Which Leica M?

[IloveTLRs]

Since I use 50mm almost exclusively, the M3. I've handled all the others (save for the MP) and never really felt comfortable with them. The world seems so small in their viewfinders, whereas the M3 makes everything look positively giant.

[jnanian]

M3 and you have to go to paris and nyc too.

[rpsawin]

This is what I'm looking for, anyway... a well-designed and engineered walk-about 35mm film camera.. quick to meter and focus, unobtrusive, with no bells and whistles.

I would like a in-camera meter, yes, as I don't want to approximate exposure (as another poster states).

Ok...metered M film bodies:

M5
M6 Classic
M6 TTL (important if you use flash a lot)
MP (2003 forward)
M7

I have an M6 & an MP. Both are wonderful cameras. Based on what you said above I would suggest an M6 Classic. They are well built, have excellent meters, are plentiful, reasonable (ok...you define reasonable) and are easy to find competent technicians to work on them when needed.

No doubt you will receive lots of opinions and recommendations on this. Just read up and do your homework. My final suggestion is that you go to a camera store with some used M's and just try the various models. It really is the best way to select the "right" M.

Good luck,

Bob

[Sirius Glass]

All your going to get is "use the one I have" type of answers to such a vague question.

Following that line of thought:

Nikon N75
Nikon F100
Hasselblad 503 CX
Hasselblad 903 SWC
4x5 Pacemaker Speed Graphic

Steve

[Obtong]

The M6-ttl has three LED indicators for exposure: < o >. Unlike the M6 Classic, you move the aperture and shutter dials in the direction of the pointers to get the correct exposure, which is when only the central "o" is illuminated. This is very convenient. (Yes, there's also the lightning bolt LED that comes on when using a flash.)

The M6 Classic has only two indicators (pointers) for exposure: < and >. You know you have the correct exposure when both red triangles are illuminated. The shutter speed knob rotates the oposite way to the M6-ttl, so you can't use the pointers as a guide as to which way to turn the shutter speed dial to get the correct exposure.

I chose the M6-ttl over the M6 Classic because of the more intuitive relationship between the viewfinder indicators and the aperture/shutter dials.

Incidentally, The M7 costs a lot more than either the M6 Classic or the M6-ttl, but you do get Aperture Priority Automatic Metering, which is nice. For me the downside to buying an M7 over an M6 was that the M7 relies on batteries to work. If the M7 batteries die on you, you only have 1/125 and 1/60 seconds shutter speeds. On an M6 (Classic or ttl), all the shutter speeds would still work as only the meter requires battery power. In fact, you don't even need a battery to shoot with the M6 series of camera.

Go for the M6-ttl, or the M6 Classic if you find one at a very good price. The money you save on not buying an M7 (or M8 or M9!) could go toward buying a Leica lens. The Summicron 50 and 35 are both very nice lenses to have.

~Dom

P.S. If you wear glasses, you should probably go for a 0.58 viewfinder.

[Eric Rose]

Following that line of thought:

Nikon N75
Nikon F100
Hasselblad 503 CX
Hasselblad 903 SWC
4x5 Pacemaker Speed Graphic

Steve

Good on ya Steve.

[Sirius Glass]

All your going to get is "use the one I have" type of answers to such a vague question.

Following that line of thought:

Nikon N75
Nikon F100
Hasselblad 503 CX
Hasselblad 903 SWC
4x5 Pacemaker Speed Graphic

Steve

Good on ya Steve.

I have your back Eric!

Steve

[mhcfires]

I prefer the M2. I use mostly 35 or 50, so it was the one for me. Needs no batteries, don't mind the rewind knob. The M6 and MP were way out of my budget. I'll save for a summilux 35.

[2F/2F]

Easy answer for me. There are only two Leica M cameras that I actually really, really like a whole lot: The M3 and the M2. I would probably pick an M2 if I had a choice between the two, just because I'd prefer its wider-angle viewfinder, and its set of frame lines. This viewfinder and frame line set fits my use of a small format rangefinder a bit better than the ones on the M3.

...and when I pick the M2, it will be one with no self timer and a button rewind: the simplest and cleanest of the M2s...and my lens set will be exactly what the camera is designed for: 35, 50, 90.

[Rol_Lei Nut]

If you like 35mm FL lenses, then the M3 is a bad choice...