RE: [Leica] Is the M5 an Edsel?(PRODUCT OF A GOLDEN AGE IN WETZLAR)

["B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>]

Hey, Andrew, don't confuse me with those Edselphobics. I was simply
responding to the original post, which raised the question, and I referred
the poster to Erwin's Choosing An M page, which makes the M5 sound quite
desirable.

In fact, I still recall that when I was a young reporter on the Metro staff
of the Washington Post, Frank Johnston in the photo department was a
dedicated Leica shooter who bought an M5 shortly after they came out. I used
to drool over that camera - size or no.

You're absolutely right about the size and shape issue. The only thing that
would concern me in terms of purchasing an M5 is the question of the
longevity of the metering mechanism, and the question of whether it can be
repaired/replaced.

B. D.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of Andrew S
> Jordan
> Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 1999 11:37 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Is the M5 an Edsel?(PRODUCT OF A GOLDEN AGE IN
> WETZLAR)
>
>
>
>
> >
> > I am thinking of  purchasing a working M5 but I've been told, by a
> > professional photographer, that "the M5 is the Edsel of
> Leica".  Is this
> > so?
> Paul, BD and others:
>
> I do not want to go into detail about the advantages of the
> M5 over the M6
> as I have done so in previous posts. But it suffices to say
> that the size,
> shape, and weight differential over the M6 is minuscule in
> comparison with
> the same characteristics of the R8 over the R7(6,5,4). And I
> haven't heard
> anybody on the LUG considering the R8 an "Edsel" or any other
> overdesigned
> and ungainly automobile of the past.
> Simply put I consider the M5 and SL2 as the last great
> cameras from the
> 1970's which were the GOLDEN AGE of lens and camera design as well as
> production in WETZLAR.
>
> regards, Andrew Jordan( owner of both a M6 and M5)
>
>
>