Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Another factor in favor of the original M4 is that it the RF doesn't flare when there is an oblique light source hitting the viewfinder at certain angles. The early M4-2 cameras also *may* not flare (there are differing opinions on this), but the early M4-2's are sometimes mechanically problematic. The flare problem may or may not bother you, depending on the conditions under which you shoot, whether you wear glasses or not, and how deeply set your eyes are (glasses and deep-set eyes make it less likely that you'll be able to get around the flare by shifting your eye position slightly). It doesn't bother Ted Grant at all; it drove Daniel Ridings and me crazy. Leica (and Sherry) now offer an RF modification that mostly cures the RF flare problem. It costs around $300 last time I looked. Sherry did this on my M6TTL, and I'm very pleased. But it is an extra expense to be aware of. On the other hand, the M4 is older, so it may require more repairs, and has lived more of its useful life than an M4-P or M6. A properly CLA'ed M4 has a smoother wind because the winding mechanism's gears are brass, whereas the later cameras have steel gears. --Peter