Re: [Leica] Beginning Leica Q's

[Carl Socolow <csocolow@microserve.net>]

Derek Zeanah wrote:
> 
SNIP
> I do a lot of available-light people photography, sometimes in _extremely_
> low light (last Saturday I was shooting @ f2.8, 1/8s, with 3200 ASA film).
> My ten minute experience with Leica M's has convinced me that I really need
> to give this system a chance.  It seems like a wonderful tool for the kind
> of work I do.
> 
> Now, I just need to figure out how to do it affordably.
> 
> I'm almost convinced that an M3 or M4-P would make the most sense, but I've
> never had the opportunity to handle one.  Any comments on the reliability
> of these models?  (I've had bad experiences with 20 year-old equipment
> before.)  Anything particular I need to ask about before purchase?
> 
SNIP

> Oh yeah -- can anyone explain how well the MR meters work?  Any idea how
> they do in low light?  Other thoughts?


Derek,

You've come to the wrong place. You will be overwhelmed by a couple
hundred differing opinions- all of them right.

Here are a couple of my thoughts. I have an M2 and an M3. The M2 was
made in 1962, the M3 double stroke in 1957. They're almost as old as me.
They both work wonderfully and I have MR4 meters on each. I like the MR4
because I can take readings without the camera to my eye, set it and
then when I bring the camera up I just have to focus a little as I've
already prefocused pretty close. The MR4 meters meter approximately what
the 90mm lens sees so you can use the framelines in your finder if you
need more critical viewing of what you're metering. Both cameras are
built like tanks. I'm not qualified to talk about the esoterica of all
the lenses but suffice to say that Leica has earned its reputation by
making quality glass although lately you'll find some people complaining
about quality control in some of the newer R series lenses. I bought my
M2 used with a 35mm 3.5 screw mount lens with bayonet adapter for $450
and I bought the M3 double stroke for $650 so there are bargains to be
had. I currently keep a 35mm Summicron f2.0 on the M2 because the finder
shows that frameline as its normal viewing perspective. The M3 is used
with a 50mm Summilux (f 1.4) because the viewfinder best represents the
perspective of that lens. I keep a 90mm Tele-Elmarit close by if I need
it for portraiture or such. There are several good pages by LUG members
(Hans Pahlen is one and Steven Gandy another) that have all sorts of
useful information on body and lenses generation by generation as well
as what to look for when buying. And if you want to be totally informed
and overwhelmed Erwin Putts has some of the most definitive and
objective information on all the lenses. I'd post the addresses but I've
just reloaded my Netscape browser and haven't transferred my bookmarks
yet. One more thing to do. Good luck and hope you can make sense of what
you'll be overwhelmed with.

Carl S.