Re: [Leica] LEICA - M DRIVE

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

Walter S Delesandri wrote:
> 
> Ted, Mark, others,
> my .02:
> The original, M4-2, single frame winder (14214) was the quietest.
> It did NOT make the shutter button "clunk" up after release...in
> fact, it waited for you to release the button before winding on....
> It operates via a "pin" in the bottom of M4-2 and MOST but not
> all M4-P bodies...I have heard.   I don't know if the M6 has the
> "pin" to operate...I don't have one at this time to look, and I don't
> remember whether it did or not.  I'll check up on it, tho...
> I owned two of these winders, and they were quiet and didn't sound
> like they were "tearing up" the body.....I also owned an M6 compatible
> one... it may be the one just prior to the current one....it was
> noisy, clunked like hell, and felt "bad" on both M6 and my M4-2.
> (it was compatible with the M4-2 and I think the M4-p, but I sold
> the M6 winder before I got the -P model....)
> If you want an electric winder (I don't), and if it'll work on
> your camera, might try one of the old ones...they're quiet and
> only about $125 mint/used.....with the caveat that they don'd
> "do" continuous...but with practice will get you 2-1/2 frames/sec.
> 
> Cheers,
> Walt
> 
I am very interested to find out that the M4-2's were smoother and
waited to advance the film. So I just grabbed my camera and ran around
my house  squeezing off pictures at low light levels using my Leica
Winder M which is the current model. I was tuned into the "clunk" or
"kickback" into your finger that happens with the shutter release. I am
freshly convinced from this experience that the Winder would not give
you any vibration that would prevent you from using as slow a shutter
speed that you would expect to use with no winder. I said this a tad
awkwardly so let me restate that the winder would not force you to use a
faster shutter speed because of any added vibration. If I could squeeze
off a quarter of a second without the winder I could squeeze off a
quarter of a second with the winder. The winder was always turned on.
This are my impressions.
I also wouldn't agree with your ""tearing up" the body" impression.
I'm surprised Leica couldn't combine smoothness with reliability and am
still interested in your take on the reliability issues with the M4-2,.
But this is in one main sense a moot point for me as the current model
is as smooth as it needs to me. Its just a different feel from what we
are used to with slr's and if what you say is true, the M4-2,.
Mark Rabiner