Leica M5 - the only flaws to the greatest film kamera ever..

[Ko.Fe.]

Archaic flash connectivity ?
Are hot shoe and PC socket archaic?

or does the M4 have that goofy socket like the M3 that came before the PC standard socket ?

No hotshoe. The rest is goofy anyway.

 

[blockend]

To me LTM Leicas are more on the best of all time.

I don't own a Barnack but I did own an M5, and agree with your sentiments. LTM Leicas are what miniature cameras should be, especially with a folding lens. One day I will own a IIIf or IIIg, until that time a Bessa L will suffice.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I don't own a Barnack but I did own an M5, and agree with your sentiments. LTM Leicas are what miniature cameras should be, especially with a folding lens. One day I will own a IIIf or IIIg, until that time a Bessa L will suffice.

I purchased and sold L twice . It is one of the best Cosina in this line. Just as good as Nikon it was based on. After it they were trying to copy Leica and it turned not so good and smart as L was. IMO.

 

[Huss]

I purchased and sold L twice . It is one of the best Cosina in this line. Just as good as Nikon it was based on. After it they were trying to copy Leica and it turned not so good and smart as L was. IMO.

I've purchased 2 Bessa Ls. This was a couple of years ago when a New York City seller acquired a batch of brand new/old stock cameras. He sold them for $80 or $90 new if I recall. Anyway, the first one failed after the film advance gears slipped and stripped after just one roll of film. Everything looked like it was working ok with no film in it. Load film and after a couple of shots it would no longer advance the film, the mechanism just slipped.
My replacement (the last one he had) has been fine, but after seeing how fragile the Bessa L's film transport mechanism is, I have been very careful winding on.
My Bessa R3A was much more robust and built to a higher standard. (Didn't like it though!)

 

[Guth]

Fun thread. I've long thought the M5 to be an incredibly cool camera. As a person with smaller hands, I'm not sure how well I'd get along with one, but I honestly imagine that it would work out just fine.

Huss, I miss seeing your posts & images both elsewhere on the Web where I first came to know of you. I'm glad to have checked back in on this forum after a long time away. I hope that the repaired M5 serves your well for a very long time to come and also hope that you'll post up some of your results with the camera.

 

[Huss]

Fun thread. I've long thought the M5 to be an incredibly cool camera. As a person with smaller hands, I'm not sure how well I'd get along with one, but I honestly imagine that it would work out just fine.

Huss, I miss seeing your posts & images both elsewhere on the Web where I first came to know of you. I'm glad to have checked back in on this forum after a long time away. I hope that the repaired M5 serves your well for a very long time to come and also hope that you'll post up some of your results with the camera.

Hey! I'm posting a lot on Fredmiranda.com - mainly here:
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/board/55
in their film and Leica M/X etc image threads, as well as on this site of course!

 

[David Reynolds]

In 1974 when I bought my M5 I immediately removed the battery and used a hand held Gossen Luna Pro for metering. Best decision I ever made. In 2020 I bought the recommended battery for the M5 (Because of the environmental changes in batteries I am not sure if I bought the right one or whether it is even available) and installed it in the camera. The meter did not respond so I removed the battery. My read is Leitz should forget about metering its cameras.
Please note I posted this remark on a M6 post also as it related to the subject matter

 

[Huss]

In 1974 when I bought my M5 I immediately removed the battery and used a hand held Gossen Luna Pro for metering. Best decision I ever made. In 2020 I bought the recommended battery for the M5 (Because of the environmental changes in batteries I am not sure if I bought the right one or whether it is even available) and installed it in the camera. The meter did not respond so I removed the battery. My read is Leitz should forget about metering its cameras.
Please note I posted this remark on a M6 post also as it related to the subject matter

Why did you buy the M5? It seems removing the battery, not using the fantastic spot meter, not being able to utilize the best exposure information in the VF that Leica has ever implemented in an M body, well, it's kinda a waste...

 

[David Reynolds]

Why did you buy the M5? It seems removing the battery, not using the fantastic spot meter, not being able to utilize the best exposure information in the VF that Leica has ever implemented in an M body, well, it's kinda a waste...

I could not get a good exposure exposure with the built in meter after shooting a few rolls of film. With the hand held I could move around and get an incident reading which seemed to be more accurate. Also previously I had been shooting with a M3 and M4(which I still have) and had a lot of experience with a hand held metering.

PS Even with my problems with exposure I still think the M5 is a great camera. In fact since buying it I have used it more than the M3 and M4 that I have

 

[Huss]

I could not get a good exposure exposure with the built in meter after shooting a few rolls of film. With the hand held I could move around and get an incident reading which seemed to be more accurate. Also previously I had been shooting with a M3 and M4(which I still have) and had a lot of experience with a hand held metering.

PS Even with my problems with exposure I still think the M5 is a great camera. In fact since buying it I have used it more than the M3 and M4 that I have

Valid points. I'm wondering however if there was something wrong w your meter, given that later it did not work at all.
In regular usage I operate my M5 like my M3/4. I only refer to the meter in tricky lighting conditions eg dusk/dawn to give me a baseline. DAG converted mine to run on currently available batteries.

 

[David Reynolds]

Valid points. I'm wondering however if there was something wrong w your meter, given that later it did not work at all.
In regular usage I operate my M5 like my M3/4. I only refer to the meter in tricky lighting conditions eg dusk/dawn to give me a baseline. DAG converted mine to run on currently available batteries.

I have considered sending the camera to Sherry Krauter as she is one of the only Leica repairs that will work on M5's.(As well she is about 40 miles from my home) I have not sent it to her as I have read that a majority to the M5's sent to her for meter repairs have not been successful. I have read that DAG will also work on this model also. It may be a good choice to send it to DAG as I could have him look at the meter and let me know whether the meter is working and/or needs repair and convert the battery use at the same time. I assume DAG is the better choice.

 

[Hatchetman]

I have considered sending the camera to Sherry Krauter as she is one of the only Leica repairs that will work on M5's.(As well she is about 40 miles from my home) I have not sent it to her as I have read that a majority to the M5's sent to her for meter repairs have not been successful. I have read that DAG will also work on this model also. It may be a good choice to send it to DAG as I could have him look at the meter and let me know whether the meter is working and/or needs repair and convert the battery use at the same time. I assume DAG is the better choice.

I've used both and DAG is my choice moving forward.

 

[Huss]

I have considered sending the camera to Sherry Krauter as she is one of the only Leica repairs that will work on M5's.(As well she is about 40 miles from my home) I have not sent it to her as I have read that a majority to the M5's sent to her for meter repairs have not been successful. I have read that DAG will also work on this model also. It may be a good choice to send it to DAG as I could have him look at the meter and let me know whether the meter is working and/or needs repair and convert the battery use at the same time. I assume DAG is the better choice.

I've used both, and recommend DAG.

 

[Huss]

FYI I also had DAG mask off the 75mm frame lines so the 50mm lines show by themselves. I never use a 75 lens (don't see the point of them when I use a 90) and the view is so much cleaner w/o them.
I've had him mask off the 75 lines on all my M cameras that showed them.

 

[Pieter12]

FYI I also had DAG mask off the 75mm frame lines so the 50mm lines show by themselves. I never use a 75 lens (don't see the point of them when I use a 90) and the view is so much cleaner w/o them.
I've had him mask off the 75 lines on all my M cameras that showed them.

Are you sure you mean 75mm? My M5 has frame lines for 35, 50, 90 & 135. And I use the viewfinder edges for the 28.

 

[Huss]

Are you sure you mean 75mm? My M5 has frame lines for 35, 50, 90 & 135. And I use the viewfinder edges for the 28.

Yes. Sherry replaced those frame lines with a 28mm set when she serviced it for me when the rf splitter delaminated. I guess she did not have a 35mm set. Anyway, it introduced the 75, and eliminated the 135.

 

[blockend]

My replacement (the last one he had) has been fine, but after seeing how fragile the Bessa L's film transport mechanism is, I have been very careful winding on.

The L has a known issue if the film is not fully advanced on the lever, it causes the shutter to lock up when it is pressed.

 

[Richard Jepsen]

I bought a nice looking M5 in 9/20. When mounting a lens there was binding. Is this just an adjustment or a serious repair? Also, what is the side light leak a few mentioned. What causes that?

Since my M5 had the original wax seal & the bottom plate key hung down I sent it to DAG for an overhaul 20 Sept 20. The camera is still with DAG.

 

[NB23]

M5. Best camera ever.

 

[Karl K]

I believe the M5 is the last completely bench-made camera by Leitz, Wetzlar.
The M5 was not assembled using modular methods, or by having parts made in other locations.
This was told to me by a Leica spokesperson during my visit to Wetzlar for a factory tour in 1984.
From Wiki: It was the first Leica rangefinder camera to feature through-the-lens metering and the last to be made entirely in Wetzlar by hand using the traditional "adjust and fit" method.

 

[Steve York]

I owned two M5's for awhile, about fifteen years ago. Probably my favorite metered Leica. Like analog meter readouts better than diodes. However I much prefer unmetered cameras now days. Don't really need a meter anymore; just slows me down.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The major flaw that Leica M5s have is that I do not own one [or two].

 

[Pieter12]

I owned two M5's for awhile, about fifteen years ago. Probably my favorite metered Leica. Like analog meter readouts better than diodes. However I much prefer unmetered cameras now days. Don't really need a meter anymore; just slows me down.

You could remove the battery and/or just ignore the meter. It still works as a wonderful camera.

 

[NB23]

You could remove the battery and/or just ignore the meter. It still works as a wonderful camera.

Don’t even need to ignore it. The M5’s viewfinder always shows the speed setting. It’s a wonderful tool.

 

[bill koechling]

And it’s kinda large compared to earlier M’s. Looks funny with a collapsible lens extended. Original ever ready case is enormous.
Very easy to use spotmeter and shutter adjustment.
Love the black finish on mine, and I love using it.

That slightly overhanging shutter speed dial is better than the one on the M4 I had for years. Enjoy!