The Leica M5 never ceases to amaze me

[Eric Rose]

I am doing a B&W film docu type thing centred around the Covid-19 pandemic. I decided to go old school and use my two Leica's, an M4 and M5. The film of choice is Kodak TX400 developed in good old D76. No my favourite developer but I'm trying to stay old school on this one.

My M4 has decided it doesn't want to shoot at 1/1000 anymore so have switched to the M5 as my main camera. I actually prefer the M5 as it's a real "shooters" camera.

I am bulk loading my film and it seems I didn't use enough tape to attach the film to the take up spool. Once I got towards the end of the roll all of a sudden I noticed it was way easier to advance the film. Never a good sign! I attempted to rewind and that verified my fears that the film had become detached and was all sitting on the crank side of the camera.

On Nikons and such getting the film out is an easy task. Not so with a Leica due to its design. Everything was so tight in there I could not even get some needle nose pliers in there to grab on to the film. Naturally this is all being done in total darkness in my darkroom. Or as I call it now the "self isolation chamber".

After messing around for a bit I noticed this little bit of plastic that had dropped down from within the take up spool. I grabbed it and it came out a bit further. I turned it and nothing special happened. Then I got the idea why not pull on it. Out popped the take up spool with all the film wound around it!

Got the film in the tank and then turned on the lights. This little plastic thing was designed to solve just this type of issue. I quickly checked my M4 and it didn't have one. Bummer.

I'm not sure if M's after my M5 have this feature or not but I sure was surprised and amazed they had thought of it.

I love my M5!

Eric

 

[NB23]

You didn’t know about this? I always take out that spool just like the M2 and M3...

 

[Eric Rose]

Yes indeed I knew that about the M3 as I had one. I found it very hard to load the film onto the take up spools so I gave away the camera. Since the M4 didn't seem to have that option I figured maybe they had dropped the idea and then brought it back with the M5. I haven't used a new model of M so I have no idea if this feature is still available in the M6 and up.

I clearly stated that I did not know if this feature made it past the M5, no mention was made or reference to older models except the M4.

 

[BradS]

Are you saying that the “tulip” comes out? ...and apparently does so by design? I’m having difficulty visualizing this...could one of you post a photo ?

 

[NB23]

The take up spool comes out. It’s not a M5 exclusive clever design. It dates back all the way to the barnacks, about 100 year old.

 

[BradS]

Yes, I understand plain English. I cannot see how it comes out.
One must have to have very long, very thin fingers.

 

[Pieter12]

From the M5 manual.

 

[BradS]

I see the knurled knob in the center of the tulip. It is way down in there on my M5 (see photo in post #6). No way could I grasp it with fingers...does it pop out somehow?

 

[NB23]

I see the knurled knob in the center of the tulip. It is way down in there on my M5 (see photo in post #6). No way could I grasp it with fingers...does it pop out somehow?

turn the camera upside down

 

[BradS]

turn the camera upside down

Holy shit!
There it is....cool.
I learned something today. Thank you

 

[millardmt]

I am doing a B&W film docu type thing centred around the Covid-19 pandemic. I decided to go old school and use my two Leica's, an M4 and M5. The film of choice is Kodak TX400 developed in good old D76. No my favourite developer but I'm trying to stay old school on this one.

My M4 has decided it doesn't want to shoot at 1/1000 anymore so have switched to the M5 as my main camera. I actually prefer the M5 as it's a real "shooters" camera.

I am bulk loading my film and it seems I didn't use enough tape to attach the film to the take up spool. Once I got towards the end of the roll all of a sudden I noticed it was way easier to advance the film. Never a good sign! I attempted to rewind and that verified my fears that the film had become detached and was all sitting on the crank side of the camera.

On Nikons and such getting the film out is an easy task. Not so with a Leica due to its design. Everything was so tight in there I could not even get some needle nose pliers in there to grab on to the film. Naturally this is all being done in total darkness in my darkroom. Or as I call it now the "self isolation chamber".

After messing around for a bit I noticed this little bit of plastic that had dropped down from within the take up spool. I grabbed it and it came out a bit further. I turned it and nothing special happened. Then I got the idea why not pull on it. Out popped the take up spool with all the film wound around it!

Got the film in the tank and then turned on the lights. This little plastic thing was designed to solve just this type of issue. I quickly checked my M4 and it didn't have one. Bummer.

I'm not sure if M's after my M5 have this feature or not but I sure was surprised and amazed they had thought of it.

I love my M5!

Eric

Thank you for posting this.
Marc

 

[guangong]

My wife bought an M5 when they were first introduced. The only camera she enjoyed using. I finally bought one a few years ago. The M5 was the last Leica built according to Leitz standards. Finder is as bright as those of M3 and M4. It really is a great shooters camera.

 

[Huss]

My wife bought an M5 when they were first introduced. The only camera she enjoyed using. I finally bought one a few years ago. The M5 was the last Leica built according to Leitz standards. Finder is as bright as those of M3 and M4. It really is a great shooters camera.

It really is. The meter read out in the VF is superb - better than any other Leica M made - film or digital.

 

[dourbalistar]

It really is. The meter read out in the VF is superb - better than any other Leica M made - film or digital.

Also the overhanging shutter speed dial!

Coming from digital, the M5 was the first 35mm film camera that I purchased with my own money. I have no regrets, and it's still the only M camera that I have.