Re: 2nd M body

[CapsTeeth@aol.com]

I think you need to consider your particular shooting needs.  If you shoot
chrome, or are shooting a lot in low-light or in contrasty or changing light,
or shooting fairly quickly...or are not an "old-timer" with a good deal of
experience judging exposure, then you're going to miss the built-it meter of
the M6.  With the recent decline in new M6 prices, but seemingly no "domino"
effect on the older bodies,  for those of us who are users rather than
collectors, there's certainly less motivation to buy the older bodies, but if
I had to pick one I'd pick the M2 (lever rewind, selftimer model).  I happen
to own 2 of these...but I had them prior to my M6's. The M2 is more
convenient with the "universal" lens assortment (35-50-90) than the M3.  It
is slow to load unless they're equipped with "quick-load" conversion spools
(mine have this) and even slower to rewind (I've seen ads for Japanese-made
cranks for the M2/3 for about $80 apiece but I can't imagine what they're
like).  Still very serviceable, and they feel  (at least to me, and my hands
are very sensitive to mechanical mechanisms) more like old-world
craftsmanship than the later (M4-2 and on) bodies.

Doc