M4 probably the smoothest I ever owned.
The myth of smoothness of leicas
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God I miss it. Why did I sell it??
We are really splitting hairs here but the M6 feels less like a precision instruments, its just nuances. The M4 looks and feels like something a 1960 surgeon would have sterilized with some Ciba-Geigy made lotion.
We are really splitting hairs here but the M6 feels less like a precision instruments, its just nuances. The M4 looks and feels like something a 1960 surgeon would have sterilized with some Ciba-Geigy made lotion.
I have sold so many great things that I miss. I still have so much photo stuff It's ridiculous 
Mine certainy has been since a visit to Don Goldberg! Beautiful machines......& my lllg is slinky smooth as well....don't know if/who worked on it.....
I have sold so many great things that I miss. I still have so much photo stuff It's ridiculous
I successfully whittled down my photo equipment this year and the only thing I sold that I may one day regret is the M3. I'm finding that I like having a little less choice in the drawer before heading out, but we'll see how long that lasts.
I successfully whittled down my photo equipment this year and the only thing I sold that I may one day regret is the M3. I'm finding that I like having a little less choice in the drawer before heading out, but we'll see how long that lasts.
I have two, so there's no shortage
I have two, so there's no shortage
I no longer own any Leica products. The world is still bright and colorful!
(But maybe an M6 one day, just for fun.)
I have two, so there's no shortage
I already have an M2, 4, and 5, so the only one missing in the sequence is the 3. Christmas will soon be upon us ... hint, hint
I own an M2, M4 and an M-A. The M2 and M4 have been CLA'd in the recent past and feel smooth, but my M-A from 2017 still edges them out in the smoothness department.
And you can sand it to make it even smoother...
I already have an M2, 4, and 5, so the only one missing in the sequence is the 3. Christmas will soon be upon us ... hint, hint
The M3/M2 is the original, like Star Wars (kinda) I'm avoiding the M5 and M7, (I tried to buy an M7 but all the lights were blinken so I sent it back.) Pretty hard to beat any well maintained Leica. I have a 1932 Leica (II?) first year for rangefinder, no strap lugs, 500th to 20th speeds. I picked it up cheap cheap, I think it had a real CLA in the 60's. It works great.
The current Leica offerings are outstanding. Prices may be justified but puts them into luxury category.
The rare 120mm Combat Leicas
I like all mine, albeit for different reasons. The M2 - as you say - the classic and acts like it. The M4 is a wonderful refinement on the originals. The M5 is a masterpiece of engineering innovation. The IIIf is petite and elegant in its simplicity. All have fairly recent CLAs and work flawlessly.
The screw mount cameras are really lovely to use. Viewfinder isn't great but good enough for 50mm.
Show off
I had my IIIf out today with a 35mm f/2.5 Color-Skopar plugged into it and a cheapo plastic 35mm finder on it. The negs look fine.
It
How was this in earlier days. were cameras cheaper in relation to, say average salaries or household incomes?
How was this in earlier days. were cameras cheaper in relation to, say average salaries or household incomes?
I think no way! Maybe the it was worse.
IIIg? I'm looking at my copy, but it's lacking the beautiful Leicavit, that's outstanding!!! I'm a sucker for the Leica finders. The first one I bought was a 5cm. People told me that the camera has a 5cm finder, not like these!!! Well Done!!!
The prices in the last couple years have exploded, insane. I still have plenty of cameras, but what I've sold kinda makes sick. 
From here. Those prices include the lens. In the US, the average yearly salary was around 10x the cost of that IIIg.
The average salary in the US is currently around $65000. So, still around 10x the price of a new Leica - but without a lens.
With the assistance to my friendly neighborhood AI. I had to correct it because it got current pricing wrong but ...:
| Model | Year | Camera Price | Avg Income | % of Income |
| Leica M3 | 1960 | $288-$468 | $5,600 | 5.1%–8.4% |
| Leica M6 | 2025 | $6,000 | $80,000 | 7.5% |
So prices are approximately constant comparing 1960 to today.
It's interesting to do this for other consumer goods. Cars have not gone up all that much, but - as a percentage of income - houses have tripled. What this does not take into account, however, are the much larger set of convenience and safety features modern homes and cars have built into them. For example, modern homes have central air, enclosed garages, multiple bathrooms, are generally much larger than they were back in the day. A more realistic comparison would be between a condominium today and a home in 1960 which would probably show them to be about on par:
| Year | Item | Price | Avg Income | % of Income |
| 1960 | House | $11,900 | $5,600 | 210% |
| 1960 | Car | ~$2,600 | $5,600 | 46% |
| 2025 | House | $420,000 | $80,000 | 530% |
| 2025 | Car | $48,000 | $80,000 | 60% |
So while a good camera (Leica or other) is still more than a staple, it is as much as a luxury good in 1960s as it is today. Kudos to you, Dr Kaufmann.
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