Re: Leica CL

[Paul Schliesser <paulsc@eos.net>]

>>What are some basic differences between the M2, M3, M4P, M4 and M4-2?

Tony,

This is part of a long message I wrote on CompuServe, when a couple of 
newcomers were asking for an overview of the different models.

The main distinctions between the M-series Leicas are the framelines that 
they display in their viewfinders, their meters (or lack of them) and 
their film takeup spools. Other than that, they are pretty similar to use.

The M3 has frames for 50mm, 90mm and 135mm;
the M2: 35mm, 50mm and 90mm;
the M4, M4-2 and M5: 35mm, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm;
the M4-P and M6: 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 75mm, 90mm and 135mm.

Only the M5 and M6 have internal meters.

All cameras but the M2 and M3 have the "rapid load" spool and a rewind 
crank instead of a little rewind knob.

The M3 was the first model made; the "M" stands for Messucher, the German 
word for viewfinder/rangefinder, the "3" was for the three frames in its 
viewfinder. This logic was not followed in the names of subsequent 
cameras: the M2 has 3 frames, the M5 has 4 frames, the M4-P has 6.

In order to get six frames into the M4-P and M6 viewfinders, they show 
two frames at a time: the frame for the lens that is mounted on the 
camera and one other, which you ignore. For instance, when the 50mm lens 
is mounted, you see both 50 and 75mm frames in the viewfinder.

The M4, M4-2 and M5 show separate frames for 50 and 90mm, but combine 35 
and 135mm. The M2 and M3 show only the frame for the lens in use.

The M2 and M3 and M4 show almost complete rectangles for the frames that 
they display; in the M4-P and M6, which show two frames at a time, just 
the corners of one frame are shown and four lines which do not meet at 
the corners indicate the other. I don't like the comparatively cluttered 
look of the M4-P and M6 viewfinders as much, although this is not as bad 
as I may be making it sound. You really need to play with a few different 
ones and see for yourself.

One of the things that makes the M cameras special is the viewfinder. You 
see a frameline floating in space, and you compose your picture by 
placing this frame where you want the picture to be. You can see what is 
happening outside of and around the frame; this is very useful when 
shooting any kind of action. It is a very different experience from using 
an SLR. This is why I like the simpler viewfinders.

Pretty soon you will get good at seeing the frame in your mind and will 
be able to compose the picture before you raise the camera to your eye.

In my opinion, you should make your choice of body based partly on the 
lenses you expect to use. If you do not intend to use the 28mm or 75mm, 
then don't buy a body that clutters the viewfinder with frames you don't 
need. If you intend to use primarily 35 and 50mm, an M2, M4 or M4-2 would 
be a clear choice. 50 and 90mm would be best on an M3, etc. Also, keep in 
mind that the wider the widest-angle frame that a particular viewfinder 
includes, the smaller the viewfinder image will be and the smaller the 
other frames will be. This is necessary in order to get a wider-angle 
image into a viewfinder that is the same physical size. This means that 
in the M3, in which the 50mm frame fills the viewfinder, the 135mm frame 
is much bigger than it is in the M6, where the 28mm frame fills the 
viewfinder and all of the other frames must be made much smaller to 
compensate. The 135mm frame on the M6 is very tiny.

Some 35mm lenses, and the f2.8 135mm have small lenses mounted on them 
(usually called "spectacles" or "eyes") which go in front of the camera's 
rangefinder windows. These lenses modify the viewfinder image so that a 
35mm angle of view fits into the 50mm frameline, and the 135mm view fits 
the 90mm frame. This means that these lenses can be used on any M-camera, 
even if the camera doesn't have the 35mm or 135mm frameline. The 35mm 
lenses with eyes are usually listed as being "RF" or "M3" in price lists. 
All f2.8 135mm lenses have eyes; none of the other 135s do.

There is a "Dual Range" 50mm which has removeable eyes for closeups. The 
eyes allow it to focus accurately to about 19 inches; most rangefinder 
lenses cannot focus anywhere near this close. It is usually listed as a 
"DR" 50mm. The eyes are not always included with a lens; they were a 
separate accessory. It is a very heavy, solid, nicely-made lens, and a 
good value, even without the eyes.

There are also accessory viewfinders that mount on the top plate for 21, 
24, 28 and 35mm lenses. With these, you focus in the main viewfinder and 
then compose the image in the accessory finder. None of the cameras have 
a built-in 21 or 24mm frame. THere are custom-modified 21mm lenses with 
eyes, which will work properly only on the M4-P and M6, and so don't need 
a separate finder. With one of the above options, any lens can be used 
with any body. (Although Leica viewfinders are pretty expensive.)

My personal favorite of the M-series is the single-stroke M3. It has the 
highest-magnification of any M viewfinder and has the best viewfinder for 
the 50 and 90mm focal lengths. This exactly compliments the lenses I use 
the most; I also have a 35mm with eyes and a 135mm. If 28mm lenses are 
important to you, the M3 may not be a good choice. I also have an M4-2.

The M3's drawbacks are that it has a little rewind knob instead of a 
crank, and it doesn't have the rapid-load system that the later cameras 
do.

The rapid-load sytem is a slotted take-up spool into which you insert the 
film leader. The older system (common to the M2 and M3) has a small metal 
spool which you must remove from the camera and clip the leader onto. You 
then slip both spool and film cassette into the camera at the same time. 
Both systems require you to remove the baseplate of the camera in order 
to load film and open the hinged back to insure that the sprocket holes 
in the film engage with the winding gear. There was an quick-load adapter 
kit for the M3. 

The M3 M2, M4, M4-2 and M4-P have an accessory add-on meter, or you will 
need to use a hand-held meter (or both). The meter covers roughly the 
same field as the 90mm frame in the finder, so it can be used very 
precisely as a largish spot meter if you push the preview lever to call 
up the 90mm frame while you are metering. The meter couples to the 
shutter-speed dial and provides its own, larger dial, and the set speed 
is visible on the top of the meter. I find it much easier to set speeds 
with the meter mounted than on the rather small, flat dial on the camera 
body. The top of the meter is rather like a small hand-held meter, where 
you can see differnt combinations of speeds and aperatures for the same 
exposure. You set the shutter speed and the meter indicates the proper 
aperature, which you set on the lens. I like the meter a lot.

The MR and MR-4 meters are the best choices for actual use, but both use 
mercury cells. The MR meter was originally designed for the M3, and its 
side-mounted exposure button can foul the rewind crank on an M4 or later 
body. On the MR-4 meter they moved the button to the top, out of the way, 
so it will work on any body. Other than the button location, they are 
identical.

The M6 meter is a match-diode spot meter. The size of the spot varies 
with the focal length of the lens in use, but there is no visible 
indication of this in the viewfinder. You will need to learn to estimate 
where and how big the spot is with each lens, in order to make the best 
use of it. It is much faster to use than the external meter.

The M3 is, I believe, the model made in the greatest numbers, (a quarter 
of a million or so) and so tends to be the least expensive, especially in 
the double-stroke version. (In case you are not familiar with the 
distinction, the double-stroke cameras require two strokes of the wind-on 
lever to cock the shutter and advance the film; all other M-cameras 
require one stroke. M3 bodies are typically listed as M3 DS or M3 SS, 
indicating double- or single-stroke. Many originally DS cameras were 
converted to SS by the factory.) The Early M3 had a different set of 
shutter speeds than what is now standard (1/5, 1/10, etc. instead of 1/4, 
1/8).

The M2 also seems to be reasonably priced and easy to find. It was 
originally a lower-cost version, but became very popular because it 
included a built-in 35mm frame. The cost-cutting measures were a frame 
counter that needs to be reset manually after loading, and the fact that 
many M2 bodies lack a self timer, neither of which should upset you too 
badly.

I would recommend that you avoid the M5. It is bigger, boxier and heavier 
than the other bodies and its prices are inflated because of collector 
interest. Also, deserved or not, it has a reputation for being unreliable 
because of the complex mechanism used for the internal meter. Part of the 
attraction of the M-cameras is their small size and feeling of precison; 
the M5 is just enough larger, in my opinion, to lack some of this feel. 
(I have played with the M5 but never used one, and this is a very 
subjective thing.). The other models are very similar to each other; the 
M5 is the oddball. It had a short production life; when it was 
discontinued Leitz went back to a slightly modified version of its M4 
predecessor, the M4-2.

Some of the things I have mentioned may sound picky and petty, but the 
cameras are so similar that these little things are what distinguish them 
from each other.

- - Paul