Leica made in Germany vs. in Canada - value

[MattKing]

I bet that means you don't want to hear about my sure-bet-can't-loose picks, doesn't it

Yep.

 

[mshchem]

I have a 90mm Summicron, made in Canada, chrome, built-in lens hood, even has a small 1/4 " tripod mounting socket. Early 60's, I've tried it on a digital M and it's a great lens.

 

[Radost]

Maybe Isolated but personal experience. I got 2 M4-2 that I had to return:
1 for single inconsistent speeds changing speed with each fire. Might be a broken gear.
2 with brocken flash socket.
Its a shame because I really like the look and the simplicity of M4-2

 

[Dan Fromm]

Maybe Isolated but personal experience. I got 2 M4-2 that I had to return:
1 for single inconsistent speeds changing speed with each fire. Might be a broken gear.
2 with brocken flash socket.
Its a shame because I really like the look and the simplicity of M4-2

Was it new or used?

 

[Radost]

Used. Naturally.

 

[Besk]

I was interested to find that my IIIf rd was made in Canada (based on serial number.) So they had been building cameras for years. before the M4-2.

 

[beemermark]

Stock market these days is 99% speculation. It has nothing to do with state of economies or any industries as once known. Just keep moving money and never look back.

As long as the US Government keeps the printing presses going full tilt the money has to end up somewhere

If memory serves, all M bodies after the M2 used plastics and lighter mechanical parts. This no doubt gave the M2 and M3 more heft.

I have both an M2 and an M5 and they seem similarly beefy to me, noting that the M5 is a larger camera.

Perhaps someone who knows the history here better could explain/correct.

All models after the M4 & M5 went the cheap route. Biggest different was the cheapening of the RF lenses and accompanying flare. Starting with the MP and M7 Leica went back to the previous RF construction.

 

[Hassasin]

As long as the US Government keeps the printing presses going full tilt the money has to end up somewhere

Which in turn has nothing to do with what I was alluding to. But stock market is off topic here, in fact so far off, it deserves no further mention in this thread.

 

[Radost]

As long as the US Government keeps the printing presses going full tilt the money has to end up somewhere

All models after the M4 & M5 went the cheap route. Biggest different was the cheapening of the RF lenses and accompanying flare. Starting with the MP and M7 Leica went back to the previous RF construction.

Still not M3 magnification.
I think it was a mistake to stop .91.
Once you experience it with a 50mm your whole world changes/

 

[Hassasin]

Still not M3 magnification.
I think it was a mistake to stop .91.
Once you experience it with a 50mm your whole world changes/

So is this true that M3 is THE one to get at least as far finder experience goes?

 

[beemermark]

So is this true that M3 is THE one to get at least as far finder experience goes?

Yes, if you never use any lens wider than 50mm. My favorite camera (that I stupidly sold) was an M7 with 0.58x finder. Had 2 or 3 M3's over the years and never understood that love affair, but to each his own.

 

[chuckroast]

Yes, if you never use any lens wider than 50mm. My favorite camera (that I stupidly sold) was an M7 with 0.58x finder. Had 2 or 3 M3's over the years and never understood that love affair, but to each his own.

Yeah, that's why I bought an M2. It's every bit the camera an M3 is but works out of the box with my preferred 35mm Summicron-M ASPH.

 

[MattKing]

Which in turn has nothing to do with what I was alluding to. But stock market is off topic here, in fact so far off, it deserves no further mention in this thread.

Correct - or us moderators will have to take out our moderators' scythes! ....

 

[Saganich]

*******

All models after the M4 & M5 went the cheap route. Biggest different was the cheapening of the RF lenses and accompanying flare. Starting with the MP and M7 Leica went back to the previous RF construction.

Yea, I sold my m6ttl because of flaring, drove me bonkers, bought an MP first year out and no flaring.
{moderator's scythe applied - going forward at least}

 

[beemermark]

Yea, I sold my m6ttl because of flaring, drove me bonkers, bought an MP first year out and no flaring.

What I can't understand is why people pay a premium (or maybe the same amount) for the M4-2 / M4-P over the M4 and double the price for an M6/M6ttl. I beginning to think that maybe the M6 the first Leica for many new Leica buyers and they never used an earlier (or later) M RF. Sort of like the Emperor has no clothes. When the M7 was first introduced it had the same cheap RF (the MP introduced around the same time didn't). All the reviewers trashed the M7 for the RF. Leica quickly reversed course and installed the MP RF in the M7 and you could send your M7 in to get the RF replaced free of charge.

 

[Radost]

m3 for 50mm two eyes open. It’s magical. Also 90mm
CLE for 28mm and 40mm.
I am set.

 

[Don_ih]

why people pay a premium (or maybe the same amount) for the M4-2

Because it's black?

 

[Radost]

Because it's black?

To be honest the black chrome finish of m4-2 is very pleasing.

 

[chuckroast]

To be honest the black chrome finish of m4-2 is very pleasing.

I find all the Leica aesthetic pleasing. Both my chrome M2 and black M5 look pretty snazzy... Oh and they take pictures

 

[Radost]

I find all the Leica aesthetic pleasing. Both my chrome M2 and black M5 look pretty snazzy... Oh and they take pictures

IMHO Chrome is seen from across a square. Black blends more.

 

[Radost]

Also m4 and 4-2 do not have the damned red dot.

 

[250swb]

Also m4 and 4-2 do not have the damned red dot.

Some M4-2 do have a red dot, but that's bye-the-bye. More interesting is people finding themselves strapped for cash to buy a 25 cent roll of black (or silver) tape to cover up the red dot, and this apparently informs their entire camera buying strategy.

 

[Radost]

I dream of a MA with .91 viewfinder,

 

[davela]

The 35mm F1.4 Summilux with eyes, made in Canada, is selling at bank breaking prices lately on the used market these days (like $10K or thereabouts). I don't know if that's because it's Canadian and rare, or due to something else, such as rarity combined with its indubitable superb quality. I've never seen a German-made version of this lens.

 

[250swb]

What I can't understand is why people pay a premium (or maybe the same amount) for the M4-2 / M4-P over the M4 and double the price for an M6/M6ttl.

Perhaps you are confusing the issue. The M4-P (and especially the last ones built) is basically the M6 without a light meter and has the same six framelines, the M4 and M4-2 only have four framelines. It has very little to do with the M4-2 because even though the M4-2 introduced the accessory winder to the M line the M4-P was tough enough internally to take a motordrive. So which camera you'd prefer to buy isn't simply based on price, it's how many framelines do you need. If you don't use a 28mm lens any of them are 'ok', and the 'cluttered finder' is soon filtered out in the brain so you only tend to notice the frameline you are using. If it's a flare free finder you need it has to be acknowledged that an M4-P finder can flare, occasionally, and the way photographers dealt with it back then was to shift their eye a fraction and it went away, so really it's a none issue if you can move your eye a bit.