Yay first M!

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Bassism

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Hey all,
I told myself I wasn't allowed to buy any more gear this year, but I have no willpower and I covet nice things. I also don't much like shooting the Fed 3 I picked up, because of the tiny viewfinder and the lack of frame lines which mean it's almost impossible for me to see what I'm doing as a glasses-wearer.

So when I saw an M2 in seemingly nice shape going for what seemed to me a dirt-cheap price on ebay, I twitched and before I knew it, I owned an M2.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170294190711

I ended up winning it at 455 USD. From the description and photos, I'm confident that there's nothing seriously wrong with the camera, and the seller offers a warrantee just in case. I'm comfortable with pulling it apart to clean and lube it, as I've done this to all of my cameras.

I do have two questions though, as I figure out how much of my stuff I'm going to need to pawn off to be able to afford this.

Firstly, I'm curious what the average cost of a CLA is. If they aren't too expensive, I wouldn't mind knowing that I'd have a rock-solid camera for years ahead of me.

Secondly, I picked up an ltm adapter and I intend to use my I-61 with it for the time being. I like the lens well enough, but I often find myself in need of a faster lens, which I use a Himatic for. Ideally, I'd like to get rid of the Fed and the Himatic, and replace them with a nice 50 in the f/1.8ish range. I'm prett confident that there's a CV 50/1.5 or 40/1.4 in my future, but that's out of my price range for the moment.

My question is what the Canon or Nikon 50s tend to go for on the used market. Or is there some other option for a decently fast 50?

Thanks,
I'll be sure to come back and share my glee and some camera porn once I actually get it into my hands.
 
I believe the going rate for a CLA is between $100-300, depending on who you go to, and how much work is needed.

I think you can get really nice Canon 50/1.8 lenses in LTM for around $150 or less. From what I see, the Nikon equivalents are more expensive.

You could look for a collapsible 50mm Summicron. They are typically inexpensive, but you do have to be careful to find one without too many marks on the glass. You could also try looking for a 50mm Summitar, these aren't too far from a collapsible Summicron in terms of performance, and they generally run cheaper.

The CV 40/1.4 and 50/1.5 are both excellent value-for-money.
 
Doesn't look too bad Bassism.

You'd be looking about $150 Cdn or so for a cla. Mine have been in that range. Not sure if there's anyone in Ottawa to do this or if you need to send to Toronto which gives you more options.

One question, is the right strap lug loose or is it snug ? It's at a funny angle but a cla will take care of that.

As for lenses, there's a camera show in Thornhill this Sunday. Hop the Via and make a weekend of it. Should be able to find ltm lenses there.

have fun with the camera.
 
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Thanks for all the responses. It's interesting to see the range of prices of a CLA.

I noticed that strap lug myself. I hadn't thought of the possibility of it being loose. In the end though, that's not something I'm too concerned about. I'd love to make it out to Thornhill, but my wallet would probably bite me if I tried to take any more money out of it at the moment 😛

And I'm glad that I'm not the only person who found amusement in those disclaimers!
 
see, ya hit Steves on Saturday, maybe the Horseshoe or Opera House later. sleep a few hours, go to the camera show, spend some money then play with your gear on the train ride home thinking of excuses for the gf/wife etc..😉
 
Congrats on the M2. It looks like you got a pretty good deal, and if the camera is in good working order you got a very good deal. You've already received some good advice on the CLA. When I finally get 'round to sending my M2 off for one, it'll probably be to Youxin.

The Canon lens route is a GREAT way to go for a 50 that won't break the bank, and you may decide after using one for awhile that you don't need a CV 50/1.5 after all. The Canon 50/1.8 is a terrific lens if you find one in good condition, and they can be had for under $200 these days. It balances beautifully and looks good on the M2. I love mine -- great all purpose lens, good for b&w and color, very sharp, lovely smooth bokeh. The Canon 50/1.4 is also widely available, is superb, has been compared favorably to the CV 50/1.5 in terms of its rendition, but is much more compact. Prices have dropped to between $250 and 300 for a sample in nice condition.

Welcome to the M2 club!!
 
Another vote for the Canon 50/1.8 - I had little enthusiasm for it until I got one attached to a Canon P I picked up cheap. I have it on my Leica M2 most times and like it as much as the much more costly 50/1.4. I never did find a reasonablly priced Canon 50/1.5 which I really wanted, so I went cheap for a Jupiter 3 50/1.5 Sonnar copy, similar to the Canon cousin.

The CV lenses are all more modern looking in their results, and I like them, but they also "feel" different both on cameras and in the resulting image. Either you like modern or not.

I have an Industar 61 l/d that has been used to great purpose, and an even sharper Industar 26m tessar design that I kick myself now for selling.

For a "fast" 50, I'd pick the Canon 1.8 first. It's probably fast enough for most purposes. If not, the Canon 1.4 is marginally faster. Either lens will make you very happy. But keep that Industar!
 
Good for you! I was watching that auction, too, and I too was amused by all the disclaimers, though it wouldn't have put me off. Often enough, folks who make that many disclaimers are doing so out of honesty and a desire to not have surprises for anyone later; you can usually tell by how they word things whether they are trying to be up front or evasive. Anyway; I will also suggest that you send your new camera to Youxin Ye for a CLA. He does excellent work, is much more affordable and lots faster than DAG or Sherry K. (both of whom also do excellent work, of course!). Anyway, I wish you luck selling the unwanted gear and getting a lens quickly. You should be able to find an excellent optic for not too much money. M-mount cameras and LTM lenses are a great option- I use them all the time. Enjoy!
 
Erik L said:
i was thinking of sending mine to essex, i hear they have quick turnaround, thats important to me
Click to expand...

I don't know how fast Essex is, but quick turn-around is another reason to give Youxin Ye a try- he's FAST. Both times I sent him cameras, I had them back in my hands within 12 days of when I sent them off to him- and that was using Priority Mail 2-3 day shipping each way, and regular service without my asking him to hurry on the work. If you call and talk to him, he'll try to be even quicker. No too long ago, someone here posted something about him doing a CLA and getting the camera back in the mail within 24 hours of receiving it.
 
I would think there'd be less hassle having the cla done in Canada..border, customs etc..we've got a couple of guys who know their way around Ms 😉 I had a lesson in how the two curtains travel and the drums and brakes, well I don't want to bore you<bg>
 
Wow, owning an M2 at age 20-that is special. Enjoy it!

Nikon lenses are not an option for you as the lenses mounts are not compatible. The Canon 50mm f1.8 is a wise choice for performance vs. price, and they are somewhat readily available. But THE lens to have on an M2, IMHO, is a 35mm. The Cosina Voigtlander 35f2.5 Skopar (as just sold by Kevin M on RFF classifieds) is excellent and more affordable then a Leica 35 Summicron. But, and again IMHO, do not try a Leica 35 Summicron because you will be spoiled for life. Enjoy the M2 as it is a classic and fine tool.

Finally, I must say I would only have DAG work on my cameras and lenses, but that's just me.
 
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Wow, all kinds of good advice has cropped up in this thread.

Firstly, I'm quite excited and honoured to have an M2 at 20. I've wanted one since I first took a "fine art" photo, and I still can't get over how nice it is to think about "my M2!"

Whenever I do send it out to get a CLA, it will most likely stay in Canada. The cost of shipping across the Canada/US border is incredibly prohibitive. Any money saved by going with, say, Youxin would be swallowed by the shipping costs and the extra two weeks in the mail.

I didn't know that there was such a thing as a Jupiter 3. I'll have to look into that. I'm really quite impressed with my I61, so I wouldn't scoff at picking up another Russian lens.

I also wasn't planning on getting a 35 right away. I use my 50 a lot more than my 28 in the SLR world. But the 35mm frame is one of the reasons I went for the M2 in the first place....

Most likely what I'll do is just watch the bay and classifieds, now that I know the sorts of things to look for (and that Nikon uses a different mount...) and leap if I find a good deal on something. I'm really not too worried about it at the moment. I've already got a fine 50, so picking up another one is just gravy.

More than any fancy repair service or expensive lenses, I just want to get the thing into my hands and get out to do some shooting...
 
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