

I wonder what happened to the tooling for the Konica Hexar RF.

Adding 40mm fame marks to whatever emerges could push, nice but don't really need, into must have.

 

[flavio81]

Off topic, but I think what would be awesome would be introduction of a new LEICA R camera. Something smaller and electronic like the R5/R7. 1/4000 (or 1/8000) top speed, world class bright viewfinder with 97-100% frame coverage, multiple metering modes, exposure modes, etc. Would come with new versions of some R lenses, obviously compatible with legacy R lenses, but could also take advantage of possibly new aftermarket lenses to be developed by Voigtlander, Sigma, etc. that would have the proper electronic contacts.

While we often focus here on Leica M stuff, what is really out of control these days are the prices for Leica R lenses. The bodies can be cheapish (with a good number of these older bodies having developed electronic problems over the years), but the better lenses in the 19mm-50mm range are currently OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. This is mostly due to the cinematography crowd buying them at the currently-inflated prices and then butchering them for the "video format du jour." I think more people would be attracted to SLRs anyway because they are easier to use and more capable than rangefinders and generally require fewer precision parts that can fall out of alignment.

Agree!! The lenses are getting insanely expensive, which confirms my belief that Leitz put their best efforts ever on the R system, only to be (sadly) a market failure.

 

[owlie]

I vote for the DS M3!

 

[Out to Lunch]

What classic M film camera would you most want a new M camera based upon?

The M6 TTL Millennium Black Paint edition. Cheers, OtL

 

[Godfrey]

Off topic, but I think what would be awesome would be introduction of a new LEICA R camera. Something smaller and electronic like the R5/R7. 1/4000 (or 1/8000) top speed, world class bright viewfinder with 97-100% frame coverage, multiple metering modes, exposure modes, etc. Would come with new versions of some R lenses, obviously compatible with legacy R lenses, but could also take advantage of possibly new aftermarket lenses to be developed by Voigtlander, Sigma, etc. that would have the proper electronic contacts.

While we often focus here on Leica M stuff, what is really out of control these days are the prices for Leica R lenses. The bodies can be cheapish (with a good number of these older bodies having developed electronic problems over the years), but the better lenses in the 19mm-50mm range are currently OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive. This is mostly due to the cinematography crowd buying them at the currently-inflated prices and then butchering them for the "video format du jour." I think more people would be attracted to SLRs anyway because they are easier to use and more capable than rangefinders and generally require fewer precision parts that can fall out of alignment.

This is a little bit funny to read because for years and years the resistance to SLRs was that they were much more complex than rangefinder cameras, more prone to breakage, harder to use (because you had to learn how to evaluate sharpness on a ground glass rather than just match the images in the RF), and were more expensive to build and buy because of all the additional precision parts that were required... !!!

I can imagine very, very little market for Leica film SLRs in today's context. They had a lot of trouble selling them even when they were current... and even the DSLR market is shrinking fast in deference to EVF based cameras. Never mind that reviving all those R lenses' production would be a fantastically expensive development project, even without revising/upgrading them.

G

 

[AveryWagg]

I have a black chrome M4 and I use it all the time (an old Midland, Canada one). I like it enough, that I'd buy a new one if it was available..

 

[das]

This is a little bit funny to read because for years and years the resistance to SLRs was that they were much more complex than rangefinder cameras, more prone to breakage, harder to use (because you had to learn how to evaluate sharpness on a ground glass rather than just match the images in the RF), and were more expensive to build and buy because of all the additional precision parts that were required... !!!

I can imagine very, very little market for Leica film SLRs in today's context. They had a lot of trouble selling them even when they were current... and even the DSLR market is shrinking fast in deference to EVF based cameras. Never mind that reviving all those R lenses' production would be a fantastically expensive development project, even without revising/upgrading them.

G

Agree with this assessment. Leica R stuff was so ridiculously expensive when new and did not suit most pros of the F5 era. The rich person's film luxury camera market was probably better satisfied in the 90s with the advanced p&s like the Minilux and the Contax Ts. But still, cameras like the FM3a and S2/Aria remain the best small, advanced, manual focus SLRs made - and are still expensive today. Leica Rs would fit in this category but you can't get lenses anymore. At least Nikon AiS lenses are cheap and even the better Contax lenses aren't super far out of reach like Leica Rs. You're right, though, about no demand for such products. At least rangefinders are / can be a marketable status symbol that SLRs cannot compete with.

 

[Capt. E]

Several mentions of the Minolta CLE....I used to own the whole kit: Camera, 28, 40, 90 with caps, shades, flash unit...the whole kit...in the beautiful leather shoulder case. Still think about it from time to time. Sold it.

 

[David Murphy]

The M2 or M3, but I think it already exists. It's called the Leica M-A.

Otherwise a reissue or new version of one the recently made CV M mount models with a TTL meter and fully mechanical shutter - (and sensibly priced).

 

[Pál_K]

Nobody’s mentioned a slot in the back for brewing coffee.

Yeah… I totally misinterpreted the original posting and created a wishlist.

OK. Not so much what is ideal for me personally, but what I think would have the greatest appeal and be most useful, I will agree with Out to Lunch that an M6 TTL Millenium Black Paint re-issue seems like a good deal.